Identify, Double Down on What Drives Growth

Margins in printing and packaging are constantly tested by rising input costs, faster turnaround demands, and the pressure to deliver on sustainability. For OEMs, manufacturers, printers, and brands, the real challenge isn’t just producing efficiently. It’s knowing exactly where to place your bets.

That’s where profitability and margin analysis delivers its value.

Not every customer, product, or channel contributes equally. Some runs deliver steady, high-margin returns. Others quietly drain resources, tie up capacity, and pull your teams away from the opportunities that really move the needle.

Consider a regional commercial printer that was chasing every RFP available. On paper, high-volume clients looked like the smart play. But margin analysis revealed one mid-sized client—though representing less revenue—was twice as profitable as several of the bigger accounts. By pivoting sales efforts toward clients with similar profiles, the printer shifted from a volume-driven business to one that consistently protects profitability.

Or take a specialty converter that assumed its laminated packaging line was a money-maker because of customer demand. The reality? Excessive setup times and high scrap rates meant the line was barely breaking even. By adjusting processes and repricing select SKUs, the converter turned a margin drain into one of its most profitable offerings.

These aren’t isolated stories—they’re proof that the numbers often tell a different story than assumptions do. With profitability and margin analysis, you can:

• Zero in on profitable customers. Build deeper relationships with the clients who grow with you.

  
  

• Spot underperformers. Identify accounts, product lines, or channels that erode margin.

  
  

• Price with precision. Charge based on actual value delivered, not industry averages.

  
  

• Invest where it matters. Put resources toward the products, services, and markets that generate sustainable growth.

  
  

The outcome? A clearer roadmap for profitability. You’re not just cutting costs or chasing volume—you’re doubling down on the areas that deliver real return.

In a business where pennies add up to millions, the companies that thrive are the ones that focus, refine, and reinvest where it counts.