This article was originally published on April 19, 2021 and updated on March 23, 2023
The definition of kitting is to gather a set of products that somehow relate to each other or go together into a kit, or a collection. Kitting combines individual items with individual SKUs into one kit with one SKU, which provides many benefits and drastically streamlines operations.
Kitting is a process performed in many industries that provides a host of advantages to employees, companies, and consumers.
The Kitting Process
Contract kitting providers perform kitting services to many types of companies with a variety of products and items. Regardless of the type of kitting performed, each process shares core similarities. Generally, the kitting process includes:
Receipt or collection of individual items – the kitting provider receives individual items, usually in bulk packaging for kitting and assembly
Assembly of all products – the actual assembly of each kit is performed, usually with manual labor
Quality inspection procedures should be performed during assembly -each kitting assembly process should have a specific work instruction and critical areas for inspection noted
Packaging – this includes creating one new label for the kit, with one SKU(in an automated system, this removes all individual products from inventory and puts them all into one completed kit)
Shipping – each kit is then repackaged for shipping to the customer or end-user
Benefits of the Kitting Process
Kitting provides a host of benefits to many companies in a variety of industries. Kitting performed for warehouse and distribution operations allow these companies to streamline operations, receiving fully assembled kits of products they can turn around and ship to their customers or place on a shelf.
Kitting in manufacturing provides operators with the correct components or tools needed at the proper workstation when and where they are required. This saves employees a lot of time and wasted steps to gather various items, and keeps assembly and production lines moving.
Kitting alleviates bottlenecks in many types of industries and streamlines operations for improved productivity. Utilizing a contract kitting and assembly provider can eliminate a lot of in-house labor, allowing companies to focus on their niche manufacturing. Improved productivity enhances the manufacturing process and improves profitability.
High Quality and Efficient Kitting and Assembly Services
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, has been providing high-quality and efficient kitting and assembly services for more than 80 years. As an ISO9001:2015 registered kitting provider, we provide a level of assurance to all customers of receiving quality kitted products with on-time delivery. PPS offers experience in kitting for a wide range of industries, such as
Kitting for subscription fulfillment operations
Creating toolkits including seals, sockets, and other tools safety and first-aid kits
Kitting of promotional materials
Human resource and onboarding welcome kits
Kitting, packaging, and palletizing for the beverage industry
PPS offers experience in kitting these types of products for these industries and many others. Our modern, state-of-the-art facility includes an expansive 130,000 square-foot facility with 17 shipping and receiving bays. This allows for streamlined operations and the capacity to dedicate kitting and assembly stations for improved quality control. Our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system automates all incoming and outgoing materials with lot code traceability and real-time inventory management.
PPS is a leading contract kitting and assembly provider with more than 80 years of experience, the capacity, and resources to fulfill your production needs. We differ from other kitting providers in our not-for-profit status and responsiveness to our customer’s needs. Contact us with any questions and to learn more about how kitting processes can help streamline your operations.
This article was originally published on April 26, 2021 and updated on 3/21.
Dock to stock (DTS) is a term used to describe the time needed to move products from receiving to storage, whether items are going directly to inventory on shelves, racks, bins, or pallets. Receiving for small companies can be a straightforward process, although for large businesses receiving large volumes of product, Dock to Stock can be extremely time-consuming and wasteful if processes are not optimized for maximum efficiency.
Kitting is one way that Dock to Stock time can be significantly improved, and it provides a number of benefits that can improve productivity and profitability.
What Is Dock to Stock?
Dock-to-stock begins when ordered materials arrive at the loading dock and is the beginning of the receiving process. Receiving involves a lot more than just grabbing boxes and putting them on a shelf. Proper receiving procedures can be time-consuming and include:
Checking the products received to ensure they were not damaged in transit
Checking the items and quantity received against the internal purchase order to make sure you got what you ordered
Creating a computerized label to stick on the box to scan these items into a computerized inventory system
For companies without computerized systems, handwritten logs must be kept of all be further assembled or used in specific production runs can spend all day receiving and moving items from dock to stock. Optimizing this method with the most streamlined and efficient processes provides many benefits for workers and for improving company metrics.
