Smart packaging: sustainability doesn't have to be expensive
Reusable packaging like crates, pallets, trolleys and containers are widely used in agriculture, horticulture, trade and industry. Nevertheless, their registration is often time-consuming and therefore costly. As ERP and WMS systems are unable to process the many variables such as packaging items, locations, counterparties, pooling contracts and individual agreements, how do you control your packaging costs?
As the world population grows, we need to be more careful with our living environment. The Dutch government has set a goal of a fully circular – waste-free – economy by 2050. Reusable packaging plays an important role in this development. Due to inefficiency, however, costs are often too high. There’s something you can do about that.
Most companies still manage their reusable packaging via separate Excel sheets, lists on paper and in folders. Too often, there is only one person within the logistics department who knows exactly where to store (and find) relevant data. Checking balances with pooling companies and counterparties or the settlement of deposits is a time-consuming task. The result: figures are checked 'on intuition', updated (too) late and exact data are difficult to retrieve.
All this leads to high personnel costs, too many unnoticed differences in deposit calculations and difficult settlement of claims. Proper planning is also time-consuming and usually wet-fingered.
Much can be gained from packaging data if you have your basics in order. Using a single system, you can respond quickly, plan better and advise management on cost savings.
Sustainable packaging does not have to entail high costs. A smart packaging registration system lets you keep everything under control. You can automate both physical packaging transfers and their financial processing. The data flow, consisting of data exchanged with counterparties and the pooling company supplying the packaging items, can also be carried out without much manual processing.
Will such an automated system make you redundant as a packaging manager? Certainly not. If you always have the basics in order, you can use the data to your advantage. Keeping everything in one system, you can respond faster to balance differences, you can more easily keep an eye on which suppliers or customers are holding on to packaging items and you can better plan exactly how much you need in peak season.
Still better: Having costs, numbers and data at hand at all times, you can advise management on the right packaging strategy. Are you the one who ensures that there is never too much and certainly never too little packaging in stock? Are you the one who knows exactly which items will be returned, which ones have to be sent off today and how to make a more efficient planning? And can you ensure that every separate agreement with suppliers, customers and carriers is automatically applied in the right way?
Your cost savings lie in the proper registration of all those reusable packaging items. Increased efficiency will make your work more interesting and contribute to a more profitable use of reusable packaging.
Now there is a single system that can handle your complete packaging registration. PackControl offers easy-to-use software to register and automate numbers, values, deposits, counterparties, carriers, returns and special agreements regarding reusable packaging. Software you can link with your ERP and WMS systems. This ensures efficiency, better planning and more insight. PackControl fits every system and all variables.
Do you think your complicated system can't be captured in one software package? We believe it can. Why not check it out? We are happy to give you a free demo. Click this link to arrange an appointment.