Introduction
Let's talk about Best Practices for kitting and assembly. They mean different things depending on your position within the supply chain. Many companies use kitting and assembly interchangeably together but they are indeed different.

Manufacturers typically use the term assembly while wholesaling industry (comprised of 3PL and distribution companies) use kitting. You are either combining raw materials to create a finished good, or combining already finished goods into a larger group. Even if you have raw goods, you can still kit for assembly. Kitting is for anyone who wants to combine group items together, build a product, or make a master item.

If you are a distributor looking to build business with just-in-time manufacturers, kitting is a value-added service to offer to prospects during your sales/business development conversations. If you are a 3PL, you may have manufacturing customers that, due to a lack of storage space for example,...

Kevin Collins