How Kitting Improves Dock to Stock
Imagine a company receiving 10 boxes of different items, packed in bulk, that must then be further assembled in-house as part of their internal fulfillment or production requirements. Now imagine receiving 10 boxes of already individually packed kits, one kit containing the correct amount of each item already packaged and ready to stock directly to inventory, put on a display shelf, or moved right to a production and assembly station with everything required included and ready to go.
Some of the benefits that kitting provides to dock stock include:
Improves DTS time: Receiving kitted products eliminates several steps for manufacturers and fulfillment centers and drastically improves dock-to-stock time.
Streamlines the receiving process: Kitted products combine all the SKUs of the individual items into one SKU, saving a lot of time without scanning numerous individual items into inventory. This drastically improves the storage and distribution of products kitted in advance.
Faster assembly – kitted products destined for assembly improve internal procedures with employees having everything they need delivered in one kit, eliminating the need to search for numerous products. Kitting makes it simpler to locate what is needed for an order, boosting the efficiency and productivity of the processes. Kitting products allows for a much faster fulfillment process, which ultimately reduces shipping delays that could happen if the items were packaged individually.
Fewer movements – streamlined and quick processes support fewer movements for employees, as they do not have to walk back and forth together required items. Tracking movements is a big part of streamlining processes, and even seconds add up. Companies that perform Value Stream Mapping (VSM) exercises begin to realize many advantages when breaking all processes down into seconds and eliminating all waste, including unnecessary movements, downtime, backtracking, bottlenecks, or duplicate work.
Improved quality with fewer mistakes – kitting reduces chances of error by eliminating further assembly processes. Receiving kits from an ISO-registered contract kitting provider provides even greater assurance of receiving quality and accurate kits.
All of these benefits of kitting can be translated into cost savings and an overall more efficient Dock-to-Stock cycle time. Kitting allows for a “grab and go” process that is much quicker than individually searching for parts.
Cost-Efficient Kitting and Assembly Services
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, is a leading provider of contract kitting services, offering more than 80 years of experience in delivering cost-efficient production solutions to companies of all sizes. We follow strict quality policies as part of our ISO9001:2015 registration, delivering quality kits and assembled components on time. Our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system provides complete lot code traceability for full accountability of all customer-supplied material.
PPS differs from other contract kitting companies as a fully sustaining, not-for-profit organization. We offer vast resources, including a large state-of-the-art facility with the capacity to set up dedicated kitting and assembly lines with a highly trained and dedicated staff. Contact us to learn more about our kitting and assembly services and how kitting can improve your Dock to Stock time and provide these many benefits.
This article was published on May 11, 2021 and updated on February 21, 2023
Kitting and assembly services provide many benefits to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as reducing internal assembly costs, improving quality, efficiency and profitability.
Kitting and assembly services provide many benefits to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and companies of all sizes.
What Is Kitting and Assembly?
Kitting various products together is a process of combining items that complement each other or should be sold together and can be used in many industries for a wide range of products. Kitting in manufacturing is often used to have tools or parts that go together that are needed in a manufacturing process so that workers have exactly what they need, where they need them, and at the right time.
Kitting for retail products can include combining products in just about any industry where it makes sense to assemble items together. This includes:
Arts and crafts
Baby and children’s products
Cosmetics
Clothing
Food and beverage
Hardware kits
Household goods
Pet supplies
Toys and games
Personal care items like shaving kits, perfumes, or lotions
When kitting products together, all individual items and SKU numbers are combined into one kit with one SKU number, which simplifies inventory processes and can make accounting for small products much easier.
Assembly is another process that provides many benefits to manufacturers and retailers, as items that should be assembled prior to further processing are ready for the task at hand. Assembled retail items can make life easier for consumers and improve sales by providing convenience and value.
Benefits of Contract Kitting and Assembly Services
When companies outsource kitting and assembly services, they realize many benefits when working with an experienced contract kitting and assembly provider. Some benefits include:
Freeing up internal capacity – moving kitting and assembly services to a contract provider allows for more floor space for internal production needs. This allows companies to focus on their niche manufacturing and supports business growth.
Reduced labor expenses – companies can pay a contract kitting provider incentive pain internal labor and benefits, which can pay off in the long run, especially when companies experience high turnover rates and must continually train new employees.
