2026-2-27 How do you explain thickness vs performance vs cost to customers?

How do you explain thickness vs performance vs cost to customers?

Please, you can also pick an example to explain the details.

Both performance and thickness affect cost. For example, a customer in the African market needs to reduce packaging costs, but the product is corn chips, which require some barrier properties. In this case, we can use a two layer PET/VMCPP material with a thickness of 50um. While the barrier properties aren't the best, they are sufficient. Because it's a two layer structure, the thickness is reduced, thus lowering the cost.

叛逆少爷 发表于 2026-2-27 18:24
Both performance and thickness affect cost. For example, a customer in the African market needs to r ...

Take the customer A1-970 for example, when he reached us in 2022 for the rolls for spices, like chilli powder, and ginger powder, 5~15 grams. His request is PET12/VMPET12/LDPE80, and at that time, I suggested, the price per pack may be higher as the thickness is larger than more commonly used thickness, like 60 or 80 um. However, the price per kg will revert, as price/kg of 100 um will be lower than 60 um.
At that time, the customer did not want to get a further understanding on this, and he just wanted the lowest price, so I made the best quote against 100um.
Some time passed, the customer reached me in fury, and told me he lost money as we provided a film which is thicker.
I really believe it is a mistake that many customers may make at the start of sourcing roll materials for their products.

叛逆少爷 发表于 2026-2-27 18:24
Both performance and thickness affect cost. For example, a customer in the African market needs to r ...

Actually, the most common thickness of VMCPP applied in the flexible packaging industry is 20um, 25um, and 30um. Even we choose the maximum thickness of 30um, when it is laminated with PET12, it can not reach 50um

Take barrier property as an example.
With the same material, thicker usually means better performance, but it also costs more.
To keep costs reasonable for you, we normally use a standard thickness that just meets the product requirements.
We can adjust the thickness up or down based on your needs. This way, we not only help you to control costs but also making sure the product’s shelf life and other requirements are met.

The best way to locate the best solution of package is as below:
1. locate the best material against the product, like milk powder, have to use PET/AL/LDPE, but for spices, it's OK to use PET/LDPE or PET/VMPET/LDPE, even some customers it's OK to use PET thermal laminated with PE.
2. Choose the most commonly use thickness first, when the customer wants to make the package with a higher level, then make it thicker, but if the customer wants to save cost, then just make it with a enough thickness but as thin as it can.
Of course, when we suggest the thickness to the customer who consider the cost much, we will have to consider that if the customer understand the real cost or not, just like the customer 970, he just thought in a wrong way and doesn't want to believe our suggestion. Then it's not only a technical thing, it's communication case.