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    • Do You Speak Corrugated?
    • How Containerboard Is Made
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    • Snack Food Trends 2021
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    • New to E-Commerce
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  • Our Company
    • The PCA Advantage
    • Senior Management Team
      • Mark W. Kowlzan
      • Thomas A. Hassfurther
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      • Pamela A. Barnes
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      • History (1990-1999)
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    • Senior Management Team
      • Mark W. Kowlzan
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    • 2018-3-29 PCA Celebrates Groundbreaking for its New Box Plant
    • 2018-04-20 PCA Supports ICPF Dinner and Teleconference
    • 2018-05-09 PCA Holds Blood Drive at Corporate Offices
    • 2018-06-25 PCA Raises Funds for Children's Hospital After Theft
    • 2018-06-08 PCA Participates in FAME Program
    • 2018-07-05 PCA Helps “Do Lunch” To Benefit Meals on Wheels
    • 2018-07-27 PCA Publishes Its 2017 Responsibility Report
    • 2018-09-10 PCA Corporate Employees Visit Local Grade Schools
    • 2018-10-09 PCA Richmond Supports Area Schools
    • 2018-3-23 PCA DeRidder Mill Announces Scholarships
    • 2018-1-19 PCA Huntsville Gives Back to Its Community
    • 2018-10-29 Mark Kowlzan Named Global Containerboard CEO of the Year
    • 2018-11-13 PCA Employee Coaches Special Olympics Sailors
    • 2018-12-21 PCA Vincennes Helps Families in Need Over Thanksgiving
    • 2020-7-31 PCA Morganton Donates Materials to Local Robotics Program
    • 2020-10-7 PCA Mill Supports Food Needs at Local Community Center
    • 2020-12-1 PCA Tomahawk Named an Educator of the Year by TEAPIE
    • 2021-2-8 PCA’s Benjamin Frank Earns TAPPI’s Gunner Nicholson Gold Medal Award
    • 2021-4-20 COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution: Building a Box to Help Save Lives
    • 2021-8-17 PCA Releases 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report
    • 2021-10-6 PCA Richland Supports Local Fund and Food Drive
    • 2021-12-21 International Falls Mill Provides Year-Long Community Support
    • 2022-01-03 PCA Named One of the Worlds Best Employers by Forbes Magazine
    • 2020-6-11 PCA Atlanta Partners With Hosea Helps
    • 2020-4-13 PCA Employee Helps Neighborhoods Hit by Tornado
    • 2019-01-29 PCA Supports the Arts
    • 2019-03-14 Six PCA Plants Raise Funds to Benefit Toys for Tots
    • 2019-04-05 PCA Employee Provides Assistance to Guatemalan Town
    • 2019-05-15 PCA Plant Hosts Local First Grade Class
    • 2019-07-09 PCA Continues Partnership with the Red Cross
    • 2019-09-19 PCA Ashland Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary
    • 2019-10-25 PCA Employees Participate in Haitian Orphanage Projects
    • 2019-12-12 PCA Participates in Recruiting Event at Community College
    • 2020-1-20 PCA Named One of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek
    • 2022-06-01 PCA Designers Collaborate with NC State to Design Award-Winning Exhibit
    • 2020-5-8 PCA Morganton Supports Local Food Drives
  • Contact Us
  • Products
    • Corrugated Containers
      • Basic Designs
        • Regular Slotted Container (RSC)
        • Half Slotted Container (HSC)
        • Overlap Slotted Container (OSC)
