Simply put, 100% of our products are made in the USA. We do not import any of the packaging products and designs we help create. This firm policy and position is not out of some patriotic or political fervor, it is merely a very practical decision for the benefit of our customers and our company.
We made this decision years ago before tariffs and the “Buy USA” trend, and here are a few of the reasons why:
Imported packaging usually has longer lead times
This is a problem when customer expectations include JIT deliveries and the market demands quick reorders. We still ship most of the products we sell within two weeks and we rarely (less than 5% of the time) ship shorter than expected quantities. That can be critical if a minimum quantity is necessary. You have 3,000 products that require packaging, but you only receive 2,700 boxes. What do you do?
Product made over seas can have quality fluctuations
This is not a blanket criticism of imported packaging because many ingenious, beautiful designs come from overseas. This also applies to handcrafted, labor intensive designs that for obvious reasons would be unaffordable if made in the USA. However, we talk to people who have received poorly printed, under gauge or poorly designed packaging from a foreign low-cost provider. Generally, the adage “you get what you pay for” holds true.
Imported product is not always as eco-friendly as you might want or need
To be totally frank, controlling content of any paper-based product is extremely difficult domestically and nearly impossible to guarantee when the manufacturing plant is overseas. Can you print a recycled content eco message on your box with certainty? What about the inks being used? Our printing on corrugated boxes is always done with water-based inks but on some imported packaging products the strong chemical smell indicates otherwise.
Know who your packaging supplier is
Thanks to the Web and today’s world marketplace, the order you place with an American market company may be relayed to an overseas company in one country who then forwards it to a subsidiary on a different continent. There is no guarantee where your products are run and who is running them. Try handling a customer service complaint with that in mind.
Who is Salazar Packaging?
We are a family owned company in Suburban Chicago and even if we determine the best plant to run your specific order is not in the Midwest, it is never run overseas. My wife, Lenora and I have a combined over fifty years of packaging experience. For more details, visit the about us page on our Salazar Packaging web site.
Our business has grown rapidly since its start-up in 2007 for four simple reasons:
- An unflinching commitment to quality of materials and results. A quick visit to our gallery will show the type of customer we serve. Some are very large companies, and some are relatively new launches, but they all share one common goal: to deliver their products to their customers safely in a great looking container at the lowest possible cost.
- Exceptional customer service – no language or international time zones to deal with. Our people are well trained, experienced, and understand our goal is zero mistakes and absolutely no surprises. Our customers know exactly what they are getting and when they are getting it. (Usually within two weeks.)
- Amazing design work on boxes and inserts – e-commerce has grown, and foam peanuts or messy paper loose fill are no longer acceptable. Foam and bubble wrap are also high labor/time consuming and not eco-friendly. Today, presentation and protection are the standard requirements. See first related post below.
- Competitive pricing – I would be the first to admit that in most cases, we are not going to be price competitive with overseas manufacturers. That simply is not possible even though we do narrow that price gap when domestic versus international shipping is factored in. However, we can and will be cost competitive with just about any domestic producer. Try us and you will see.
If you have any questions on any of the items we discuss above, please do not hesitate to contact me personally or one of our people at 630-551-1700, or contact us through our web site. We will be glad to answer any questions you may have.
Related posts:
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/?s=protection+and+presentation
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/new-over-45-new-e-commerce-dtc-packaging-images/
