Packaging development in a core production perspective - a case study at Volvo Cars

Business success is the result of focusing enhancement of the total performance of the supply network. While all products need packaging in different stages in the supply network, packaging producers deliver into a “core” network. Thus they are seldom an integrated actor of the core supply network. Consequently, the more the package and product development can be functionally combined, and integrated to the supply chain system, the greater the possibility of being competitive. This is accepted theoretically, however, industrial consequences are not yet highlighted since empirical knowledge about packaging effects on the entire production and supply network is limited.