Packaging Reps…MFG Reps…Brokers…Resellers…we’ve heard from you a ton over the past 6 months and I figured I’d give you some information you'll use as you really lean into 2022.  Despite what many have told me, I believe YOU are in a great position to capitalize on the current supply chain issues…in Long Beach, Tacoma, from overseas, etc.

To be clear…US ports are getting a little better but now we’ve got Russia attacking Ukraine and resin prices skyrocketing and further issues with finding truck drivers, factory workers that can pass a drug test, or just anyone who wants to work.  US factories are at capacity…and any new buildings and additions to plant facilities are going to be 2+ years at best.

3 reasons why YOU are the Key

• You have access to a smörgåsbord of different packaging products, from commodity to complex, and you aren’t limited to “paper” or “plastic” or “rigid”, etc. With the right connections and staff, you can find unique and innovative packaging solutions many of your customers have never seen before, and that they never thought you could handle for them. Again, with the right partner, now you can.

• You don’t have to sell on price alone. Sure, price is always going to be important, but the good to great packaging reps always look for ways to find some discrete pain point…some problem a customer has that you can provide solutions for. This not only leads to discussions with actual Decision Makers—versus Better the Buyer (who is really a clerk)—but you’ll be dealing with much larger profit margins, build relationships and partnerships, and avoid being “just being another supplier.”

• You can source globally, if you need to. US suppliers are at capacity…I don’t care if you are talking about printed cans or rigid bottles or flexible packaging, YOU have access to factories that can make some of the most sophisticated packaging solutions in the world. Many of your customers aren’t even aware there are other materials and packaging styles (recyclable, biodegradable, compostable, returnable, collapsible, etc) that have been used extensively in Australia, New Zealand, even the UK that no one in the US knows about. Ahhh…but you, up-and-coming packaging reseller…you do!

Use these tips and aggressively go out there and grow your sales and profits like never before. We’ll be cheering you on every step of the way.  Let me know what other tips you may be interested in.