Direct answer
Five steps, one owner each
The delays are almost always a step with no owner. Name who approves the structure, who approves the art, and who accepts the first run. If those are three people, say so at the start.
Pouches here means premade flexible pouches, including stand-up pouches. Roll stock that your machine forms is a different spec. If you are choosing between them, settle the filling method first.
The RFQ
Send the product, the fill weight, how the pouch will be filled and sealed, the finished size, the features, the structure or a sample, the artwork or a color count, the order quantity, annual usage, and the ship-to location. Mark unknowns as unknown.
The quote checklist is the longer field list. Use it if this is your first RFQ. A photo of the current pouch can start the file. It does not replace the size and the fill method.
Structure
The structure is the stack of films that has to protect the product and seal on your equipment. Barrier, when you need it, comes from that stack. Say what the product has to be protected from, and for how long you need it to hold.
If you know the layers, send them. If you do not, send the current pouch and say the structure is unknown. Do not copy a structure from a similar product on a shelf.
Pouch style
Stand-up, flat, side-gusset, and other styles are different pouches. The bottom, the gusset, and the closure change the spec. The stand-up guide covers bottoms and closures. Name the style in the RFQ so the quote is for that pouch.
PCI can include easy-open. Name any zipper, spout, valve, tear notch, or hang hole you need so it can be confirmed on the spec. A feature that appears only in the artwork, and not in the spec, gets missed.
Artwork, proofs, and color
The dieline, the stated size, and the artwork file have to agree. Count every ink. PCI prints on two Uteco 10 color presses, so one pass can carry up to ten inks. Agree how color will be approved before plates are made.
Artwork approval is the event that starts the production window. PCI's standard lead time is 3 to 4 weeks after artwork approval. A file sent for a look is not that approval.
What the lead-time window contains
After approval, the job still moves through plates, material, print, any lamination and cure the structure needs, pouch making, inspection, and freight. Ask which of those apply to your pouch, and which date starts the 3 to 4 week window.
A reorder with unchanged art and structure can move faster. Ask. Do not plan a launch on a reorder assumption if the art is new.
Delays buyers can prevent
The common ones are a size in the email that does not match the dieline, a color added after plates are imaged, a structure left as a guess, and comments from several people that contradict each other. One spec, one dieline, one approver.
An RFQ you can paste
Product and fill weight. Fill and seal method. Pouch style and finished size, including gusset. Features, including easy-open if you need it. Structure or unknown, plus a sample. Artwork status and color count. Order quantity and annual usage. Ship-to location. The date you need pouches in house, and which approvals are still open.
Start the RFQ
You do not need a finished spec to start. Send what you have. Matt will help you build the rest before the quote is treated as final.
| Step | Owner | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| RFQ | Buyer | Unknowns are labeled, and the sample is attached |
| Structure | Buyer and supplier | Layers are named, or the sample is the reference |
| Style | Buyer | Size, gusset, and features are on the spec |
| Artwork | Brand approver | The file matches the dieline and is approved |
| Production | Supplier | The start event for lead time is written down |
Questions buyers ask
What do I need to get a custom pouch quote?
Product, fill weight, fill method, pouch style and size, features, structure or a sample, artwork or a color count, quantity, annual usage, and ship-to location.
How long does a custom printed pouch order take?
PCI's standard lead time is 3 to 4 weeks after artwork approval. The window starts at approval, not at the first email.
What is the difference between a pouch and roll stock?
A pouch arrives formed. Roll stock is film your machine forms. The filling equipment decides which one you are buying.
When is artwork due?
Before the production window needs to start. PCI's standard is 3 to 4 weeks after artwork approval, so count backward from the date you need pouches.
What pouch styles can be specified?
Name the style you need: stand-up, flat, gusseted, or another drawing you already run. The stand-up guide covers bottoms and closures. Confirm features on the spec.
See something that needs correcting? Tell Matt.