Achieving Digital Maturity in Packaging and Containers Manufacturing: The Role of Integrated Planning Platforms

In today’s hyper-competitive packaging and containers industry, digital transformation is no longer optional—it’s a business imperative. But digital transformation without a roadmap often leads to fragmented systems, siloed data, and suboptimal outcomes. That’s where digital maturity comes in—a strategic, staged approach that aligns digital capabilities with operational goals.

For Operations Directors tasked with overseeing efficiency, performance, and long-term growth, digital maturity offers a framework for unlocking value across the production lifecycle. Central to this maturity journey is the integration of planning and scheduling solutions like PlanetTogether with leading ERP and supply chain systems such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Kinaxis, and Aveva. This integration becomes the backbone of a synchronized, intelligent manufacturing operation.

This blog explores how to assess and advance digital maturity in packaging and containers manufacturing, and how integrated advanced planning systems drive measurable progress.

Understanding Digital Maturity: A Quick Overview

Digital maturity refers to an organization’s ability to leverage digital technologies effectively and strategically. In manufacturing, this spans across production planning, supply chain coordination, asset utilization, and customer responsiveness.

Digital maturity typically evolves through five key stages:

1. Ad Hoc – Manual processes dominate; limited automation and digital tools.
2. Opportunistic – Some isolated digital initiatives; lack of integration.
3. Integrated – Cross-functional integration of systems and data.
4. Strategic – Digital tools support strategic objectives with analytics and predictive capabilities.
5. Transformational – Digital technologies drive continuous innovation and business model evolution.

Most packaging manufacturers today operate between stages 2 and 3. Getting to stage 4 and beyond requires not just new technologies—but the right integration strategy.

The Operational Challenges in Packaging and Containers Manufacturing

Packaging and containers manufacturing faces unique operational complexities:

High SKU variability to meet customer-specific packaging needs

Rapid changeovers and short production runs

Strict lead times and delivery commitments

Volatile raw material availability

Energy-intensive processes that must be optimized for sustainability

These challenges require agile and intelligent planning—yet many plants still rely on outdated scheduling tools, spreadsheets, or standalone systems.

The result? Bottlenecks, missed delivery windows, high waste rates, and underused capacity.

Digital Maturity Through Integration: The PlanetTogether Advantage

The shift from reactive to proactive operations starts with advanced planning and scheduling (APS). Platforms like PlanetTogether serve as digital catalysts by synchronizing demand, capacity, and supply constraints in real time.

But the real power comes from integration.

When PlanetTogether is integrated with ERP or MES systems such as:

SAP (for real-time inventory and procurement data)

Oracle (for financial and resource planning insights)

Microsoft Dynamics (for streamlined order and customer data)

Kinaxis (for demand planning and scenario simulation)

Aveva (for plant operations and asset performance)

…it creates a digital thread that stretches across the entire production lifecycle.

Let’s break this down.

Key Benefits of Integrated APS in Achieving Digital Maturity

1. End-to-End Visibility

By integrating PlanetTogether with SAP or Oracle, packaging manufacturers gain holistic visibility from raw material procurement to finished goods delivery. This makes it easier to anticipate disruptions, optimize inventory levels, and align procurement with production priorities.

Example: A packaging plant connected to SAP through PlanetTogether can see that a delay in linerboard delivery will impact three upcoming jobs. The scheduler can instantly reschedule lower-priority jobs and inform procurement, avoiding downtime and customer delays.

2. Scenario Planning and What-If Analysis

Kinaxis integration allows for rapid modeling of demand spikes, supply shortages, or capacity changes. PlanetTogether’s advanced algorithms can simulate multiple planning scenarios, helping you prepare for the unexpected.

Example: What if demand for biodegradable packaging doubles next month? With Kinaxis + PlanetTogether, you can simulate the impact across material needs, production capacity, and labor requirements.

3. Real-Time Shop Floor Feedback

Integrating with Aveva or other MES platforms connects planning with execution. PlanetTogether receives live production data—machine status, batch progress, downtime events—so schedules adjust dynamically.

Result: No more static Gantt charts. You get adaptive schedules that reflect the realities on the ground.

4. Improved Asset Utilization and Energy Efficiency

When production is synchronized with energy pricing, machine availability, and maintenance schedules, you get more output with fewer inputs. With Microsoft Dynamics integration, this becomes a data-driven effort, not a guessing game.

Bonus: Lower energy costs and reduced carbon footprint—a win for both your bottom line and ESG goals.

5. Accelerated Decision-Making

Real-time dashboards, alerts, and prescriptive insights help operations leaders make decisions faster. No more waiting for daily or weekly reports—actionable insights are just a click away.

For Operations Directors in packaging and containers manufacturing, the pressure to reduce costs, boost agility, and enhance customer service has never been greater. Achieving digital maturity isn’t about implementing a single tool—it’s about creating an integrated ecosystem where data flows freely and decisions are made intelligently.

By connecting PlanetTogether with your existing platforms—whether SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, Kinaxis, or Aveva—you lay the groundwork for truly mature operations: agile, efficient, and resilient.

Ready to advance your plant’s digital maturity?
Start by evaluating your current scheduling practices and explore how PlanetTogether can integrate into your digital ecosystem. The sooner you connect, the sooner you lead.