A spare part is missing, a plant is at a standstill, and the purchasing department contacts several suppliers at the same time. Prices, availability, and technical documentation are not available centrally. While production waits for feedback, unnecessary downtime costs arise. Both for the operator and the OEM, who has to act reactively instead of planning ahead.

This scenario is a reality in many companies in the packaging industry. At the same time, production facilities are highly automated, machine data is analyzed in real time, and efficiency potential is systematically leveraged. In contrast, the sales and spare parts supply of many OEMs are often still heavily manual.

The market is changing and OEMs are in the spotlight

Like many industrial sectors, the packaging industry is undergoing structural change. Studies show that over 70% of B2B decision-makers prefer digital or hybrid interactions to purely traditional sales models (McKinsey Global B2B Pulse Survey, 2022). At the same time, the market is growing dynamically: According to Grand View Research (2023), the global B2B e-commerce market will expand at double-digit annual growth rates until 2030. Digital procurement is thus evolving from an optional additional channel to the market standard.

Technological requirements in modern B2B sales

A digital B2B shop in the packaging industry is not just a simple product catalog. It is an integral part of the digital enterprise architecture.

In today’s business-to-business (B2B) environment, buyers have higher expectations:

• Real-time access to technical data sheets and certificates
• Configurable products (CPQ systems)
• Transparent prices, delivery times, and availability
• Customer-specific pricing logic
• End-to-end integration via OCI or EDI interfaces
• Digital offering and ordering processes
• API integration into ERP or e-procurement systems

Companies with strong digital sales capabilities are growing at an above-average rate and achieving higher margins. Process automation has been shown to generate significant efficiency gains, particularly in the spare parts and components sector.

Process automation as a lever for efficiency

In many packaging companies, sales and procurement processes have evolved over time. The utilization of disparate systems, manual approvals, isolated price lists, and individual coordination results in:

• Media and system breaks in the quotation process
• High administrative costs
• Lack of transparency regarding conditions
• Long response times

A digital B2B online shop integrates ERP, PIM, and pricing logic into a unified platform. Orders are transferred directly to the ERP, approval processes are digitally mapped, and documentation is centrally available.

The following are the typical effects of an integrated B2B online shop:

The following benefits are offered by implementing an automated quotation process:

• A reduction in manual quotation effort
• Fewer errors thanks to automated pricing logic
• Faster approval processes
• Audit-proof documentation
• Direct ERP integration (OCI/EDI)

This creates a consistent, audit-proof process: from the first click to invoicing. For Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), this translates into reduced manual quotation effort, decreased error rates, and shorter turnaround times (Deloitte Digital Procurement Transformation Study, 2021).

Scalability and international visibility

Digital platforms enable OEMs to achieve international visibility without incurring proportionally higher distribution costs. Self-service structures enable round-the-clock order placement, thereby reducing the workload for sales teams. These features are becoming an expectation among modern B2B buyers in the purchasing process (Forrester, The State of B2B E-Commerce 2023)⁵.

Companies lacking a digital presence may be overlooked during the initial research phase.

Marketplaces as a low-risk entry point

Not all companies possess in-house IT resources or e-commerce expertise. Medium-sized OEMs in particular often encounter challenges such as significant initial investments, complex system integration, a lack of internal expertise, or uncertainties regarding return on investment (ROI).

Industry-specific B2B marketplaces can serve as a strategic entry point for testing and gradually expanding digital sales structures.

They offer:

• Technical infrastructure (hosting, security, scaling)
• Standardized interfaces
• Support with data structuring
• Access to existing buyer reach
• Reduced investment risk

Digital marketplaces in B2B are increasingly becoming central sales channels as they combine reach, data integration, and standardized processes (Gartner, Future of Sales Report, 2022).

Digital procurement as part of a holistic platform strategy

A B2B online shop only reaches its full potential when it is integrated into an overarching digital architecture.

A central platform architecture that standardizes and harmonizes data and makes it available across systems reduces integration costs and creates scalability. This is precisely where digital procurement becomes strategically relevant.

With an integrated solution, the purchase of spare parts, accessories, and consumables is bundled via a central platform. Suppliers are integrated into a uniform interface. End-to-end orders (OCI/EDI), digital approval processes, and supplier-specific conditions are directly mapped.

The result is as follows:

• Accelerated ordering processes
• Reduced process costs
• Transparent evaluations
• Sustainable efficiency gains
• Benefits for customers and operators

Digital B2B online shops offer advantages not only to OEMs, but also to procuring companies.

Benefits for customers and operators

• Faster quote comparisons
• Clear documentation
• Order traceability
• Standardized processes
• Greater planning reliability

Digital interactions have been shown to increase customer satisfaction when implemented professionally (McKinsey, The New B2B Growth Equation). Conversely, standardized processes mitigate operational risks by ensuring consistent data structures and processes.

Summary: The digital B2B shop is an infrastructure decision

The packaging industry is clearly moving toward digital procurement and data-driven sales models. Studies by McKinsey, Deloitte, Forrester, Gartner, and Grand View Research all agree:

• Digital channels are growing at an above-average rate
• Self-service is becoming standard
• Platform models are gaining in importance
• Companies with digital maturity are growing faster

A digital B2B online shop is a strategic lever for OEMs in the packaging industry:

• to scale the spare parts business,
• to relieve the sales department,
• to reduce administrative costs,
• to strengthen customer loyalty,
• and to ensure long-term competitiveness.

For OEMs, the pivotal question is no longer whether to adopt digital procurement, but rather, how to do so in a strategic and integrated manner. Those who act in a structured manner now will create efficiency, transparency, and future security. Those who delay may find themselves unable to influence the development of market standards, which could result in the adoption of these standards by digital competitors.