Packaging options can be overwhelming.
From knowing what materials and finishes are available to which ones best fit your needs, Bulldog Bag Ltd. can help you work through the process.
We offer complete custom packaging design and manufacturing services through to shipping and distribution of the finished products. Ask the packaging experts at Bulldog Bag Ltd. With offices in British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Oregon, and California we’re confident we can find the ideal solution for your specific needs. When it comes to offering superior customer service and innovation, nobody does it better.
A Typical Customer Walkthrough
You have a rough idea of the packaging requirements of your products or perhaps the size of bags that your company needs, however, you’re unsure of the options that are available to you. Fortunately, with Bulldog Bag you’re in good hands as our experienced sales team can guide you through this process.
1. Getting a Quote
Our clients often start discussions with their packaging requirements, operational requirements and service requirements. This includes things like:
- Packaging size
- Material properties and finishes
- Bag styles and features
- Pre-press services
- Color and printing options
- Lamination and wicketing
- Quantity units, consignment options, and delivery date(s)
- Industry certification requirements
Once you’re satisfied with the proposal, we’ll prepare a quote for review and wait for your purchase order, confirming all the details. An agent will be assigned to you to as a primary and dedicated point of contact for any queries, complaints, compliments or concerns.
2. Pre-Press
Now that you know what the physical properties of your packaging will be, pre-press will take you through the process of getting your custom art and labeling designs on the packaging itself.
Our art department will review your designs to ensure a match on our state of the art flexographic printing machines, generate a die line for print design and add your artwork to the die line. If you’re not sure what ‘die lines’ or ‘flexographic’ means, don’t stress, we’re happy to do the technical work while keeping you posted on the progress.
In the final stage of pre-press you’ll get a proofing content package. A PDF that shows your custom print laid on the die line, the print positon on the packaging schematics, the number of colors, and other technical specifications for our production team. We can also send a color (GMG) proof which will mimic the final look of the product, printed on a sheet of paper scaled to size.
3. Assembly and Manufacturing
At this stage we have all the details necessary to start a production run. The process can diverge quite a bit depending on your specific needs, but in general, the manufacturing process goes something like this.
Stock check and assembly
This stage involves checking and gather all the required materials for the production run; this can be rolls of paper or plastic, glue, inks, solvents and adhesives. These are then portioned out in the appropriate quantities for the run while the ink kitchen prepares the ink for production.
Machine setup
As each production run is unique, our machines have to be setup and calibrated to ensure a consistent output of high quality products. This step involves mounting printing plates, adjusting cylinders, running inspections and quality checks on the machines and material.
Production
Once setup and inspection is complete the production run can start. This usually involves printing the design on a substrate, passing the printed substrate through a converter (which shapes the packaging) and finally ‘catching’ and labeling the finished goods. Quality checks are performed at each stage of production to ensure that requirements are met and outputs are consistent.
Packaging
Yes, even packaging materials get packaged. This will be done in accordance to your specifications, usually to accommodate the intended end use. Often plastic bags are shipped as rolls, for example with perforated lines to easily tear off a single bag, while paper bags are frequently shipped in cases of 250 to 4000 which can be left at counters or produce stations for bagging.
Shipping
Once production is complete and all related documentation processed, your order will be moved to a warehouse. Depending on your consignment arrangement, the products will then picked and move to the shipping dock for loading and dispatch.
Bulldog Bag holds Certificates of Origin for cross-border shipment of packaging products.
4. Post Sales Service
After the order has been dispatched, your dedicated customer relationship agent will contact you to make sure that you have received your order and that you are satisfied with the quality of the product(s) and service deliver by Bulldog Bag Ltd.