Global Contract Packaging and Fulfillment Services Market Grows at a Staggering CAGR of 10.40%

Introduction

Co-packaging, also known as contract packaging, enables the management of a company's supply chain and packaging requirements to be outsourced. It includes point-of-purchase (POP) display builds, inventory management, and primary and secondary packaging of finished goods. It also includes the distribution of the goods to the market or directly to the customer.

Market Dynamics

Rising Demand from the E-Commerce Industry Drives the Global Market

E-commerce packaging businesses are the ones driving the widespread adoption of modern technology. The industry's need for packaging solutions to better serve customers is also fueled by the expanding number of international e-commerce companies. Over the past ten years, contract packaging has undergone significant development and serves as a significant innovation catalyst for large CPG firms and a supplier of end-to-end services to startups selling through the e-commerce distribution channel. Co-packers speed up the supply chain in the e-commerce industry by acting as a procurement arm, a warehousing arm, and a packaging production arm.

Due to the high variability requirements from CPG-providing companies, customization and speed in the supply chain create a challenge for the product offering companies through e-commerce. As a result, customized e-commerce packaging solutions are now more in demand from contract packaging companies. Smaller companies are run by contract packers and fulfillment service providers with fewer volume operations and decision-makers. As a result, they can adopt packaging innovations that are suitable for e-commerce more quickly.

Sustainability and Innovations Creates Tremendous Opportunities

Sustainability, innovation, and technology, as well as customization and differentiation, are some of the major factors that are anticipated to have a significant impact on the market under study in the future. Furthermore, all of the most apparent trends in the packaging industry are centered on the circular economy. For instance, the European Union is primarily driven by political pressure and consumer perception of packaging. The EU is moving more quickly than usual to enforce laws that will increase recycling rates, laws that will increase recycled content, and laws that will decrease single-use plastics. This is fueling the demand for services related to sustainable packaging.

Regional Analysis

North America is the most significant shareholder in the global contract packaging and fulfillment services market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.89% during the forecast period. Contract packaging and fulfillment services are expected to grow. Several primary food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and beauty companies teamed with regional contract packaging and fulfillment service providers to prevent pandemic-related supply chain disruptions. According to US-based MC Packaging, many CPG companies have pushed their supply chains for faster turnaround and shorter lead times. Many clients have expanded their product offerings using primary and secondary contract packagers. According to our analysis, contract packaging and fulfillment services will grow fastest in the pharmaceutical industry. Most drug development companies prefer to outsource packaging and fulfillment due to new drug development and time-to-market concerns.

Europe is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.41%, generating USD 49.62 million during the forecast period. Over the past ten years, e-commerce sales have steadily increased in Europe. This growth has resulted in a demand for safe and efficient protective packaging because a seamless customer experience is still crucial to a brand's reputation and customer loyalty. Western Europe has the most developed e-commerce sector on the continent. This region generates about 70% of all European e-commerce value. As a result, fulfillment services like logistics and warehousing are in higher demand. Additionally, newly established vendors are expanding their contract packaging businesses in North America through mergers and acquisitions.

Due primarily to its aging population, China is one of the largest markets in the world for pharmaceuticals and healthcare products. On the domestic market, premium pharmaceutical packaging made of Type I pharmaceutical glass is in high demand. Government initiatives and patient safety regulations emphasize the importance of high-quality drug packaging products. This is a response to the rising need for storage, secondary packaging, and cartooning services to protect glass containers. After the United States, Japan has one of the pharmaceutical industries that is growing the fastest. Japan constantly emphasizes continuous innovation and patented medicines. The government of Japan encourages this growth by lowering restrictions on foreign investment in the nation's pharmaceutical sector. Overall, it is anticipated that increasing e-commerce demand and the growth and development of the pharmaceutical industry will fuel the study market's expansion in the region.

Key Highlights

• The global contract packaging and fulfillment services market was valued at USD 73.34 billion in 2021. It is expected to reach USD 178.67 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 10.40% during the forecast period (2022–2030).
• Based on service type, the global contract packaging and fulfillment services market is bifurcated into packaging design and prototyping, contract packing, package testing, and warehousing and fulfillment. The contract packing segment is the highest contributor to the market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.34% during the forecast period.
• Based on the end-user segment, the global contract packaging and fulfillment services market is bifurcated into food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and household and personal care. The food segment owns the highest market share and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.09% during the forecast period.
• North America is the most significant shareholder in the global contract packaging and fulfillment services market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.89% during the forecast period.

Competitive Players

Competitive Players

The global contract packaging and fulfillment services market’s major key players are Aaron Thomas Company Inc., ActionPak Inc., Assemblies Unlimited Inc., PAC Worldwide Inc., AmeriPac Inc., Kane Logistics, FW Logistics, Warren Industries Inc., Swan Packaging Fulfillment Inc., Multi-Pac Solutions LLC, Sharp (UDG Healthcare PLC), Boughey Distribution Ltd, Budelpack Poortvliet BV, Wasdell Packaging Group, and Sonoco Products Company.

Recent Developments

Market News

• In March 2021, ActionPak Inc. declared the 196-kW rooftop solar installation on its new 175,000 square-foot packaging facility in Camden, New Jersey, which will perform both primary and secondary packaging of food and OTC products by stringent SQF and FDA regulations, was completed. According to estimates, the 491 solar panels will offset 20% of the building's electric consumption.
• In September 2022, the new Pegasus ULD temperature-controlled bulk shipping container was leased globally by Sonoco ThermoSafe, a Sonoco unit and one of the biggest global providers of temperature assurance packaging. As a result of the agreement, United Cargo's Pegasus ULD containers are now directly accessible to pharmaceutical freight forwarders.

Segmentation

Global Contract Packaging and Fulfillment Services Market: Segmentation

By Service Type

• Packaging Design and Prototyping
• Contract Packing (Bottling/Filling, Packaging, Labeling, Wrapping, etc.)
• Package Testing
• Warehousing and Fulfilment
• Other Service Types

By End-User Segment

• Food
• Beverage
• Pharmaceutical
• Household and Personal Care
• Other End-User Segments

By Regions

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Latin America
• The Middle East and Africa