Improved production flow – receiving kitting and assembled products from a contract provider can improve internal production flow and eliminate bottlenecks in the process by receiving exactly what you need when you need it.
Experienced Kitting and Assembly Provider
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, offers contract kitting and assembly services and more than 80 years of experience. We provide kitting and assembly of a variety of products for many different industries and applications. We offer kits for manufacturing, kitting for retail goods, and contract assembly, including mechanical assembly and electrical assembly, with a highly skilled and trained staff.
PPS utilizes a variety of automated equipment, including auto bagging equipment, weighing and wrapping, and packaging equipment in our large, modern facility. We continually invest in our employees through training and cross-training programs and follow a strict quality policy as part of our ISO9001:2015 certification. We ensure complete accountability of all customer-supplied material with our Enterprise Resource Planning, ERP, the system with lot code traceability.
Peoria Production Solutions provides various secondary production requirements such as wrapping, packaging, bagging, filling, kitting and assembly to support your production needs and bring improvements to your internal operations. As a not-for-profit company, we are in a unique position to provide extremely competitive pricing to meet your budgetary goals. Contact us to learn more about how kitting and assembly can improve your processes when working with an experienced and quality-focused contract kitting and assembly provider.
This article was originally published on March 9, 2021 but has been updated on January 23, 2023.
Companies that provide kitting services help businesses to achieve greater efficiency and productivity in their own processes. Kitting services typically include combining numerous individual items with individual SKUs into a combined kit with one SKU. Kitting can be performed to combine similar items in a retail kit for sale and can also be performed to group necessary components together needed in a manufacturing process.
Businesses that are looking for kitting services can reap big benefits with increased productivity, increased in-house capacity, and improved cost-efficient processes.
What to Look for in a Kitting Company Partner
Choosing the best kitting company to partner with is a big decision and will affect the overall results businesses receive. Companies that choose to outsource kitting operations need to have a good understanding of the qualifications and services provided by their kitting partner. Some of the most important questions to ask of your potential kitting services company include:
1) What are their internal quality procedures? Is the kitting company registered to ISO9001:2015 standards? Does the company track and measure quality goals such as on-time delivery? 2) How is customer-supplied material accounted for? Does the company utilize an automated inventory tracking system to account for all customer-supplied material? 3) Can the company meet your lead times with a quick enough turnaround? Does the kitting provider have the capacity and resources to turn around your kitting requirements within your timeframe? 4) How much experience does the kitting provider have in performing kitting services? Is kitting something that this provider does regularly or just occasionally? How experienced are they with kitting processes, and how well have employees been trained on proper kitting procedures?
These are some of the most important questions to ask of a potential kitting provider to ensure that they follow strict quality standards, they can account for each and every piece of customer-supplied material, they can meet your lead time deliveries, and they are experienced with performing quality kitting services.
Why Choose Peoria Production Solutions for Your Kitting Needs
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, has been providing kitting and assembly services to a variety of companies for more than 80 years. We have the experience, the capacity, and skilled, trained staff to meet nearly any kitting and assembly requirement. PPS is an ISO9001:2015 certified kitting company providing high-quality kitting services to some of the largest companies in the country.
PPS is fast, reliable, and meets rigorous performance standards set by clients. For a streamlined process, PPS is the perfect solution for your kitting and assembly services. PPS is here for the customers. We are 100 percent self-funded and a non-profit, meaning pricing is straightforward, transparent, and extremely competitive. Located conveniently in the Midwest, Peoria Production Shop can provide solutions to the following problems:
Overflow or lack of storage
Substandard mechanical assembly
Urgent deadlines
Ineffective JIT sorting
Repackaging and shipping
Inconsistent or poor sewing
Inadequate bagging, wrapping, or packaging
Peoria Production Shop has the capabilities to order components from suppliers, coordinate routes and schedules, ensure quality by performing incoming, in-process and final inspections, all while meeting customers requirements. Additionally, clients have access to a sophisticated and secure program that allows customers to monitor orders and receive alerts along the way.
Peoria Production Shop offers a highly dedicated, well-trained, and highly productive group of employees that are here to serve the client at every point in the production process. Contact us to learn how to improve your productivity and profitability with PPS, a leader among kitting companies.