        • Full Overlap Slotted Container (FOL)
        • Center Special Slotted Container (CSSC)
        • Snap or 1-2-3-Bottom Container (ALB)
        • Integral Divider Container
        • Telescopic Boxes (Design Style Trays, Infold Trays and Outfold Trays)
        • Double-Cover Container
        • Interlocking Double-Cover Container
        • Folders
        • Wraparound Blank
    • Retail Packaging and Displays
      • POP Displays
      • POS Packaging
      • Retail-Ready Packaging
    • E-Commerce Packaging Solutions
    • Heavy-Duty Packaging
      • BulkMaster™
      • ExportPack™
      • Grid-Lok™
    • Produce Packaging
      • Field-to-Retail (F2R)
      • BulkMaster™
    • Stock Packaging and Supplies
      • Packaging Supplies
      • Record Storage Boxes
      • Stock Agricultural Packaging
    • Hexacomb®
      • Protective Packaging
      • Pallets
      • Load Securement
    • Falconboard®
      • Falconboard® Print
      • Falconboard® All White
      • Falconboard Luminous™
      • Falconboard® All Black
      • Falconboard® Mount
      • Falconboard® Build
    • Interior Packaging
    • Freight Saver™ Dunnage Bags
    • Printing Capabilities
    • Containerboard
  • Services
    • Design Services
    • Technical Services
    • Brand and Marketing Services
    • Value Improvement Process
    • Electronic Transactions
    • Collaborative Project Management
    • Display and Graphics Sales
    • National Accounts Sales
  • Locations
    • United States
    • International
    • Garland Full-Line Plant
    • Franklin Sheet Plant
    • Fairfield Sheet Plant
    • El Paso Sheet Plant
    • Edmore Sheet Plant
    • Donna Sheet Plant
    • Conrad Sheet Plant
    • Chicago Full-Line Plant
    • Atlanta Full-Line Plant
    • Ashland Full-Line Plant
    • Arlington Full-Line Plant
    • Akron Sheet Plant
    • Gas City Full-Line Plant
    • Grandville Full-Line Plant
    • Hanover Sheet Plant
    • Harrisonburg Full-Line Plant
    • High Point Sheet Plant
    • Jackson Full-Line Plant
    • Jacksonville Full-Line Plant
    • Knoxville Sheet Plant
    • Lancaster Full-Line Plant
    • Los Angeles Full-Line Plant
    • Marshalltown Full-Line Plant
    • Miami Gardens Sheet Plant
    • Milwaukee Full-Line Plant
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    • Morganton Full-Line Plant
    • Newark Full-Line Plant
    • Northampton Full-Line Plant
    • Olive Branch Sheet Plant
    • Omaha Full-Line Plant
    • Opelika Sheet Plant
    • Pearl Full-Line Plant
    • Phoenix Full-Line Plant
    • Plano Full-Line Plant
    • Plymouth Full-Line Plant
    • Richmond Full-Line Plant
    • Roanoke Sheet Plant
    • Rutherfordton Sheet Plant
    • Salisbury Full-Line Plant
    • Salt Lake City Full-Line Plant
    • Salt Lake City Specialty Plant
    • South Gate Sheet Plant
    • Syracuse Full-Line Plant
    • Trexlertown Full-Line Plant
    • Vincennes Full-Line Plant
    • Waco Full-Line Plant
    • Winter Haven Full-Line Plant
    • Counce Containerboard Mill
    • Filer City Containerboard Mill
    • Tomahawk Containerboard Mill
    • Valdosta Containerboard Mill
    • Bentonville Creative Design Center
    • Liverpool Packaging and Supply Center
    • Elizabethtown Packaging and Supply Center
    • Orlando Packaging and Supply Center
    • Jacksonville Packaging and Supply Center
    • Vista Packaging and Supply Center
    • Mundelein Technical and Development Center
    • Westfield Packaging and Supply Center
