Does digital matchmaking also work when it comes to finding the right product packaging? The answer is provided by a Berlin start-up with a new B2B platform that connects producers and packaging manufacturers quickly and easily.
How do I optimise the procurement of my existing product packaging or how do I find the right supplier for new packaging? For small and medium-sized companies in particular, this can be a time-consuming and labour-intensive challenge due to the large number of different suppliers. Here is the Simplify and, above all, accelerate processes, the Berlin start-up Packmatic because, according to Managing Director Jonas Boland: „With over 600 film suppliers in Europe alone, it is almost impossible for a single company to maintain an overview.“
The company name says it all, as it combines the two areas of packaging and automation. On one B2B platform specially tailored to the packaging market, Packmatic links producers and packaging suppliers. with each other. The concept is convincing: while the start-up, which was launched at the beginning of the year, was initially financed by the founders Jonas Boland and Matthias Geiß with their own funds, the founders of other well-known digital companies such as Zalando and HelloFresh, as well as the financial investor HV Capital, have now invested a mid-single-digit million amount in the up-and-coming company.
The Business model based on „smart matching“. On the one hand there is the customer search for the optimum packaging, on the other hand there are the offers from numerous packaging suppliers. In order to match both sides in an automated process in the best possible way, a specification of the required packaging is required.
Here Packmatic offers customers a Supplier-neutral advice from its packaging engineers on. In a first step, the status quo is determined and specific targets (e.g. increasing recyclability, CO2-reduction, price optimisation, application optimisation) for the packaging in question. In a second step, the Packmatic consultants work with the customer to develop the target specification for the packaging. This forms the basis for the subsequent Automated smart matching with the supplier network is a major challenge. Although Packmatic supports buyers on the customer side in identifying all relevant suppliers, individual requirement criteria such as regional proximity of the packaging material supplier to the production site can also be taken into account.
But even if customers do not want to change the specification of their existing packaging, they can more transparency regarding suppliers and prices with Packmatic achieve. Even companies with very professional packaging purchasing departments benefit from Smart Matching. „Experience shows that our tool actually helps every customer to achieve better purchasing results - even very experienced packaging buyers,“ explains Packmatic founder Geiß.
For suppliers, Packmatic provides a digital sales channel which Highly specific requests matching the individual production capabilities generated. Packmatic has developed standardised templates for each product category, which significantly simplify and accelerate the preparation of quotations. At the same time, thanks to smart matching technology, suppliers only receive orders that have a very high probability of being processed successfully.
Around 70 suppliers are currently represented on the start-up's platform. With strong growth trend, because the model is also well received by suppliers. According to Boland, this was also demonstrated by discussions with various packaging suppliers at this year's Fachpack: „Many suppliers are very convinced of the potential of our digital platform and would like to grow with us in the coming years.“
The young company aims to have more than 100 suppliers on the platform by the end of the year. All suppliers are checked in advance for criteria such as quality, production capacity, reliability and adherence to delivery dates. And in particular Suppliers who offer innovative and sustainable solutions. A rating for existing suppliers is also currently being developed.
The platform enables a Efficient communication between Packmatic, customers and suppliers. Misunderstandings and errors are significantly reduced. With its digital platform, Packmatic also offers an online tool in which all specifications and packaging products as well as all communication between customers and suppliers can be stored centrally and securely for the future. According to Boland, other features such as a live display of stock levels at suppliers and reordering with just a few clicks are already being piloted with the first customers and suppliers.
The decisive advantage of automated powermaking via Packmatic is the speed, which can be used to process initial enquiries through to the packaging that is ultimately purchased. This is mainly due to the connected supplier network. Within a few days, suitable suppliers can submit binding offers and the material on offer can be tested on the customer's machines.
An example of the Packmatic process is the enquiry from a Confectionary customer, who wanted to replace its existing composite packaging made of paper and aluminium for a chewing gum product range, but was unable to change the packaging process. The new packaging needed to be able to be processed on the existing packaging machines, but at the same time be recyclable and provide a sufficient (albeit lower) barrier than the previous packaging. In addition, special attention had to be paid to the foldability of the material, and the fact that a heat-sealing mask would be applied to the outside for sealing also had to be taken into account.
Suitable suppliers from the network were contacted using Packmatic's smart matching technology. Three suppliers returned their offers via the platform within five working days and provided samples of specific solutions directly. After a stress test in the climate chamber, the customer's quality department approved two materials. One material did not fulfil the requirements, the second did. Once the test rolls had also been technically approved for machine compatibility, an initial order for several hundred thousand running metres of printed goods was placed via the platform. Customers were particularly impressed by the smooth communication via the platform, The supplier was able to win a new customer and the project was a success. The procured supplier was able to acquire a new customer.
Jonas Boland is convinced that the proportion of new and existing customer business conducted via digital platforms will continue to increase. The dormant potential here is currently not even recognised. „Industry and Purchasing 4.0 will not bypass the packaging sector either and lead to a profound transformation. Packaging will be purchased and distributed fundamentally differently in ten years' time than it is today. Our model offers enormous advantages for customers and suppliers - and we want to use it to help both sides to exploit the full potential of digitalisation in the packaging sector“, adds Matthias Geiß.
