Packaging probably isn't the first thing your production team thinks about in the morning.
Until it isn't there.
Suddenly, something as simple as a missing pallet of boxes can bring production to a halt.
The absence of these everyday essentials can lead to:
After more than 20 years working with manufacturers, we've seen this happen time and again. It’s why we created SmartShield's Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) service.
Instead of your team constantly checking stock levels, placing packaging orders and hoping you've forecasted demand correctly, we do it for you, by monitoring your inventory, forecasting demand, and replenishing stock before it becomes a problem.
It allows your team to spend less time managing packaging and more time focusing on production.
In this guide, we'll explain what Vendor Managed Inventory is, how SmartShield's VMI service works, and why more manufacturers are using it to improve efficiency and gain peace of mind.
Simply put, Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) is a service where your supplier takes responsibility for monitoring and replenishing your packaging inventory.
Rather than waiting until someone notices stock is running low, inventory is monitored regularly and replenished before it reaches agreed minimum levels.
At SmartShield, we tailor every VMI program to the way your business operates, ensuring the right packaging is available exactly when it's needed, without overstocking your warehouse or tying up unnecessary cash.
Although every business is different, setting up VMI is straightforward.
Our team visits your facility to understand your packaging requirements, production schedules, and where inventory is stored.
Together, we establish minimum and maximum inventory levels for every packaging item.
Your SmartShield account manager regularly checks stock levels, tracks usage patterns, and works with your team to anticipate future demand.
When inventory reaches agreed levels, we arrange replenishment before it impacts production.
Production schedules don't stand still, and neither should your packaging inventory. As demand changes, we adjust stock levels to keep your operation running smoothly.
Packaging is often one of the last things manufacturers think about.
Unfortunately, it can also be the one thing that prevents an order from shipping on time.
SmartShield's Vendor Managed Inventory service helps reduce the risk of:
Instead of reacting to shortages, your packaging supply becomes proactive, giving purchasing, production and warehouse teams greater confidence that packaging will always be available when it's needed.
Vendor Managed Inventory delivers benefits beyond simply keeping shelves stocked.
Purchasing, production and warehouse teams know SmartShield is monitoring inventory and ensuring packaging is available when it's needed.
Carry only the stock you need, freeing up cash that would otherwise sit on warehouse shelves.
Better planning helps reduce costly rush freight when packaging unexpectedly runs out.
By understanding future demand, we can better plan inventory and, in some cases, reduce the impact of future material price increases.
When packaging is ready before production needs it, there's less risk of finished products waiting to ship.
For one manufacturing customer, SmartShield's Vendor Managed Inventory service has transformed the way they manage packaging.
"SmartShield Supply Chain Management has truly been a game-changer for us. They're not just a supplier - they're a reliable partner who makes sure we always have the packaging materials we need, exactly when we need them."
"That kind of consistency takes an important weight off our shoulders and lets us stay focused on what we do best."
- Vice President of Operations
This is exactly why we created our Vendor Managed Inventory service: to remove the worry of managing packaging, so our clients can focus on what they do best: running their business (not their packaging inventory!)
Vendor Managed Inventory is particularly valuable for manufacturers that:
Whether you rely on standard consumables or custom-engineered packaging, we can tailor a VMI program around your operation.
One of the biggest advantages of working with us is that we can manage inventory for both everyday packaging supplies and fully custom packaging solutions.
As one customer explained:
"SmartShield's VMI program has really simplified our packaging process. We know we can get what we need when we need it... SmartShield supply anything from tape to crates - from off-the-shelf to custom solutions."
- Shipping & Receiving Supervisor, Industrial Manufacturing
From strapping and stretch wrap to custom foam inserts, wooden crates and engineered packaging, one supplier can simplify purchasing while keeping production moving.
Vendor Managed Inventory works best when your supplier understands packaging as well as inventory.
At SmartShield, we're not simply monitoring stock levels, we're helping manufacturers optimise their packaging supply.
Our team combines inventory management with decades of packaging expertise to ensure the right products are available at the right time, in the right quantities.
The result is simple:
Packaging shouldn't be the reason production slows down or shipments are delayed.
With SmartShield's Vendor Managed Inventory service, you can spend less time managing stock and more time focusing on what your business does best.
Book a free consultation with our team to discover how a tailored VMI program can help reduce costs, improve availability, and keep production moving.