Inside How Custom Thermoformed Packaging Is Made: The Complete CP Formplast Process
1. First Contact
Getting your project off the ground is simple. Choose the method that works best for you, and we’ll take it from there.
Quick Inquiry: Visit cpform.com and submit a brief description of your needs via our contact form.
Detailed Email: Send dimensions, project photos, and specifications directly to info@cpform.com.
Direct Call: Speak with us immediately by calling (514) 494-8000.
2. Initial Product Review
Once your inquiry is received, our sales team determines the most efficient path forward for your project.
Strategic Optimization
Gabriel Coutu, our Account Manager, begins every review by identifying opportunities to save you time and money. By analyzing your specific requirements, he ensures that our thermoforming solutions are leveraged to maximize cost-efficiency without compromising quality.
Commitment to Sustainability
If environmental impact is a priority for your business, we are ready to help. Sustainability is one of our core values, and we specialize in integrating eco-friendly practices and materials into your production cycle.
3. Custom Industrial Design
If your project requires a unique approach, it moves to our design lab. This is where Joanne and Angélique, our industrial designers, take over. They analyze your specific requirements and use SolidWorks, the gold standard in 3D engineering software, to create a custom packaging solution tailored to your product’s exact geometry. We provide first drawings of your packaging for approval.
4. Custom Samples
Once the 3D model is finalized, the team selects the material best suited for your application (considering factors like durability, clarity, and sustainability). We then produce a “first draft” sample using temporary molds. This allows us to validate the concept in the real world without the cost of full production tooling.
5. Client Validation & Pricing
This is the “stress test” phase. Your sales rep will meet with you to test the samples in every real-world scenario:
- Fit: Does it slide perfectly into the master shipping box?
- Security: Does it hold the product firmly in place?
- Protection: Is there enough clearance to prevent damage during transit or on retail shelves?
- Stackability: Can the units be stacked efficiently without collapsing?
Once the design is validated, we finalize pricing. We work to find the “sweet spot” that respects your per-unit budget while accounting for the high-quality aluminum production molds.
6. Engineering the Production Mold
With your approval, the engineering department brings the 3D design into the physical world. Using high-precision CNC machining, we carve the production mold out of solid aluminum. This mold undergoes a rigorous Quality Assurance (QA) check to ensure every measurement is accurate to the micron.
7. Full-Scale Production
Now, the heavy lifting begins. Following the Production Manager’s schedule, an operator loads the thermoforming machine with the chosen plastic roll. The process is a mix of science and timing:
- Heating: The plastic is heated to the precise forming temperature.
- Vacuum Forming: A vacuum is applied, “sucking” the softened plastic onto the aluminum mold to capture every detail.
- Quality Control: As the finished parts emerge, an employee inspects each unit for consistency before stacking them for shipment.
8. Shipping & Logistics
Once your order quantity is met, the packaging is boxed, palletized, and stored in our shipping department. From there, it is coordinated for pickup and delivered directly to your facility.
- Quality Control: As the finished parts emerge, an employee inspects each unit for consistency before stacking them for shipment.
9. Follow up
Our job isn’t done when the truck leaves the dock. After delivery, your sales representative will follow up to ensure the final product meets your expectations and performs perfectly in your production line.
