Custom Manufacturing: What Does It Cover?
It’s an age-old question for business owners that want to grow their companies: how do you maintain your level of quality and a custom approach while at the same time scaling up? To some, it may seem impossible at first. The fact of the matter is that in order to save money and hit deadlines, you’ll probably work with a third party manufacturer at some point. However, that doesn’t mean giving up on customization. Custom manufacturing companies have changed the way that we look at third parties, and are making it easier than ever for you to scale up while maintaining customization.
What is Custom Manufacturing?
You’ve probably encountered custom manufacturing in the past, even if you didn’t immediately register it as such. Custom manufacturing involves everything from designing, engineering, and of course producing goods for clients. The key that makes custom manufacturing unique—and so desirable—is that we design the products to the specifications of the client.
On the surface, this may seem obligatory to some—if you’re going to order a product from a manufacturer, wouldn’t you have it customized? However, this is not always the case. Some businesses today utilize private labeling. This process involves ordering products from a third party, then having the labels changed so that they reflect your brand. Otherwise, the products remain identical to the rest that the company sells.
Custom manufacturing, conversely, is not simply the act of ordering a product. Rather, you’re working directly with the custom manufacturer to ensure that they create the product exactly as you require. There is a level of collaboration. Though, this can vary from company to company and client to client. Sometimes, this also depends on the type of manufacturer you work with. The reality is that while some businesses can get away with private labeling, the more specialized your product is, the more difficult this becomes.
What Are The Pros of Custom Manufacturing?
While custom manufacturing can sometimes come with a higher price tag than less customizes processes, for many business owners this is ultimately worth it. Why?
While not all private labeled products, for example, are low quality, you have more control over the quality of a customized product. You’re involved in the process of designing the product and creating a formula. Ultimately, this allows for a product that has everything necessary to function and perform as it should.
For some businesses, the personalization that comes with a customized product is highly important. You could connect this to the types of products or services the company markets. Or, it simply may be a matter of appearance. No matter what the reason, you can only really find that type of personalization in custom manufacturing, and you shouldn’t ever devalue it.
Let’s go back to branding—because that certainly does matter, especially to growing businesses. While, again, custom manufactured products do not have an inherent lack of quality. After all, the general public has a level of trust in customization. Having products custom manufactured means that you remain involved, and consumers of all kinds appreciate that. Furthermore, customized products, whether they are parts of a bigger product or the final product itself, suggest a uniqueness that cannot be found otherwise. When you’re building a brand, standing out in whatever ways you can is incredibly important.
Efficiency. At the same time, there is a lot of efficiency that comes with custom manufacturing through a third party. What could take you months to customize may take a third party weeks or even mere days depending on the type of order and its size. One thing that you should always remember is that when it comes to manufacturing, time certainly is money, and efficiency can save you a lot of time.
Scalability. Never forget how crucial scalability is for small and growing businesses. As your business grows, you may find it difficult to scale up the production of customizing products. For custom manufacturing companies, this is not an issue. They’re designed to scale up production at fast rates without losing that customization factor.
Getting further into the specifics of custom manufacturing, let’s explore the workings of contract manufacturing and tolling manufacturing.
Who Does Contract Manufacturing?
Contract manufacturing, a third party manufacturing method that involves the client essentially signing a contract with the third party that delivers a customized product, is widely used across the world. Generally speaking, you’ll find contract manufacturing utilized by:
- Medical device companies
- Automotive companies
- Tech companies
- Food packaging companies
Manufacturing companies that have the equipment, facilities, employees, and expertise necessary to ensure the mass production of specific products offer contract manufacturing. Their clients typically choose them in order to save both time and money.
What is Toll Manufacturing?
One of the most popular manufacturing solutions for business owners is toll manufacturing. Toll manufacturing is similar to contract manufacturing, but differs in that the client also provides the raw materials to the third party company. This ensures a higher level of control for the client. Processes often covered by toll manufacturers include:
- Die cutting
- Lamination
- Slitting
- And beyond!
The reality is that it’s sometimes difficult to scale your company up while at the same time maintaining all processes in-house. However, you don’t have to give up customization when you work with a third party. CTI has the ability to create customized products for you, while at the same time ensuring that you get the customization you need. Call us at 419-924-5566 or contact us here and start off!
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