This article was previously published on March 16, 2021, but has been updated on January 20, 2023. Lean kitting processes provide many important benefits to manufacturers that improve efficiency and productivity, all leading to increased profitability. Kitting is a strategy that involves taking components from multiple SKUs and combining them into one kit with one SKU. Kitting in manufacturing allows for the delivery of a particular kit of parts or components that are needed for production at the precise time and place they are required.
Lean Kitting Supports Lean Manufacturing
A lean kitting process can help speed up the overall manufacturing or assembly process and reduce labor costs. The concept of kitting can be used in nearly any company. Kitting combines various products and components, so users always have the right inventory at the right time.
Lean manufacturing aims to remove bottlenecks and waste from work processes to improve efficiency. Waste is any action or process that does not add value to the customer. There are eight wastes of lean manufacturing:
Transport – moving materials from one place to another does not add any value to the customer. Minimizing transportation by locating items or production plants close together minimizes transportation costs and waste.
Inventory – excess inventory is wasteful in that it requires transportation expenses and storage expenses which require utilities, and could even become obsolete if produced too far in advance. Producing excess inventory is inefficient, ties up cash, and reduces cash flow.
Motion – any wasted motions take away from efficient, lean processes and can include factory workers who must walk to other areas to get necessary products, bend over, reach, or perform motions that could otherwise be consolidated into a more streamlined operation.
Waiting – any form of waiting is wasteful and lean manufacturing which may include employees waiting for open machinery or waiting on other employees to perform their tasks before they can continue with theirs. Identifying all forms of waiting in your production process and finding solutions to eliminate wait time eliminates this waste and promotes more productive work time.
Over-processing – overprocessing is wasteful when overengineering or working on products does not add value to the customer and does not need to be done. Any process performed that is not required as a form of waste.
Defects – if products are produced out of spec or with defects, this is one of the biggest wastes for companies as the defective product must either be trashed or reworked. In either case, it is extremely wasteful to produce defective products and can harm a company’s reputation if defects reach the customer.
Skills – managers need to know their employees and assess skill levels to ensure that all employees’ talents are being utilized in the most productive way possible. A continual training program helps employees maintain their skills and learn new ones and cross-training further promotes efficient, productive work.
Identify Components to Be Kitted
The first step to reducing waste is to recognize that it exists and to have an effective method for identifying waste. It is important to think about the final product and customer and work backward to the very beginning of the manufacturing process. Production managers can follow a few simple steps to help them identify the products to be kitted that will most contribute to a lean manufacturing process.
Consider these steps in kitting that eliminate SKUs and streamline the process.
Walk through the shop floor – Analyze how parts are organized. Lean methods require an in-person observation of where work is performed and the value that adds to the overall project. Taking note of all of the areas that could result in potential waste is a great way to visualize the process. Is there a way to conserve energy and costs by consolidating inventory?
Identify inefficiency – Check for bottlenecks in the process and take note of any components that are hard to track. Material that is not combined can be difficult to keep track of and store. Consider combining products to eliminate any added waste.
Work together – In order for lean kitting processes to be successful, the entire team needs to work to identify waste and improve processes. Once areas are identified for inefficiencies, collaborate to find solutions that one might not have identified on their own. Discuss solutions with people that are a part of every step of the process.
Once manufacturers have identified all of the areas of waste and potential solutions, working with an experienced kitting and assembly provider can deliver the most benefit and cost savings.
Peoria Production Solutions Offers Lean Kitting for Lean Manufacturing
Peoria Production Solutions offers more than 80 years of experience in kitting and assembly of various products and components for some of the largest companies in the world. We practice a strict quality policy as part of our ISO9001:2015 certification and provide full lot code traceability of all parts and components with our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. We practice Value Stream Mapping (VSM) to identify any bottlenecks in the process and cross-train employees for collaborative and efficient workflow.
Peoria Production Solutions is a leading kitting and assembly house for Fortune 100 companies and businesses of all sizes. Since we are a not-for-profit organization focused on creating jobs rather than profits, we provide the unique ability to deliver the most cost-effective solutions to manufacturers and distributors. Contact us to learn more about our high quality and cost-efficiencies with lean kitting processes.
