What is co-packing?
3 min read
Co-packing, also known as contract packaging, means outsourcing packaging and logistics tasks to a specialized provider: sorting, repacking, order picking, stocking displays, labeling, preparing shipments. For many companies, it's the fastest way to relieve internal processes without building up their own space, machinery or staff.
Why the topic is growing
Product variety, seasonal peaks and short-notice promotions make rigid logistics processes expensive. Anyone who tries to absorb every fluctuation with their own staff and warehouse space pays for unused capacity in quiet months and still hits the limit in strong ones.
A co-packing partner flips that ratio: capacity is booked when it's needed. A handful of pallets or a large sorting batch, both can be handled at short notice, and bottlenecks in your own operation are bridged instead of becoming a problem.
Who co-packing suits
In principle, most non-perishable products. At BKM, inquiries mainly come from three areas:
- E-commerce: fashion, accessories and non-food, with kitting, labeling and order picking for shipping
- Industry: components, spare parts, hardware and technical parts, including large or palletized units
- Electronics: items with high quality requirements that need careful handling and clean packaging
What a good partner needs to bring
The deciding factor is a provider's own equipment: forklifts, lifting technology and fleet vehicles determine whether goods can be received and processed immediately or sit waiting. Location matters too. A site with direct motorway access, like BKM's in Stuhr near Bremen, noticeably shortens inbound delivery and onward distribution across Germany and Europe.
Co-packing is therefore more than a packaging service: it's a tool for staying flexible and making logistics costs predictable, especially in markets that move fast.
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