How Do You Know if Toll Processing is Your Best Option?

You may know the basics of toll processing, but do you know why and when custom toll processing can be the right decision for your manufacturing and material processing needs?

How do you determine when toll processing’s advantages can increase your operation’s efficiency, help you achieve challenging timelines, or even save on costs?

And beyond those concrete benefits, it’s vital to evaluate and identify custom processors to find an outsourcing partner you can trust, with the right resources in place.

It’s essential to find a tolling partner that collaborates with your team and puts its experience to work for you. That’s the kind of value you want from a partnership.

This article is an exploration into manufacturing and material processing needs, and some of the best reasons for choosing to work with a toll processor. 

5 Key Considerations that May Make Toll Processing Right for You

1. Quality Control

Working closely with a custom toll processor puts you in control of the quality and cost of materials you source for your products — unlike other types of contract manufacturers. When you choose toll processing, you source and ship raw materials to the processor, so you know exactly what goes into your end product, and all costs are transparent.

And, quality assurance throughout every processing step is just as important as the quality of source materials. A trusted toll manufacturer can demonstrate its quality commitment and capabilities, including appropriate accreditations and certifications for your industry.

2. Complete Packaging

Toll processing services can include complete packaging for your final product. That means, after drying, milling, classifying, blending, or whatever combination of services needed to complete your final product, your toller can repackage and label, delivering your product ready for sale. If you’re uncertain about the right packaging formats or need help sourcing, a trusted toll processing company’s team can even make recommendations.

3. Personal Service

The key to a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership is knowing each other. The technical sales engineers and material scientists who work on your projects are as committed to your objectives as you are. They’re always looking out for ways to optimize processes, and they share the savings with you.

When your toll processor can tell you what you need before you even realize it, you can see you’re in an outsourcing relationship that will work to maximize efficiency and overall quality.

4. In-House Capabilities

Toll processors are tooled to handle the products you need processed. They have the specialized equipment it takes to achieve your particle size goals and other important specifications. So, you’re sure that they can handle high volumes and strict deadlines, and your capital investment is a nice $0.

Just as important as equipment for processing a wide range of materials, a toll partner you can trust also has a team of professionals experienced in operating the equipment, troubleshooting materials, and more.

5. Expert Experience, Advice, and Opinions

You don’t know everything. So it’s a relief to be able to rely on a toll processor’s experience and expertise. Not only is it unnecessary for you to hire extra employees to get your product ready, but you’re also getting access to material knowledge and process-specific advice you haven’t even imagined.

Whether your material arrives at the processor out of conformance and you need help reclaiming it for processing, or you need product development advice and guidance, a full-service expert in material processing can keep your projects moving toward your goals.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Those five reasons are the main advantages of custom toll processing, but they’re not the only things you should think about when evaluating a potential outsourcing relationship:

• Can the processor handle large and small production runs? When you need to run a pilot or trial and then scale up to full production, this capability matters.
• Can the processor schedule the production flow to meet your needs? A toll processor’s ability to meet complex schedules and flex when you need them is priceless.
• What lead times are required? Lead times can make or break a project.
• Does the processor welcome challenges that discourage other toll manufacturers? Just because one processor has turned down your project doesn’t mean it can’t be done.
• Is the processor ISO certified? You have a right to expect a quality system and the assurances that go with it.
• What’s their history of safety and quality? Safe manufacturing facilities correlate with the production of high-quality products.

Efficiency. Quality. Partnership. A custom toll processor can bring a lot to the table. If your product is not being made because of high costs or lack of expertise, capabilities, or space, this option could be your best move. The choice enables you to focus on your strengths while your toll processor does what they do best — and customers receive the best value.

If you’d like to see a quick breakdown of the similarities and differences between “toll manufacturing” and “contract manufacturing,” click the button below to download a copy of our guide, What Are the Differences Between Toll Manufacturing and Contract Manufacturing? It covers important factors that should be considered when determining which processing manufacturer is a good fit for your specific needs.