This article was originally published on March 23, 2021 and updated on January 17, 2023
Kitting and assembly services are commonly used in many manufacturing processes to improve operational efficiencies, reduce bottlenecks, and help to eliminate wasted time and space. Kitting in manufacturing improves productivity and profitability for manufacturers, with positive results realized with an improved bottom line.
What Is Kitting in Manufacturing?
Kitting in manufacturing is performed to help all production employees become more efficient by providing a kit of components exactly when and where they are needed. Manufacturers must define the best components to be kitted and the best location for delivering a kit. Logistics kitting in manufacturing delivers required, assembled parts to the exact point of use which saves employees time and labor and looking for parts needed at a particular point in the production process.
Kitting in manufacturing and logistics kitting can both be performed by a contract kitting and assembly provider to improve efficient manufacturing operations.
Kitting Improves Operational Efficiencies
Kitting improves operational efficiencies whether performed in-house or off-site by a contract kitting company. Manufacturers that outsource kitting realize many benefits with preassembled kits delivered to the exact point of use when and where required as work in process moves throughout the production cycle. Kitting in manufacturing saves employees from searching for necessary products and components when they need them and provides many benefits that improve a company’s bottom line.
Some of the most important benefits realized with kitting in manufacturing include:
Saves space – manufacturers that outsource kitting eliminate the need to set up kitting and assembly workstations and save internal space better devoted to their niche market.
Saves time – when assemblers receive a kit of required components, it eliminates the need to pull parts from inventory, to walk back and forth throughout the shop floor gathering necessary items.
Reduces labor expenses – employees are more efficient when receiving kits of required components
Reduces shipping costs – Kitting allows for the sale of many single components to be consolidated into one order which ultimately lowers shipping costs.
Reduces packaging and labeling expenses – by combining multiple components into one kit, individual items are combined into one SKU, which can be managed in inventory with one label.
Contact Kitting Services Help Manufacturers
Contract kitting companies help manufacturers to realize all of these benefits by performing tedious, time-consuming kitting services off-site and delivering everything that’s needed back to the company. This allows manufacturers to realize all the benefits of outsourcing kitting and to utilize their own space more wisely and effectively. Contract kitting and assembly companies are experienced in efficient, quality kitting processes and focused on helping their customers meet their production goals.
PPS Offers Contract Kitting and Assembly for Manufacturers
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, offers contract kitting and assembly services for manufacturers with more than 80 years of experience. We utilize a large, modern, state-of-the-art facility with the capacity and staff to set up dedicated kitting and assembly workstations to meet customer-specific requirements. All incoming customer-supplied material is tracked with our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system with full lot code traceability for complete accountability of all items.
We provide kitting for manufacturing services to companies of all sizes for a variety of product types, such as toolbox kits and other items. Kitting in manufacturing improves the efficient flow of goods and provides many additional benefits.
Peoria Production Solutions has over 80 years of experience in kitting and assembly for some of the largest manufacturers in the world. We utilize the strengths of our employees, our modern, state-of-the-art facility, and vast resources to provide efficient, cost-effective kitting and assembly. Contact us for all your kitting in manufacturing solutions.
Electric Vehicles (EVs) continue to be a growing industry and topic of discussion, especially as gas prices only go up and eco-friendly solutions are mandated due to climate change. EV cable harnesses have many components that require precision assembly.
Some stripping and crimping of cables can be done with automated equipment, while other tasks require manual work and assembly. Working with high-voltage connectors requires specific work processes to be performed in order. Automated processes cannot be used for every task, and some manual requirements are more complex than others.
Benefits of Outsourcing EV Cable Assembly
Some EV cable types require a certain set of processing steps, while others require different steps to be followed. In some cases, it could make sense for the manufacturer to automate critical steps and outsource other processes, such as assembly. There are many benefits to outsourcing various aspects of EV assembly requirements. A manufacturer’s decision to outsource is dependent upon various factors, and evaluation of the potential benefits will help to decide the best way to meet manufacturing goals.
Reduces Labor Expenses
One of the biggest advantages of outsourcing electric assembly processes is the reduction of labor expenses, which is not just limited to wages. Companies can avoid the need to hire staff, invest in training, and provide benefits, taxes, and insurance. Outsourcing also allows companies to meet their production and shipping demands without worrying about maintaining the proper staff levels throughout the year, even with fluctuations in production requirements.
