In today’s fast-moving business environment, a reliable source of packaging is about more than simply protecting products, it’s about keeping businesses operating efficiently.
Whether you’re launching a new product, responding to increased demand or managing seasonal fluctuations, having a packaging partner you can rely on to hit deadlines, again and again, can make all the difference.
At Colton Packaging, we’ve built our business on five generations of experience, prioritising efficiency, flexibility and reliability. From in-house packaging design, to print production, warehousing and delivery, we manage every stage of the process to help our customers reduce lead times and maintain continuity of supply.
Here are four ways we help businesses source the packaging they need, when they need it.
Every packaging project is different, which is why we offer multiple print solutions to suit different timescales, quantities and budgets.
For businesses requiring shorter production runs or quick turnaround times, flexographic print has an average lead time of just 1-2 weeks. This method is the industry standard and blends speed and quality, with cost-effective production. It also lends itself well to printing onto the often slightly uneven surfaces of corrugated board.
Digital print also has a lead time of just 1-2 weeks, and produces high-quality graphics with minimal setup over short-runs, with greater levels of personalisation. For larger production volumes, lithographic print packaging generally has an average lead time of 5-6 weeks and promises exceptional quality, consistent colour reproduction and excellent value for high-volume orders.
By offering a range of print processes and managing the entire process in-house, we can recommend the most appropriate solution based on your production schedule, budget and business objectives.
Many businesses do not have the warehouse space to store months’ worth of packaging. Equally, some companies do not want cash flow tied up in holding large quantities on site. That’s why we offer our Stock and Serve model.
Once your packaging has been manufactured, we can securely store it in our warehouse, allowing you to call off stock as and when it’s required. Rather than taking delivery of your entire order at once, you can receive packaging in manageable quantities designed to fit your production schedule.
For most customers using our Stock and Serve model, we offer next-day delivery, ensuring packaging is available exactly when it’s needed.
This approach offers several advantages for customers, including:
It’s a simple solution that gives businesses greater control over their packaging levels without compromising availability.
One of the most common causes of delays in packaging projects is coordinating multiple suppliers. At Colton Packaging, our experienced in-house packaging design team removes that complexity.
Working in collaboration with production, we ensure packaging concepts are developed with manufacturing efficiency in mind. This approach shortens lead times and creates operational efficiencies to the benefit of our customers.
This joined-up approach also minimises revisions and approval delays, improves communication throughout the project lifecycle, ensures packaging is designed for efficient manufacture, and accelerates the journey from concept to production.
Whether you’re developing a completely new packaging solution or improving an existing design, keeping everything under one roof is the best way to move packaging design projects forward more efficiently.
Unlike many packaging suppliers that rely entirely on third-party couriers and hauliers, we operate our own dedicated fleet of delivery vehicles with experienced drivers whose primary focus is customer service.
This gives us greater control over our logistics operation and allows us to respond quickly to customer requirements.
Combined with our Stock and Serve model, our in-house transport network allows us to fulfil next-day deliveries for customers across the UK, helping manufacturers avoid costly production delays caused by packaging shortages.
Having direct control over deliveries also keeps us agile when customer schedules change, providing a more responsive and dependable service.
Short lead times are important, but reliability is the key to free-flowing production lines. By combining efficient print capabilities, in-house packaging design, secure warehousing and a dedicated delivery fleet, we offer the complete packaging service designed to support modern manufacturing and supply chain demands.
Whether you need digitally printed packaging in as little as 1-2 weeks, high-quality lithographic packaging for larger production runs, or a flexible Stock and Serve solution with next-day delivery, our experienced team is ready to help.
Speak to our dedicated packaging designers today to discuss your next project.
