Featured Member: Pioneer Packaging

Located in Kent, Washington / TPM Member Since January 2014

Pioneer Packaging can be reached at:
6006 S 228th Street, Kent, WA 98032
253-872-9693 https://pioneernorthwest.com/

Family-owned and operated since 1984, Pioneer Packaging (Pioneer) offers creative packaging solutions at competitive prices to customers throughout the Pacific Northwest. The experienced sales force and empowered customer service team, together with “Just-In-Time” inventory programs, assure that products are delivered on schedule by its fleet of company-owned vehicles.

Pioneer Packaging Employee Appreciation Event at Salty’s on Alki.
The Just-In-Time (JIT) warehousing programs allow Pioneer to deliver custom packaging products in quantities on an as-needed basis for their customers. If the customer needs products the next day, the next week or the next month, Pioneer ensures delivery with its fleet of company-owned vehicles.

What is a “Just-in-Time” inventory program? The Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory system is a management strategy that aligns raw-material orders from suppliers directly with production schedules. Companies employ this inventory strategy to increase efficiency and decrease waste by receiving goods only as they need them for the production process, which reduces inventory costs.

Pioneer’s Customer Portal allows customers to order inventory specific products once they’re approved for online access. This process goes hand in hand with the JIT system. The customer may check account status, order status, invoices and more.

Full package consultation, from design through manufacturing is available. A product may require creative packaging or a complete redesign of its former packaging. The innovative sales consultants work to find the best solutions for each item.
Pioneer offers an extensive machinery program for customers to process their product. These machines can save an abundant amount of time and effort when running an order. There are machines that provide stabilization, product identification and case erection. Pioneer’s factory trained service technicians install and maintain machinery to customer specifications. They also have a complete line of replacement parts in-house to be sure your equipment is up and running.

Pioneer offers machines that form and seal cases to speed up efficiency in getting customer’s product packed and shipped. These machines save on labor and are engineered to fit the needs of the customer.

Pioneer offers an extensive rental program providing a variety of equipment for office and industrial moves. Equipment is rented on a daily, weekly or monthly basis at a competitive price.

Pioneer offers product identification and verification machinery to help with a variety of needs from barcoding products to detecting undesirable metal inside a bagged product.

Whether it is fresh flowers or produce, Pioneer provides reliable packaging products that ensure physical protection while being cost efficient, with a broad range of options.

A variety of wineries in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, utilize a broad range of packaging solutions for bottling, shipping, display and tasting room retail sales. Pioneer sells or leases a wide selection of machinery, including automatic stretch wrappers, case erectors and sealers, and inkjet printers to help optimize daily operations. From the bottles to the labels and down to the screw off top, Pioneer meets the winery’s needs. There are special molded fiber shippers and custom printed bags and tissues, even wooden presentation boxes, anything that might be needed to take the product to the customer.

Driver, Casey, gets ready to deliver merchandise in one of the company owned tractor trailer rigs.

The moving and storage companies depend on Pioneer to provide all of their packing needs, from industry standard storage and moving boxes to special use boxes for LCD TVs, mattresses or even computers. The moving and storage companies rely on Pioneer’s products to make moves professionally and damage free.

Pioneer offers an extensive rental program providing a variety of equipment for industrial moves. Equipment is rented on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

Packaging and shipping are a mainstay of agricultural and food packaging companies. Growers of fruit and vegetables need boxes, bags, totes and crates. The Pioneer machinery program incorporates technology that streamlines the packaging process. Pioneer encourages use of sustainable packaging whenever possible, strives to provide environmentally-friendly packaging options for the agriculture and food industries.
When a flood or fire happens, Pioneer is there to offer the restoration industry the supplies needed to pack and move items out of the damaged property. The industry utilizes moving boxes, moving equipment, wood storage vaults and other abatement items that are available through Pioneer.

Pioneer provides the restoration industry the supplies needed to pack and move items out of damaged property. The restoration industry utilizes, moving boxes, moving equipment, wood storage vaults and other abatement items.

As the Northwest region continues to grow, self-storage facilities have become more important than ever. Pioneer offers moving and storage boxes and materials that self-storage facilities sell in front offices. In addition to boxes, they also carry Pack2Stor retail packaged tape/tape guns, utility knives, moving box kits, mattress/furniture bags and more.
The specialty services Pioneer offers also include the needs of funeral and crematoriums. Pioneer is a member of the Washington Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (WCCFA) and offers discreet delivery of many common products to crematoriums and funeral homes in most regions of the Northwest.

Robert Steele, and his wife, Chris started Pioneer Packaging in 1984. Robert worked in the packaging industry for over 50 years and brought his expertise and long-term vision to Pioneer. Chris began working as the Director of HR in 1997 and currently serves as Chairman of the Board. Upon the death of Robert in September 2021, co-owners Mike Steele, Tanner Steele, and Holly Steele proudly stepped up to lead the company. They are dedicated to continue their father’s culture of taking care of the customer, while providing a fun, inspiring workplace.

Pioneer Packaging plans to open their 3rd facility in Pasco, WA in June 2022.