    • Winchester Packaging and Supply Center
    • Miami Packaging and Supply Center
    • Middletown Full-Line Plant
    • Honea Path Full-Line Plant
    • Golden Valley Full-Line Plant
    • Burlington Full-Line Plant
    • Lake Forest Corporate Headquarters
    • Chicago Specialty Plant
    • Winter Haven Training and Resource Center
    • South Gate Creative Design Center
    • Fairfield Creative Design Center
    • Hong Kong Creative Design Center
    • Honea Path Rebuild Center
    • Chicago Sheet Plant
    • Huntsville Sheet Plant
    • City of Industry Sheet Plant
    • Reading Full-Line Plant
    • Cheswick Sheet Plant
    • Hackettstown Creative Design Center
    • Burley Full-Line Plant
    • Nampa Full-Line Plant
    • Salem Full-Line Plant
    • Salt Lake City North Full-Line Plant
    • Wallula Full-Line Plant
    • Denver Full-Line Plant
    • Atlanta Specialty Plant
    • Seattle Specialty Plant
    • DeRidder Containerboard Mill
    • Wallula Containerboard Mill
    • Trenton Hexacomb® Plant
    • Arlington Hexacomb® Plant
    • Auburn Hexacomb® Plant
    • Farmville Hexacomb® Plant
    • Kalamazoo Hexacomb® Plant
    • North Haven Hexacomb® Plant
    • Santa Fe Springs Hexacomb® Plant
    • Waco Sheet Feeder
    • Buffalo Grove Hexacomb Design Center
    • Boise Administrative Offices
    • Mooresville Creative Design Center
    • San Bernardino Sheet Plant
    • Miami Full-Line Plant
    • New Oxford Full-Line Plant
    • Valley Forge Sheet Plant
    • Gallatin Sheet Plant
    • Tampa Sheet Plant
    • Fair Lawn Creative Design Center
    • New Oxford Specialty Full-Line Plant
    • Providence Creative Design Center
    • Atlanta Fulfillment Center
    • Hanover Fulfillment Center
    • Columbus Full-Line Plant
    • Ashland Fulfillment Center
    • McClellan Full-Line Plant
    • Kingsburg Full-Line Plant
    • Waco Sheet Plant
    • Carrollton Sheet Plant
    • Hershey Creative Design Center
    • Marshfield Full-Line Plant
    • Richland Full-Line Plant
    • Harrisonburg Fulfillment Center
    • Jackson Containerboard Mill
    • Grand Rapids Full-Line Plant
  • Sustainability
    • Managed Forestry
    • Continuous Recycling
    • Renewable Resources
    • Responsible Business Practices
    • PCA Responsibility Report
  • Beyond the Box
    • Life Cycle of a Corrugated Box
    • The Myth of 100% Recycled Content
    • Profiles With a Purpose
    • What Goes in a Box?
    • What Impacts Box Performance?
    • Getting the Good Message Out
    • More Than Ink on Paper
    • Do You Speak Corrugated?
    • How Containerboard Is Made
    • How Corrugated Boxes Are Made
  • Industry Insights
    • Auto Parts
    • Snack Food Trends 2021
    • E-Commerce Pkg
    • New to E-Commerce
    • Sustainable Produce Packaging
    • Humidity and Temperature
    • New Shopping Behaviors Impact 2022 Retail Trends
    • 7 Retail Display Styles Companies Rely On
    • Retail Displays and Connected Experiences Meet Consumer Expectations
    • Corrugated Packaging’s Environmental Sustainability
    • Manufacturing Trends 2022: Technology and Managing Uncertainty
    • Auto Parts Testimonial
    • Lower Shipping Costs
    • Floral Packaging
    • Put PCA's Expertise to Work
    • Snaxpo 2019 Takeaways
    • Bakery Packaging
    • GFSI
    • Recycling
    • Heavyweight Packaging
    • TFB Success Story
    • Find the Right Packaging Vendor
    • Package Design Testing
  • Our Company
    • The PCA Advantage