A contract electronics kitting provider will be there when you need them, and you don’t pay for their services when they are not needed. This helps reduce labor costs and helps companies to grow by focusing on their most important needs without worrying about staff levels for electronic kitting and assembly projects.
Improved Efficiencies
EV producers are continually investing in research and development and product improvement. Outsourcing electronic assembly processes allow companies to focus on improved manufacturing techniques and efficient production. By outsourcing electronic assembly services, companies can rely on their contract assembly provider without the need to invest in automated equipment and workstations optimized for the efficient flow of goods.
Changes in Production Demand Are Met Quickly
When production demands change quickly, an outsourced provider is always ready without the need to invest in new staff, training, and capacity for increased production and assembly requirements.
Experienced Electronics Kitting Services
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, is an industry-leading contract electronics kitting services provider with more than 80 years of experience in helping companies to meet production goals. We offer custom kitting and assembly, including contract electronic kit assembly, electronics kitting services, sub-assembly, final assembly, single or multi-step assembly, and assembly of various mechanical and electrical components.
PPS provides peace of mind to companies that require careful electronic kitting and assembly with a track record of satisfied customers. We substantially invest in our employee training and development programs with a focus on meticulous attention to detail. PPS offers automated equipment, a large, modern facility, and a staff dedicated to a job well done and total customer satisfaction.
PPS differs from other contract electronic assembly providers with our not-for-profit status, allowing us the flexibility to provide solutions that other assembly providers cannot. We utilize automated equipment combined with a skilled and trained workforce to deliver quality assembled products, on time. Contact us with any questions and for cost-efficient, high-quality solutions for your next electronic kit and assembly requirements.
Auto bagging hardware pieces like fasteners, nuts, and bolts, with other necessary materials, is a popular custom kitting technique. Polybagging fastener kits saves time for field personnel to have the right parts ready when needed or provides a convenient package for the end-user.
Fastener Kits Save Time with Convenience
Fastener kits put together for specific tasks such as assembling furniture or for specific repairs such as computer repairs or kits containing skateboard hardware, for example, give the buyer everything they need in one convenient, protected pouch. Polybagging hardware and fastener kits is also a common practice during manufacturing processes where operators require specific parts during their assembly application. Fastener kits can be provided along with products during a manufacturing process and sometimes sold on their own for specific processes, such as a picture hanging kit.
Designing Custom Poly Bagging Fastener Kits
Auto poly bagging processes are used in many applications for retail, commercial, and industrial applications to protect specific merchandise required for production, shipping, or sale. Identification tags can be attached to poly bags to indicate the number of products included, with barcode labels for tracking purposes. This one SKU can replace the numerous individual SKUs of all parts included, improving inventory movement applications.
Designing a poly bagging process requires careful consideration of a few important factors:
The specific products included in the bag
The number of products to be auto bagged
The type of poly bag or pouch most beneficial for packaging
Determining the exact products to be included is one of the most obvious important decisions to make when designing an auto-baggingprocess. Fasteners can be included with other required hardware or products, such as plastic parts or adhesives. Printed materials can also be included, such as an inventory list of kit contents and assembly instructions.
The quantity of custom poly bagged products is a critical decision to ensure all required parts are included in possibly a couple of extra fasteners or nuts and bolts if some get lost or damaged. Companies also must ensure they have adequate inventory to maintain custom bagging processes to support product ordering and sales.
The type of packaging is another critical decision, as there are several different types of poly bags available in different sizes, shapes, weights, and thicknesses. The type of packaging chosen should protect the parts inside for proper bagging and sealing, with the most efficient material available without jeopardizing product or process quality.
Types of Poly Bags for Custom Auto Bagging and Kitting
There are several types of poly bags available for custom auto-bagging processes, which requires careful consideration of certain factors to choose the best type. Companies will want to consider the size of the bag required, the bag’s physical characteristics, and costs. Some bags will be visible to consumers, others will simply be used for protective packaging during shipping.
The most common types of poly bags include polyethylene and polypropylene types of bags, with many different variations of polyethylene density.
High-density polyethylene, HDPE – HDPE bags are less flexible and denser than other types of polyethylene bags providing excellent resistance to tears and punctures. HDPE bags are often used to package heavy items such as construction material, sand, and cement, but can also be useful for packaging bulk food items and irregularly shaped products with sharp edges that could poke a hole in other types of bags.
