Hello All,
I visit the site daily and continue to be astonished by all of the knowledge being shared here, so first of all, thank-you!
My question is related to Contract Manufacturers in SQF Manufacture of Food Packaging Edition 8 clause 2.3.4.
We are looking into having another company perform a specialized seal on our bags. We would produce the bags, send them to them to seal, and then receive them back to package, label, and ship. I did some searching on the forums and wasn't able to find a similar situation. What I would like to to know is the following:
1) Is this considered a Contract Manufacturer?
I ask since they are not producing our bags only performing one step and they are also not packaging, labeling, or shipping under our name.
2) If so, what steps do I need to take to make sure we are meeting the requirements of the code?
My thoughts are I would need to obtain their certification, and make sure there is a contract in place specifying what is expected to be done.
In our process we have a small section regarding contract manufacturing - in summary we specify all items received will be tested to ensure specs are met. We have never had to use this and it has satisfied the auditors since we don't have any contract manufacturers. With that said, I think this section of our process will need to be expanded if we actually do move forward with this project.