    • Senior Management Team
      • Mark W. Kowlzan
      • Thomas A. Hassfurther
      • Robert P. Mundy
      • Pamela A. Barnes
      • Charles J. Carter
      • Jeff S. Kaser
      • Darla J. Olivier
      • Kent A. Pflederer
      • Bruce A. Ridley
      • Robert A. Schneider
      • D. Ray Shirley
    • Community Outreach
    • History
      • History (1990-1999)
      • History (1867-1970)
  • Investor Relations
    • Senior Management Team
      • Mark W. Kowlzan
      • Thomas A. Hassfurther
      • Robert P. Mundy
      • Pamela A. Barnes
      • Charles J. Carter
      • Jeff S. Kaser
      • Darla J. Olivier
      • Kent A. Pflederer
      • Bruce A. Ridley
      • Robert A. Schneider
      • D. Ray Shirley
    • Board of Directors
    • Corporate Governance
    • Shareholder Information
    • Stock Information
    • Financial Reports
    • SEC Filings
    • Presentations
    • Calendar of Events
    • News Releases
  • News
    • 2018-3-29 PCA Celebrates Groundbreaking for its New Box Plant
    • 2018-04-20 PCA Supports ICPF Dinner and Teleconference
    • 2018-05-09 PCA Holds Blood Drive at Corporate Offices
    • 2018-06-25 PCA Raises Funds for Children's Hospital After Theft
    • 2018-06-08 PCA Participates in FAME Program
    • 2018-07-05 PCA Helps “Do Lunch” To Benefit Meals on Wheels
    • 2018-07-27 PCA Publishes Its 2017 Responsibility Report
    • 2018-09-10 PCA Corporate Employees Visit Local Grade Schools
    • 2018-10-09 PCA Richmond Supports Area Schools
    • 2018-3-23 PCA DeRidder Mill Announces Scholarships
    • 2018-1-19 PCA Huntsville Gives Back to Its Community
    • 2018-10-29 Mark Kowlzan Named Global Containerboard CEO of the Year
    • 2018-11-13 PCA Employee Coaches Special Olympics Sailors
    • 2018-12-21 PCA Vincennes Helps Families in Need Over Thanksgiving
    • 2020-7-31 PCA Morganton Donates Materials to Local Robotics Program
    • 2020-10-7 PCA Mill Supports Food Needs at Local Community Center
    • 2020-12-1 PCA Tomahawk Named an Educator of the Year by TEAPIE
    • 2021-2-8 PCA’s Benjamin Frank Earns TAPPI’s Gunner Nicholson Gold Medal Award
    • 2021-4-20 COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution: Building a Box to Help Save Lives
    • 2021-8-17 PCA Releases 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report
    • 2021-10-6 PCA Richland Supports Local Fund and Food Drive
    • 2021-12-21 International Falls Mill Provides Year-Long Community Support
    • 2022-01-03 PCA Named One of the Worlds Best Employers by Forbes Magazine
    • 2020-6-11 PCA Atlanta Partners With Hosea Helps
    • 2020-4-13 PCA Employee Helps Neighborhoods Hit by Tornado
    • 2019-01-29 PCA Supports the Arts
    • 2019-03-14 Six PCA Plants Raise Funds to Benefit Toys for Tots
    • 2019-04-05 PCA Employee Provides Assistance to Guatemalan Town
    • 2019-05-15 PCA Plant Hosts Local First Grade Class
    • 2019-07-09 PCA Continues Partnership with the Red Cross
    • 2019-09-19 PCA Ashland Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary
    • 2019-10-25 PCA Employees Participate in Haitian Orphanage Projects
    • 2019-12-12 PCA Participates in Recruiting Event at Community College
    • 2020-1-20 PCA Named One of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek
    • 2022-06-01 PCA Designers Collaborate with NC State to Design Award-Winning Exhibit
    • 2020-5-8 PCA Morganton Supports Local Food Drives
  • Contact Us
Back to All Industry Insights Articles

