If you’re responsible for purchasing packaging supplies (boxes, bags, mailers, tape, etc.), you care about getting the best value for your money.

Scoring a fair price is essential. So is keeping an eye on your buying practices and the vendor partners you rely on.

Here are three best practices to incorporate into your purchasing processes to get a better return on your packaging material investments.

Ordering packaging for your business can become a set-it-and-forget-it activity. You use the same packaging month-in and month-out. You order the same quantity each time—the same box sizes, too.

What you might not realize is that while it may save time and mental energy, putting your packaging material orders on autopilot can end up costing you more.

Why you need to care about operating rates and how we can help you get what you want, when you want it.

The ongoing pandemic coupled with a sharp economic recovery, soaring freight costs and labor shortage has created a lot of challenges in the paper supply chain. As a result, you’ve likely noticed low product availability and higher costs. We’ll explain what it all means so that you can take a stronger position when it comes to getting what you need, when you need it.

So, let’s talk about operating rates.

World events have put stress on everything in the paper business––from manufacturing to logistics to delivery. One major result is an inability to access paper that has many businesses caught in a boat without a paddle.

Word to the wise: having a strategic distribution partner can help you keep business churning while avoiding many of the headaches that come along with today’s new normal.

A mix and match play of both print and digital is likely your go-to approach for marketing your business. But as of late—due to the pandemic and economic lockdown—digital has taken the lead. Flooding inboxes, increasing “Unread” counts and causing a lot of e-waste.

Having an abundance of packaging supplies in inventory may sound like a smart business strategy—but the carrying costs for doing so are higher than you would guess, unnecessary and avoidable.

Today, more and more companies identify inventory management as a top priority, but they aren’t computing inventory carrying costs. Instead, they’re using rough estimates.

Touchless or touch-free restrooms have been around for years. But with the COVID-19 pandemic fueling increased demand for touchless solutions, more high-traffic organizations, including government offices and educational institutions, are moving swiftly to fully touchless restrooms.

No surprise—consumers prefer touchless, too. Studies show that now more than ever, people are more cautious about using public areas when away from the safety of their homes. They notice and value the hygienic and convenient aspects of facilities that help them avoid or minimize touching surfaces.

Earth Day 2021 is this week! This year’s theme, Restore Our Earth™, speaks to the idea that every one of us needs a healthy Earth to support our jobs, livelihoods, health, survival and happiness—and that a healthy planet is not an option, it’s a necessity. And we agree.

If your business relies on packaging, whether to fulfill e-commerce shipments or for other purposes, keeping a ready supply of boxes is critical.

A clean facility. It’s a relatively simple concept. If a workplace looks and smells good, we recognize and appreciate it.

But for those who are in facility management, a clean facility means much more.

A clean environment benefits your customers and guests, employees and your organization’s bottom line. Research from ISSA¹, a worldwide cleaning industry association, bears this out: Clean facilities are not just a cost. They generate revenue.