It doesn’t matter what type of business you run, if you’re going to have items shipped, you need to give some thought to packaging. Too often, business people fail to consider this aspect of their product and suffer. Not only does the company want to make sure that everything they produce has been placed in an attractive package, but they also need to be aware of the cost, potential setbacks, and amount of time it takes to get an order packed up and ready to ship.
When packaging to military specifications, it’s hard enough to dot all the I’s and cross all of the T’s while dealing with the government. Packaging according to Mil Spec MIL-STD 2073 can be complicated and expensive if not done economically while adhering to the regulations. The requirements call for Interpretation of packaging codes, MIL-STD-129 markings, Wide area work flow (WAWF) requirements, UID RFID labeling and others.
Smart business people can quickly set themselves apart from the ones who will fail during their first year by sitting down and thinking about all the various things that their mil spec packaging need to accomplish per contract requirements. Not only does the packaging have to help brand your product, but it also has to keep it protected during shipping, be free of debris, and be an efficient design. If you do business with the Department of Defense, you will need to check with a mil spec consulting expert and find out about the types of protective packaging the military expects. The trick is to plan ahead, which allows you to accurately calculate your expenses and make sure they’re a part of your business plan.
The best way to start preparing yourself for how demanding packaging and shipping your products will be is to consult with the publication the American Society for Testing and Materials provides. Not only does the publication provide detailed information about the types of material used for wrapping, but also discusses storage methods.
One of the hardest things for many new business owner to handle is finding a place that’s clean enough for their products to be packaged up and prepared for distribution. Not only does the environment have to be sterile, but so do the employees handling the process. Dust, debris, and even shed skin could contaminate the entire order, lowering the product quality, and potentially destroying the businesses reputation. If you’re unable to provide a completely sterile environment, you should give some serious consideration to hiring an outside source.
If you think there is even a chance that you will be doing business with the military, you’re going to want to look for a company that provides mil spec consulting and will be able to teach you the ins and outs of making sure you’ve wrapped your products in a manner the Department of Defense will approve of. By taking advantage of mil spec consulting you will be able to handle your needs yourself, as opposed to having to rely on a third party for assistance. The mil spec consulting should cover everything from storing, to the packaging process, to providing training with the software that will make it possible to efficiently create the proper labels.
The OS2 company has worked hard to learn everything possible about logistics including packaging, source inspection by the US DoD Quality Assurance Representative (QAR) and billing the Department of Defense effectively to ensure prompt payment. In addition to helping companies ship their products, OS2 also provides mil spec consulting.
