Dedication to the customer. Respect for the individual. Integrity. Trust.

With these values as its guiding principles, the Smithers-Oasis Co. has become a leading global manufacturer and marketer of floral foam, floral accessory products, cellular growing media and postharvest products. When the most recognized, trusted brand in the floral industry began searching for a packaging partner, they sought one that shared those values.

Compass Packaging Stood out From the Competition

“Smithers-Oasis knew we were a smaller company than those they were accustomed to working with, but they needed a supplier that could turn on a dime for them, and we fit the bill,” said Phil Rath, Compass Packaging President.

The Compass team worked to first understand the design and production needs of Smithers-Oasis. Once completed, Compass tested their solution within Smithers-Oasis and agreed to produce short-run quantities.

“Compass was willing to work with us on small-run quantities while maintaining competitive pricing,” said Pam Stebbins, master production scheduler at Smithers-Oasis. “Of the five potential suppliers we met with, they were the only one who offered to run some test pallets on our automatic carton erector. Phil [Rath] had the confidence in his team that they could meet our expectations, and they have.”

Today, Smithers-Oasis relies on Compass for services including inventory management and just-in- time container delivery. Most notably, Compass helped the company consolidate packaging for a premier line of mâché-backed foam products, consolidating 19 SKUs into four distinct box styles, which can be used for all 19 products.

The consolidation allows Smithers-Oasis to insert a wide variety of shapes – from foam crosses to hearts – into a few package types. Compass then custom prints identification graphics, including barcodes, onto each of the 19 SKUs, warehousing and delivering them as needed.

“Compass not only supplies us with corrugated cartons, but they have also helped us figure out how to modify those cartons to run more efficiently on our equipment,” Stebbins said. “They are a true business partner.”