MANUFACTURING, SOURCING & BROKERAGE
A formula that works on the bench does not automatically work in a 500 kg blender, a capsule filler, or a stick pack line. Kompete selects the right manufacturing partner, translates your formula into documentation the factory can actually execute, and stays on the file through pilot, first production and packaging. You keep ownership of the formula and the relationship.
NO STAKE IN THE OUTCOME
We do not own the factory.
Most manufacturing advice comes from someone with capacity to fill. Kompete has none, which means the recommendation follows the dosage form, the volume, the certification requirements and the target landed cost rather than an internal utilization target. We qualify the site, negotiate the terms, and remain accountable for the technical package regardless of who runs the batch.
CONCEPT TO PALLET
Eight steps from approved formula to finished goods.
01
Manufacturability review
Assess whether the formula can be made at scale, flagging flow, compression, fill weight, solubility and stability risks before a partner is approached.
02
Partner selection
Shortlist qualified sites against dosage form, volume, certification, allergen control and geography, then run the RFQ.
03
Sourcing
Qualify raw material and packaging suppliers, review certificates of analysis, and secure branded ingredient licences where required.
04
Documentation
Build the master batch record, order of addition SOPs, in-process control points and finished product specification.
05
Pilot batch
Run a small scale trial to confirm blend uniformity, flow, fill accuracy and organoleptics before committing to full volume.
06
First production
Attend or oversee the first commercial run, resolve line issues in real time, and confirm in-process results against specification.
07
Release testing
Coordinate finished product testing, review the certificate of analysis and approve the batch for release.
08
Packaging and delivery
Manage primary and secondary packaging, coding, palletization and shipment to your warehouse or fulfilment partner.
PILLAR 01
CMO and CDMO brokerage
Matching a product to a manufacturer is a technical decision before it is a commercial one. We know which sites run which dosage forms well.
Manufacturer matchmaking across capsules, tablets, powders, sticks, gummies, softgels, liquids and topicals
Site qualification covering certification status, allergen control, audit history and capacity
Request for quotation management and comparative cost analysis across bidders
Minimum order quantity negotiation and tiered pricing structures
Pre-validated private label options where speed to market outranks differentiation
Contract and supply agreement review from a technical standpoint
PILLAR 02
Raw material and packaging sourcing
Ingredient decisions made without regulatory input become reformulation costs later.
Raw material sourcing with supplier qualification and certificate of analysis review
Branded ingredient identification, licensing and claim rights confirmation
Clean label substitutions for flow agents, fillers and preservatives
Packaging and component brokerage including bottles, closures, films, sticks, sachets and cartons
Barrier and moisture protection selection matched to the stability profile
Cost engineering and landed cost modelling across sourcing scenarios
PILLAR 03
Technical transfer and batch documentation
The gap between a formula sheet and a factory-executable document is where most first runs go wrong.
Master batch records written to the receiving site’s format and systems
Order of addition blending SOPs with mixing times, speeds and equipment specified
In-process control points with defined acceptance criteria and sampling frequency
Scale-up calculations from bench to pilot to commercial batch size
Overage justification for actives with known process or shelf life losses
Equipment and process parameter recommendations by dosage form
PILLAR 04
Production oversight and quality release
Being in the room on the first run prevents the problems that show up in the third.
Pilot and line trial planning, attendance and troubleshooting
First production run oversight, on site or remote
Deviation and non-conformance investigation with root cause analysis
Certificate of analysis review and batch release recommendation
Retain sample and stability programme initiation at production scale
Post-launch process optimization and yield improvement
THE TRANSFER PACKAGE
What we hand the factory.
A manufacturer cannot execute a spreadsheet of ingredients and percentages. The technical transfer package is the translation layer, and it is the single highest leverage document in the entire production process.
01
Master batch record
Batch size, full ingredient list with overages, weigh-up instructions, equipment, step by step process, yield reconciliation and sign-off points.
02
Order of addition
Sequenced blending instructions with mix times, speeds, screen sizes and hold points, written so a line operator can follow them without interpretation.
03
In-process controls
Defined checkpoints for blend uniformity, moisture, water activity, fill weight, capsule weight variation or tablet hardness, with acceptance criteria and action limits.
04
Finished product specification
Identity, potency, purity, physical and microbial limits with named test methods, forming the basis for batch release and regulatory submission.
PRACTICAL REFERENCE
Matching the format to the reality.
Every dosage form carries a different cost floor, lead time and technical risk. These are the ranges we work with when scoping a first production run.
DOSAGE FORM
TYPICAL FIRST-RUN MOQ
LEAD TIME
PRIMARY TECHNICAL RISK
Capsules
25,000 to 100,000 units
10 to 16 weeks
Powder flow and fill weight variation
Tablets
100,000 to 250,000 units
12 to 20 weeks
Compression, hardness and tooling cost
Powders and tubs
1,000 to 5,000 units
8 to 14 weeks
Blend uniformity and flavour system stability
Stick packs and sachets
25,000 to 100,000 sticks
10 to 16 weeks
Film selection, seal integrity and dosing accuracy
Gummies
50,000 to 150,000 units
14 to 22 weeks
Active stability in the cook, sticking and cold flow
Softgels
100,000 to 250,000 units
16 to 24 weeks
Shell compatibility and fill oxidation
Liquids and shots
5,000 to 20,000 units
10 to 18 weeks
Preservation, phase stability and container compatibility
Ranges are indicative. Actual minimums depend on the site, the ingredient set and the packaging format.
Every format carries its own line speed, tooling and failure mode.
WHERE THE MONEY GOES
The quote is not the cost.
A per-unit manufacturing quote typically accounts for a fraction of what a first production run actually costs. Tooling, artwork setup, film plates, minimum raw material buys, stability testing, certification fees, freight and the inventory sitting on a pallet all land after the quote is signed. Kompete builds the full landed cost model before you commit, identifies which line items are negotiable and which are fixed, and structures the first run so that a formula change after pilot does not write off the entire raw material purchase.
COST MODELLING
Full landed cost across manufacturing, raw materials, packaging, testing, certification and freight, modelled at multiple volume tiers.
RISK STAGING
Sequencing the commitment so pilot results inform the raw material purchase rather than following it.
SUPPLY CONTINUITY
Second source identification for critical ingredients and components before a shortage forces a reformulation.
ENGAGEMENT MODEL
Four steps from formula to first pallet.
01
Assess
We review the formula, target format, volume, markets and cost target, and tell you what is manufacturable as written and what needs to change.
02
Match
We shortlist and qualify sites, run the quoting process, and model the true landed cost of each option.
03
Transfer
We build the batch documentation, specifications and controls, and manage the pilot through to a validated first run.
04
Sustain
We stay on the file for release, deviations, second sourcing and the process improvements that follow the first few batches.
Know what it costs before you commit to the run.
Whether you are choosing a first manufacturer, moving a product between sites, or trying to understand why a batch failed, the starting point is a look at the formula and the numbers behind it.