How to buy industrial packaging the smart way

by Howard Roth, President, Lakeview Packaging, Inc.

Do you have time to be an expert at everything?

Of course not. But you can look like one, if you get the right people to help you out.

Delegating outside your company – finding people who know what you need and can provide it efficiently and cost-effectively – is the secret to smart buying.

People like this can make you look good, because they have had many years of experience in their respective fields. They know what's new and what will work for you.

For example, you might think you need an expensive die-cut foam piece to cushion your delicate product for shipping. But maybe an expert would take a sample of your product, test it, and come up with a better solution at a much lower price.

If all you need are some corrugated boxes in a standard size, then my advice is to find them  and stock up.

But if you need custom packaging for a project (new or old), then a packaging professional can help you find a great solution that will probably save you a lot of effort, and maybe even a lot of money.

Sometimes big packaging companies will give you really low prices on a couple of key items to get your account. But be alert, because their prices may not be as low on the other items you buy regularly. And many times they cannot be as agile or responsive as a smaller company.

When times are financially tough, companies may scramble for your business. But when things pick up and business improves, you may find yourself attached to a provider that no longer has time to take care of your needs.

So here's the commercial: My advice is to buy from a smaller company like mine, because you will get an ideal balance of low cost and responsive service.

My company is dedicated to giving you fair prices across the board, all year round. We are into loyalty, honesty and integrity, because we want to work with you for the long haul.

We are real people who answer our phones ourselves.

If you need something, we will be there for you. We have to sleep sometime, but if you fill out an email request we will get it first thing in the morning.

We want to help you get your latest project off the ground, and we look forward to hearing from you.