When it’s time to choose a contract manufacturing company, it’s important to make the right decision. The wrong choice will lead to more than just inconvenience. Often, businesses fail due to big decisions, like this one.
Before you make the choice to hire one contract manufacturing company over another, it’s a good idea to know the traits of good contract manufacturing companies. Here are three of the most important traits to find in your contract manufacturer.
- Flexibility
- Full-Service
- Looking for Long-Term
Flexibility
One of the most important traits you want to look for is a contract manufacturer willing to be flexible. You may need to change the way your product is formulated or how large or small the runs are. These should be things you can make changes to, as necessary, and a flexible contract manufacturer will work with you on these types of things.
Sometimes, design flaws happen and they need to be fixed. Maybe you need help figuring out the formula for your supplement. These are things your contract manufacturer should be able to help with on an as-needed basis.
Full-Service
Nobody really wants to hire multiple vendors to handle their manufacturing needs. The last thing you want to do is have the product manufactured in one facility and packaged in another. It’s better to have a full-service contract manufacturer handle it all in one facility.
A full-service contract manufacturer becomes your one-stop-shop for everything you need. They will create the product, design the packaging, package the product and even ship it for you to your warehouse or to your distribution team.
When your product comes out of the facility, it should be ready to hit the shelves. Look for a contract manufacturing company with a custom label design team, along with other team members to ensure you’ll get the full-service experience.
Looking for Long-Term
A good contract manufacturer isn’t going to leave you high and dry if something goes wrong. Instead, they are going to be there to help with any troubleshooting you need and any adjustments necessary to make sure your product has the best chance to succeed.
You want a partner for the long-term, not just for the first few runs of a product. It’s best to find a good contract manufacturer now so that you can use the same company when you release a second, third or even a fourth product.
If you have to switch contract manufacturing companies, it becomes a hassle and your product may not remain consistent. Choose a good contract manufacturer looking to become a long-term partner.
These three traits are the most important, but you may also want to consider contract manufacturers with the following traits:
- Well-connected
- Plenty of experience
- Glowing reputation
- Flexible payment options
- Industry expertise
Not every contract manufacturing company will fit your needs, even if they are a good choice. Finding the right partner for your brand will go a very long way to ensure you get the best for your products. Make sure you consider these traits and find a contract manufacturing company willing to go the extra mile to ensure you get exactly what you’re after for your products.