Contract Packaging Is Estimated To Witness High Growth Owing To...

Contract Packaging Is Estimated To Witness High Growth Owing To Rising Outsourcing Of Packaging Operations

Posted 2023-12-15 10:43:58

Contract packaging refers to outsourcing of packaging operations to a third-party service provider. It involves various value-added packaging services including product formulation and blending, filling and sealing, cartoning, labelling and shrink wrapping. Companies use contract packaging services to reduce operational costs and focus on their core competencies. Products that commonly use contract packaging services include food and beverages, personal care products, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. The growing nutraceutical industry has presented lucrative opportunities for contract packaging of supplements, vitamins and herbal extracts. The global contract packaging market is estimated to be valued at US$ 66.37 Bn in 2023 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 9.7% over the forecast period 2023 to 2030, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights.

Market Dynamics:
Rising outsourcing of packaging operations and focus on core competencies are major drivers of the contract packaging market. As companies look to reduce costs and improve efficiency, outsourcing non-core activities such as packaging allows them to focus resources on R&D, marketing and sales. This presents lucrative opportunities for contract packaging providers. Additionally, growing demand for customized and flexible packaging from industries such as food and pharmaceuticals has further propelled the market growth. Contract packagers offer varied solutions from small batch sizes to high-volume production runs as per customer requirements. Stringent regulations especially in pharmaceutical industry regarding packaging standards also drives reliance on specialized contract packagers.

SWOT Analysis

Strength: Contract packaging market has witnessed fast growth over the past decade owing to the convenience they offer to pharmaceutical and food & beverage companies. They allow companies to focus on core competencies by outsourcing non-core activities. This has proven beneficial for small and medium enterprises looking to enter new markets.

Weakness: Dependence on contract packagers leaves little control over packaging quality and costs. While this allows flexibility, it can impact brand identity. Fragmented nature of the industry with many local and regional players makes it difficult to establish long term relationships and partnerships.

Opportunity: Growth of pharmaceutical, healthcare and FMCG industries especially in emerging economies of Asia and Latin America presents a huge untapped market potential. Rising demand for customized and sustainable packaging solutions from these industries also provides opportunities for contract packagers to offer value added services. Demand for cold chain and specialized packaging from industries like biologics and vaccines will drive future opportunities.

Threats: Intense competition and low entry barriers allows easyreplicability of packaging solutions. This exerts pressure on pricing and margins. Economic slowdowns impact consumer spending and can negatively impact volumes for contract packagers servicing FMCG sectors. Stringent regulations around packaging, labeling and storage require continuous investments to meet compliance standards.

Key Takeaways

The global Contract Packaging Market is expected to witness high growth over the forecast period driven by outsourcing trends in pharmaceutical and food industries. The market size is projected to reach US$ 66.37 billion by 2023, registering a CAGR of 9.7% during 2023-2030.

Regional analysis

Asia Pacific is expected to remain the fastest growing as well as the largest market for contract packaging during the forecast period. This can be attributed to rapidly expanding pharmaceutical, healthcare and consumer goods industries in major countries like India, China, Japan and South Korea. The region is projected to account for around 35% of the global market by 2030. North America currently dominates the market led by the US and is expected to witness steady growth supported by well-established healthcare and packaging industries in the region.

Key players

Key players operating in the contract packaging market are Aaron Thomas Company, Multipack Solutions, Pharma Tech Industries, Reed-Lane Inc., Sharp Packaging Services, UNICEP Packaging, Green Packaging Asia, Jones Packaging Inc., Stamar Packaging, Budelpack Poortvliet BV, and Complete Co-Packing Services Ltd.