The supply of healthcare products into retailers and the NHS relies on strong supply chains where communication is open and goods and materials are freely available.
Our partnership with an East Midlands-based healthcare product manufacturer began after the team discovered that the lead times through their pre-existing packaging partner had been extended to four weeks, with no prior notice. This change in lead time resulted in their contract packer running out of transit boxes, which were used to ship products into both retailers and the NHS.
The business therefore began the process of finding an alternative provider – prioritising a reliable packaging supplier whose full focus was on ensuring continuity of supply. Following an intensive research phase, the customer engaged our team to put the necessary supply framework in place.
We recommended our stock and serve offering, which is designed to prioritise a reliable supply of packaging whenever a customer needs it. It’s so reliable that customers can call off quantities for next day delivery if required.
Before implementing stock and serve, our account managers conducted a thorough analysis of usage trends and business needs in order to forecast the regularity of stock orders. We also created open lines of communication and reminders for the customer when anticipated delivery dates were approaching to ensure packaging supplies never dropped below a pre-agreed threshold.
By switching to Colton Packaging, the business has been able to save 15% on its annual packaging spend while at the same time, porting its sundry lines to Colton Packaging in order to keep everything with one supplier for consistency of service.
The excitement generated by the switch in supplier has been palpable for our customer, leaving the team safe in the knowledge that they can deal with a single partner whose sole focus is on prioritising product availability.
Could your business benefit from stock and serve? Speak to our team and book an introductory meeting.
