Aerospace & Military

The aerospace and military fields are the most regulated non-food and drug industries. These markets are heavily regulated even compared to the automotive industry because of the nature of the customer (government entities). Every detail of the program is being scrutinized with government officials being in place at all facilities including non-military.

Packaging is a part of all phases of the program from initial prototypes all the way to supporting field requests which can last decades. Aerospace and military packaging requirements are to be able to protect and withstand the most extreme and unusual hazards, supporting any situation that may arise. Packaging may be idle for numerous years protecting product in unique environments until it is ready to be utilized.

Without the appropriate packaging, the safety of the mission can be in jeopardy resulting in possible unwanted consequences and major offenses. This may lead to hefty fines or imprisonment. Pack Protocols LLC has aerospace and military packaging know how and experience to overcome these hurdles.

Pack Protocols is experienced in these regulated environments and can accommodate with packaging process advancement.

Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical, & Medical Device

Regulations in pharmaceutical, bio-technology, and medical device have made packaging for these industries one of the most stringent. Due to the nature of the product (a significant portion being low volume) and governing body policies and directives, the product life-cycle (8 to 10 years from clinical to commercialization) is extensive.

Packaging has a vital role from the clinical laboratories to the end user (i.e. hospital or patient) providing safety and efficacy. Packaging process timelines for these industries are significantly longer compared to other markets. Every packaging component has to undergo significant development, feasibility, and validation processes ensuring the product, patient, or end user will not be degraded or harmed.

Consumer Goods

The consumer goods market is unique. Numerous products are derived daily in various formats trying to appeal to either a broad or niche population.  Most products have countless packaging configurations to satisfy customer’s specific packaging requests.

The life-cycle of packaging for consumer goods is short lived due to constant refreshes to present a distinguishable product in competitive surroundings. This leads to a complex packaging road map as well as high levels of pressure to produce quality packaging in a condensed time-frame.

Pack Protocols makes these stressful situations a thing of a past. Packaging is an important factor in making the consumer packaging stand out from the competition. With crafted designs and processes, Pack Protocols can deliver packaging from concept to implementation in multiple forms.

Food & Beverage

Food and beverage products appear in several sizes and formats including: frozen, liquid, gel/semi-solid, or solid to name a few. Similar to pharmaceutical and bio-tech industries, the food and beverage industry also has rigid regulations.

These requirements make it challenging for companies to make mass quantities of product ensuring high quality and consumer safety standards along with a modest price point compared to pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

Developing novel packaging for differentiating marketing segments while maintaining designs eclipsing the status-quo within a reasonable price point is difficult. Consequently, packaging is often transferred to contract manufacturers and distributors which may or may not cause additional hurdles.

Pack Protocols LLC can help in the development and validation process of food and beverage packaging alleviating time, energy, and resources.

Industrial

Industrial packaging may not be the most glamorous type of packaging. It may not be as visible compared to consumer product goods packaging, yet is vital.

For instance; industrial machinery has to undergo identical challenges as any typical package, usually rigorous and harsh conditions. These circumstances cause industrial packaging to emphasize function over cosmetics.

Comparable to other categories of packaging, industrial has similar hurdles such as: size, weight, and shape, and fragility to name a few. The extraordinary dimensions of industrial products create large format packaging dwarfing most other packaging types. Industrial also varies from other packaging types due to the low number of units being produced. In certain instances, industrial packaging requires custom or “one off” packaging.

Standard industrial level packaging needs to survive a variety of environments and be reused. Industrial packaging is focused more on durability and robustness causing stringent packaging requirements. Packaging materials used for industrial applications use more performance oriented material(s) to stave off any dynamic or static forces, stresses, and environments it may encounter.

Industrial packaging cost is increased due to application of use and the characteristics of the product. Like all categories, industrial packaging’s main goal is to ship the product from manufacturing to the end user or customer with no major issues.

Due to the dimensions of industrial packaging it’s not uncommon to have difficulty transporting items. Special transport vehicles or equipment may need to be involved to accommodate the magnitude of the packaged product.

Developing industrial packaging is a true test for engineers .There is only one chance to produce the appropriate fail-proof packaging incorporating multiple dynamics and conditions to ensure safe shipment and receipt of high value product.

Military

Packaging for military applications is one of the most stringent due to the conditions and expectations witnessed during combat. Regulations have been setup by government bodies to ensure items will last not months or years, but decades. These requirements make developing a military application package impressive.

Military packaging runs the gamut when it comes to the type of items to be packaged. From small fasteners to large pieces of military equipment, it all has to be packaged the same way when being received by the military. Due to the complexity of products and conditions, virtually every type of packaging and material are used.

One of the first major innovative packages of modern times is the MRE (Meal Ready to Eat). This package was developed for soldiers in the field. The package had to ensure the contents would remain fresh, not allowing any unwanted microorganisms and permeants to penetrate the package. The packaging unit also had to survive numerous harsh environments it may be exposed to. Moreover, the package had to be nimble and compact enough so soldiers could carry them in their rucksacks.

By designing military packaging to government standards the MRE is able to withstand multiple changing conditions providing soldiers in the field the nourishment needed. These items can be stored for years in government warehouses and be utilized when called upon.

Retail

Retail packaging is one of the most challenging items to package. The difficulty can be relatively easy or high. The biggest challenge for retail packaging is the number of configurations needed to be produced for clients in a specific amount of time.

Retail packaging can be a formidable foe for companies due to variations in size, weight, and shape along with customer requirements. Online a product may be sold in special combination pack with another product while on a physical store shelf it is offered in an individual presentation.

These variations can be illustrated by using a simple product such as shampoo. Shampoo has multiple sizes (travel, standard, bulk or club store, promo size, industrial size). All of these variations need packaging and the probability of using the same package for all applications is minute.

Developing retail packaging is not a simple task and needs to be considered carefully when being cultivated. Meeting clients needs have to be addressed while producing packaging conveying a strong brand image no matter if it is sitting in a luxury store or on a warehouse shelf.