During order picking, items are retrieved for an order. Order kitting modifies or supplements the composition: several individual parts are combined to form a new logistical unit. Packaging protects this unit and prepares it for handover and shipment. In practice, these steps often flow directly into one another.
Packaging in Logistics: Tasks and Examples
Kitting refers to additional steps that transform individual products into units ready for sale or shipment. These include, for example, sets, bundles, gift boxes, inserts, labels, or custom packaging. In fulfillment, kitting combines warehouse processes with brand presentation, campaigns, and specific order logic.
Assembly, Order Fulfillment, and Packaging—The Difference
Pre-production or on-demand assembly?
For campaigns or product launches that can be planned in advance, sets can be pre-produced and stored as complete units. This speeds up shipping later on, but ties up inventory in a fixed combination. With on-demand kitting, components remain flexible, but there is a cost associated with each order. The appropriate approach depends on forecasts, product variants, lead time, and the risk of changes.
Why Quality Controls Are Essential
If even one component is missing, the entire box is considered incomplete from the customer’s perspective. That is why kitting projects require clear work instructions, approved samples, documented material levels, and defined inspections. For limited editions or time-sensitive campaigns, follow-up shipments, scrap, and replacement quantities should also be taken into account.
