Opening Lines
Is It Safe?
By Jennifer Kwok, Managing EditorAt this year’s HBA Global Expo trade show, I was fortunate to moderate a conference on contract packaging. On the surface, contract packaging may not seem like the flashiest of topics. These days, however, it takes center stage in an ongoing news story—the recall of millions of toys made in China. Companies must ensure the safety of products and packages outsourced abroad, whether those items are toys for children or beauty products for adults. But how can they ensure safe production?
For tips from the panelists at my conference, read the news article on page 20. I also posed the question to Pamela Locatell, a good manufacturing practices (GMPs) consultant who monitors cosmetic and drug production facilities in China.
Not surprisingly, all say that due diligence is key. Vigilant audits are ultimately a brand’s responsibility. “Don’t be afraid to ask your suppliers a lot of questions,” says Locatell. “The one thing I have found when visiting factories in China is that a lot of them will answer ‘yes’ to your questions. However, firms must dig deeper than that. Ask for certificates of analysis and preproduction samples, and inspect your goods carefully when they arrive in the United States.”
Locatell also warns that brands shouldn’t be satisfied by ISO 9001 registration alone, which many firms in China have adopted to be more competitive. Also look for adherence to GMPs. GMPs are FDA-mandated regulations for safe production, both domestic and international, of food, medical device, and drug products. These stringent practices set a high safety standard, one that beauty brands should aspire to.
Large multinational brands can afford to send teams overseas to scrutinize facilities. For brands with smaller budgets, hiring a consultant such as Locatell to ask the right questions of a contractor might be the way to go.
Another option is to work with a domestic supplier with resources in China—either its own subsidiaries or supplier-partners. “A U.S.-based firm often understands FDA’s requirements,” says Locatell.
Three domestic packaging suppliers that have opened their own plants in China in the last year or so focus on safety.
“We employ the same quality standards there as we do here, including environmental and safety guidelines,” says Steve Pearlman, president of Risdon International.
“The same people who oversee our operations here in the States run our facilities overseas,” adds Brian Tauber, president of Carolina Precision Plastics.
Tim Thorpe, West Coast president of HCT Packaging, makes sure that his firm only shares work with other qualified suppliers. “Before and during a partnership with one of our suppliers, we do our due diligence on the factory and supply chain. We don’t subdivision work without first qualifying a supplier.”
Another benefit of U.S. firms opening divisions overseas? “As more U.S. companies open facilities in China, it will start to set the standard for more good practices there,” says Pearlman.