6 Questions to ask Medical Packaging Vendors Before a Project

With medical packaging projects, customization is as crucial as compliance – but how do you know where the line is?

Finding an experienced medical packaging vendor to offer guidance and support is the most effective way to get your project together seamlessly.

Bringing a contract manufacturing project to life requires a thorough process that includes several important steps, from how your package is designed to the regulations followed when manufacturing it. We know that, sometimes, you don’t always have all the answers – in some cases, it’s tough to even know what questions to ask.

So, we’re making the contract manufacturing process as simple as possible for you.

We’ve compiled a list of the 6 most important questions to ask medical packaging vendors before you get started on a project.

1. What are your manufacturing capabilities?
2. What’s the project timeline?
3. How involved can I be in the packaging design process?
4. What is your process for quality assurance / FDA compliance?
5. Can you provide consulting for best practices?
6. What are the suggested materials?

Below, we’re breaking down why each of these questions is so important and giving you the answers you need to make informed decisions when it’s time to get your next medical packaging manufacturing project off the ground.

1. What are your manufacturing capabilities?

Not every contract manufacturer is created equally. Every operation has a unique set of capabilities, meaning you have to find out if the team you’re considering is even able to manufacture the product that you need.

For instance, if you’re looking for a packaging type that combines plastic and foam, your options are relatively limited, because most manufacturers work with only one or the other. At Janco, we’ve expanded our capabilities to include both foam and plastic manufacturing, meaning our capabilities are seemingly endless.

For six decades, we’ve prided ourselves on offering versatile solutions for custom manufacturing projects, so whether your packaging requires precise specifications or allows for wide-ranging customization, we’ve got you covered. Our in-house manufacturing capabilities include:

• Compression Molding
• Thermoforming
• Assembly
• Packaging
• Laminating
• Die Cutting
• RF Sealing
• CNC Milling
• Foam Fabrication

We also have several ISO-certified cleanrooms capable of manufacturing medical packaging products that require a high degree of sterilization under FDA guidelines (more on that below).

2. What’s the project timeline?

Sometimes this is the most crucial question to ask. That’s because different foams and plastics have different lead times once they’re ordered, and several other variables can affect how quickly your project will come together. If you’re working on a tight deadline, it’s important to ensure that you know your manufacturer can meet your deadline.

Some other variables that can affect your timeline include design, especially if it’s a custom foam or plastic manufacturing project.

Our best advice is to contact your contract manufacturing partner as early in the process as possible so that your timeline doesn’t affect your range of options. Still, if you’re seeking help under a tight timeline, we’ll do our absolute best to get your custom medical packaging project done on time without sacrificing quality.

3. How involved can I be in the design process?

Bringing a new project to life is exciting, especially when there’s an element of customization involved. At Janco, we specialize in custom medical packaging manufacturing projects – every single product that we manufacture is custom-designed to meet the unique device or product requirements.

Some manufacturers only offer certain prototypes, so if you’re looking to be deeply involved in the design process, you’ll have to seek out a manufacturer with those capabilities.

It all starts with a quick call, where you can lay out your needs, budget, and timeline. From there, our team of designers and engineers will help bring your product to life using best practices and guidance, considering the most effective ways to safely contain your product.

4. What is your process for quality assurance / FDA compliance?

Especially when it comes to the manufacturing of medical packaging, quality assurance and FDA regulatory compliance are crucial. Our team takes industry standards for manufacturing seriously, and we’re well-versed in what it takes to bring medical industry packaging projects from start to finish successfully.

We put quality management at the top of our priority list, so our quality management system is integrated into every aspect of Janco’s medical manufacturing division, from design to production right down to our customer support. Also, all of our medical packaging processes are regularly assessed and verified by thorough FDA, internal, and customer audits.

We also have cleanroom capabilities that many other contract manufacturers can’t offer. Our ISO 14644-1 Class 7 and Class 8 certified cleanrooms are monitored regularly to ensure that they are always operating within their required operating parameters, and our medical manufacturing division is certified to ISO 13485 and FDA registered.

5. Can you provide consulting for best practices?

We know that navigating the world of contract manufacturing can be challenging, especially when there are so many options available. Above all else, our goal is to help you make empowered decisions to customize your product. We’ll work with you to understand best practices based on your needs in collaboration with industry standards.

Whether you already have a project in mind or want to better understand our process and how our capabilities align with your needs, we encourage you to give our team a call – we’re always happy to lend our knowledge and support.

6. What are the suggested materials for my project?

Part of consulting means making suggestions for the types of materials used for your packaging needs. In some instances, the material type will be dictated by the product being packaged, but there’s also room for customization and improvement depending on your needs.

Your medical packaging vendor must have access to materials suitable for non-sterile, or sterile class I, II, III medical devices, packaging, and many other applications. We’ve spent years cultivating relationships throughout the industry to ensure we have access to the best materials for your project, in addition to ensuring quick sourcing services and competitive project pricing.

Janco is happy to help you understand the wide range of plastic and foams we use and ensure you make the best choice for the project.

Our range of plastics include:

• PET, PETG, PETE (polyethylene terephthalate)
• HIPS (high impact polystyrene)
• Acrylic
• PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
• Kydex®, a trademarked acrylic/PVC alloy
• ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)
• PC (polycarbonate)
• PP (polypropylene)
• PS (polystyrene)
• HDPE (high-density polyethylene)
• TPU (thermoplastic polyurethanes)

We also utilize the following foams:

• Closed-Cell polyethylene foam
• TPO Foams (thermoplastic olefins)

Have more contract manufacturing questions that you need to be answered?

Get in touch with Janco to discuss your specific project needs or find out more about our contract manufacturing capabilities and consulting. We’re happy to help bring your project to life with the customization, precision, and innovation that you need.