FJC Packaging Consultants

The Challenge

A large distributor of both flexible and rigid packaging approached us with an ambitious goal: develop a sustainable, child-resistant reclosable (CRREO) pouch and eventually bring all the converting steps in-house. They wanted help selecting equipment, developing the film structure, designing the pouch, and achieving official child-resistant certification.

 

Our Approach

We began by walking the client through the full reality of vertical integration—sourcing equipment from overseas, installation, staff training, and all the operational complexities involved. After several in-depth discussions, we recommended a smarter starting point: first build a reliable external supply chain. If that proved successful, they could always evaluate bringing production in-house later.

 

The Solution

We assembled the right team of specialized suppliers to make the project viable:

• A sustainable resin supplier

• An extrusion house experienced with multiple sustainable resins

• A CR zipper manufacturer capable of bonding to sustainable films

• A flexible pouch converter with digital printing and lamination capabilities

 

Developing the right structure wasn’t easy. It took multiple rounds of resin adjustments and coextrusion trials to create a film that was digitally printable, performed well on packaging equipment, and could pass the rigorous (and often challenging) child-resistant testing standards.

We also had to find a converter willing to produce small initial quantities—critical for a distributor whose customers often start with modest order volumes.

 

The Outcome

We successfully produced pouches that passed full CR certification. The client has gone on to sell large volumes of these sustainable child-resistant pouches while keeping the efficient supply chain intact.

By starting with a strong external network instead of jumping straight into heavy capital investment, they avoided unnecessary complexity and operational burden—while still achieving their sustainability and child-resistance goals.

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Project Timeline 14 months