Low-density polyethylene, LDPE – LDPE bags are less dense than HDPE bags providing more flexibility and clarity to see products on the inside. LDPE bags tear easier than other types of bags, which is convenient for products that require easy access, lightweight, and have visibility, such as for small parts or temporary storage.
Linear low-density polyethylene, LLDPE – LLDPE bags provide higher tensile strength and puncture resistance than LDPE bags without jeopardizing flexibility. LLDPE bags can save money with thinner gauge material and still provide strength, making them common for grocery store use, where clarity is not an issue.
Medium-density polyethylene, MDPE – MDPE is not quite as dense as HDPE, although it still provides heavy-duty properties with resistance to stress and cracking. MDPE bags are useful to protect against external damage, debris, and moisture.
Polypropylene, PP – PP bags are the second most common type of bags used compared to polyethylene bags and are growing in popularity due to high tensile strength and clear visibility. Polypropylene provides increased resistance to heat and chemicals over polyethylene.
These are some of the most common types of bags used for auto-bagging processes, although consulting with an experienced custom kitting and auto bagging provider will help you determine the right type of materials for your process.
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, offers more than 80 years of experience as a contract packaging provider, offering all types of packaging services, including auto bagging. We utilize modern auto bagging equipment, heat sealers, heat tunnels, band sealers, hot stamp imprinters, and other auto bagging technology combined with a skilled, trained staff. Contact us to learn how to improve your poly bagging application with an experienced, quality-minded auto bagging provider.
Custom kit assembly is the process of combining two or more individual products into one assembled kit with one single SKU. Custom kitting and gift set packaging are ideal for companies to prepare similar items for retail sales. Kitting can improve packaging and shipping time and reduce overall expenses.
Common Gift Set and Custom Kit Assembly Products
Custom kitting can be used in a wide range of markets to fulfill many types of orders. Some of the most common types of products that are commonly grouped together for custom kitting or gift set packaging include cosmetic kits, skincare kits, toys, entertainment media, product samples, and many other types of items.
Oftentimes, purchasing kitted items is a better value than buying items individually. This is a good way for companies to boost their sales while still providing cost savings to consumers.
Cosmetic Kits
Cosmetics are commonly packaged with like items that appeal to consumers, such as eyeshadows, mascara, and eyeliner grouped together for a complete eye makeup kit. Shades of eye shadows and blush colors that go together or foundations and powders in the same color scheme are commonly kitted for consumer convenience. Cosmetic companies often introduce new products in a custom kit and may offer more promotional items in gift sets during the holidays.
Skincare Product Kits
Skincare products are also commonly kitted together with facial cleansers, moisturizers, and toners that work together to provide a full skincare regimen. Skincare items can be grouped together based on skin types, such as dry skin or oily skin. Kitting is a very popular sales approach for many companies in the skincare industry to help keep costs down and cater to consumer needs.
Toys
Custom kitting and gift set packaging has been a common practice in the toy industry for a wide variety of toys such as model cars and airplanes, Lego kits, Barbie dolls and clothing accessories, Nerf guns, coloring books with stickers or other activities, outdoor games, and more. Toys, games, and hobby kits grouped together provide cost savings for the manufacturer and convenience for consumers.
Entertainment and Media Kits
The entertainment industry is another popular market for kitting, or companies can offer discounts for purchasing a series of movies or books that go together. Media systems like sound bars and speakers, televisions and mounting brackets, or car stereos and speakers are other options for kitting that can improve company sales and provide savings to buyers.
New Product Samples
Kitting services are a popular way for companies to promote new products, and offering product sample kits gives customers a chance to try the product out before buying a full-size version. Companies in all types of industries promote new products with kitting for a cost-effective way to increase brand awareness. A sampling of several types of products is often quite appealing to consumers, such as a variety of lotions or perfumes.
Gift Set Packaging
Gift set packaging is extremely popular around the holidays with everything from cosmetics, pajama sets, tool sets, cooking ware, holiday decorations and more packaged in a convenient gift set. Gift set packaging is not just for the holidays, however, with clothing and personal care items often available in gift sets for convenient bundling or gift-giving any time of the year.