Put PCA’s Expertise to Work in Your Operations

1/7/2020

The PCA Value Improvement Process (VIP) identifies opportunities for operational efficiency improvements to the benefit of your balance sheet. After 20 years of problem solving, here are some of the most important lessons learned.

Operational efficiency is a critical business pillar, and it’s one that’s often lacking. Manufacturing, packaging and logistics are a delicate balance of people, process, machines and materials. If one of these elements experiences friction, it can lead to costly problems.

At PCA, we think of ourselves as more than just a corrugated packaging company — we’re in the solutions business, helping to ensure our customers are operating at maximum efficiency.

That is why 20 years ago we established our Value Improvement Process (VIP) audit team — a dedicated group of efficiency experts who offer PCA customers a holistic review of their operations.

Contact us

Two decades and hundreds of audits later, we’ve helped our customers solve some of their trickiest efficiency problems. Some of the most common issues to consider for operational efficiency gains include:

  • Adjusting for new or changing product lines
  • Considering manual and machinery tradeoffs
  • Paying attention to dimensional (DIM) weight pricing

By helping customers address these and other issues, our finely tuned process uncovers an average of $450,000 in cost savings recommendations per audit.

Leaving No Box Unturned

When a PCA customer requests a VIP audit, our dedicated team kicks into gear. At the outset we consider each requesting customer’s unique needs and problems. Some are struggling with space for inventory, or wondering if box size reduction makes sense. Maybe shipping costs are ballooning out of control and they need to make sure boxes are shipping as efficiently as possible. Taking into account the specific situation, a VIP audit team with the best skill sets for the job begins a rigorous process.

The audit is a three-day, in-person, on-site visit to the customer’s facility. It’s highly collaborative and individually tailored, so by the end of the third day, customers receive concrete recommendations and specific projections for when those investments will yield returns.

On day one, the audit team spends time getting to know the floor teams and warehouse operators. They walk the production floor and study all aspects of the operation, looking for activities and materials that generate waste. The second day is spent doing a deep dive analysis. On the last day the audit team presents a full report with identified cost-saving opportunities and solutions to eliminate waste and improve operations. If they recommend investments, the audit team will be able to prove via modeling how those investments will pay for themselves. In one instance, a customer recouped $7.8 million as a result of incorporating our proposals.

PCA’s audits have produced real financial results for our customers — not to mention environmental and safety improvements. We’ve seen it all, heard it all and encountered (and solved) nearly any operations problem you can think of.

You Don’t Have to Be an Expert in Logistics and Boxes — We Are

When we conduct a VIP audit, we examine how our customers use the corrugated boxes PCA supplies. Are they packed manually or mechanically? How well does a particular box carry the load? How much unused space is in each box?

These details can add up, which is why VIP audits can bring benefits reaching into the millions of dollars. If a box is too big for a product and a lot of filler is added, that’s going to increase shipping costs. If a box is overpacked, it can increase product losses. We help customers identify the right size, the right box style, the right strength and the least number of box SKUs needed to optimize their operations.

Here are a few ideas to get you thinking about your own operations:

Adjusting to New or Changing Product Lines

Packaging logistics cannot be relegated to “set it and forget it” status. As you change individual products and develop new product lines, you should always reexamine your packaging needs. What worked well for you three years ago may not be the most cost-efficient practice today.

Pay Attention to DIM Weight

DIM weight (or dimensional weight) has become the standard in parcel freight shipping. By measuring the area a box will take up in a truck, train or van, shippers can more accurately forecast the cost of delivery.

Freight carriers like USPS, FedEx or UPS calculate the DIM weight and actual weight of the box and charge shipping costs based on which is higher. The move toward DIM weighting makes it all the more crucial to select the right-sized box for shipping your product. If you are using a box that is too large and the dimensional weight far exceeds the actual weight of the package, you may be paying a lot more for shipping than is necessary.

Man vs. Machine

In certain cases it makes sense to consider an investment in machinery to enhance a manual-packing process. The price tag on these investments can give operations managers pause and can be difficult to work into short-term budgets; however, it’s important to think about the payback period of that investment.

If these warehouse efficiency issues sound familiar or you have questions about other challenges you’re facing, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you and start a conversation.

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