The importance of product packaging to the supply chain cannot be overstated. Packaging provides essential protection for your products and is the face of your brand. That’s why, here at J.S. McCarthy, we understand how unnerving it has been these last few years as the supply chain for essential packaging materials has been disrupted. Without packaging, your products don’t get transported or sold.

That’s why we have worked so hard to buffer you from these disruptions as much as possible. Early on, we recognized the need to come up with a strategy. This meant making intelligent business decisions and building relationships with new suppliers. It worked! We have been able to continue producing packaging for our customers largely uninterrupted.

How have we navigated the supply chain squeeze and kept you up and running?

1. We have prioritized building strong relationships with local paperboard manufacturers. By working with nearby suppliers, we have been better able to ensure timely delivery and avoid delays in transportation. Having these relationships also allows us to work closely with our suppliers to understand their production capabilities and capacity and to plan accordingly. This level of collaboration has allowed us to mitigate the impact of supply chain disruptions and ensure that our customers receive their packaging on time.

2. We have made intelligent business decisions around inventory management. Buying paperboard in bulk helps us maintain a sufficient supply of materials to fulfill customer orders. We can mitigate potential delays or out-of-stock situations by anticipating our customers’ needs and ordering in advance. This approach requires a significant investment in inventory, but it ensures that we can continue to produce your packaging uninterrupted.

3. We remain committed to maintaining a diverse supplier base both now and in the future. By working with multiple suppliers, we can spread the risk of any potential supply chain disruptions across a wider pool of resources. This diversity also allows us to access different types of paperboard, which is critical in meeting the unique needs of our customers. By building relationships with various suppliers, we ensure that we can always provide the correct type of packaging to meet your needs, even in a challenging market.

So, while the recent supply chain constraints in paper and paperboard packaging have made it challenging for all product manufacturers, we have worked to form strong, direct mill relationships and make strategic business decisions that keep you up and running. To us, that’s what partnership is all about.