With the many opportunities for kitting and gift set packaging, companies need a contract packager with experience in kitting and assembly to help them navigate the many options.
Kitting, Assembly, and Gift Set Packager
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, has been providing contract packaging services for more than 80 years and offers extensive experience in all types of kitting and assembly. PPS is an industry-leading Midwest kitting and assembly provider, offering secondary production solutions, including packaging, repackaging, and gift set packaging.
PPS offers secondary production solutions to a wide range of businesses and industries, helping some of the largest Fortune 100 companies meet their production goals. We offer the resources, staff, and capacity to dedicate kitting and assembly lines for your process, with a controlled flow of goods, ERP product traceability, and ISO9001:2015 quality policies. Contact us to learn more about improving your kitting, assembly, and gift set packaging process.
Kitting supports assembly and production processes in the warehouse or on the manufacturing line. Kitting is an excellent logistics strategy that involves grouping together individual parts or components with individual SKUs into one package or kit with one SKU. The kit includes all items needed at a particular assembly or manufacturing station where operators have everything they need to assemble or contribute to final product production.
Kitting in a warehouse for assembly significantly improves lean processes as workers do not need to search and find necessary components to support their process. A kitting strategy improves lean processes and reduces errors at the same time. When workers have everything they need in a kit that has already passed inspection, they know these parts are the correct items and meet quality standards.
Assembly lines are common in many manufacturing segments such as automotive, aerospace, medical components, appliances, furniture, and more. Grouping products together for smooth operation only makes sense to keep these processes on task with a streamlined flow of goods. Kits that support these manufacturing processes are sequenced to move along the assembly line as required were numerous components that could not be marketed separately or joined with other processes to form a final product or contribute to the manufacturing process.
Outsourced Kitting Provides Many Advantages
Kitting provides many advantages with a streamlined flow of goods and supports lean manufacturing and production operations. Performing kitting in-house, however, poses many challenges for companies. Businesses that wish to incorporate kitting in their process to reap the many benefits with improved flow of goods must first determine the products to be kitted, and set up an internal kitting station that requires capacity and labor.
Outsourcing kitting to a contract kitting and assembly provider alleviates these challenges and provides additional benefits to companies. Contract kitting service providers already have the capacity and systems in place to perform reliable, kitting and assembly of products received. This allows companies to focus on their area of expertise and niche manufacturing, warehousing, or retail operations.
Some of the most important advantages of outsourcing kitting include:
Reduced movement and optimized work time
– when assembly workers do not have to gather and prepare items for their station, the reduction of movement and time to look for materials optimizes productivity.
Eliminates errors
– workers that receive kits already assembled can have confidence in having the right parts at the right time that have already passed quality inspections. This eliminates human error in picking incorrect products and ensures quality assemblies.
Increased productivity
– kits delivered to the right station at the right time with the right products significantly boost productivity to ensure uninterrupted, continuous assembly.
Maximizes capacity
– companies that outsource kitting maximize facility capacity without the need to dedicate workstations just for kitting. Space can be allocated strictly to necessary assembly and production without wasting valuable resources on a subprocess.
PPS Offers Contract Kitting and Assembly with Value Added Services
Peoria Production Solutions, PPS, supports a variety of warehousing and manufacturing operations with experience in kitting and assembly services. We offer more than 80 years of expertise in meticulously assembling kits for a variety of market segments. Our modern, state-of-the-art facility provides ample capacity to dedicate workstations for high quality and controlled kitting. We offer a variety of value added services to meet specific customer requests, such as sewing, various packaging solutions, wrapping, palletizing, and shipping.
Our Enterprise Resource Planning, ERP, system provides tight quality control with full accountability of all customer-supplied material and lot code traceability. We practice strict quality policies with top-down involvement, and invest in our skilled and dedicated staff with ongoing training and cross-training programs. PPS practices lean operations and Value Stream Mapping, VSM, exercises to ensure the most efficient kitting and assembly to support timely delivery of quality products.
PPS is recognized as a leading kitting and assembly provider, offering solutions to a wide range of industries and applications. We partner with our customers to provide customized kitting solutions that meet your needs and exceed your expectations. Contact us to learn more about optimizing your process with an experienced contract kitting provider.
