You need film slit to a specific width, foil laminated to a barrier substrate, or nonwoven sheeted to exact dimensions. Buying the equipment to do it yourself isn’t in the budget. That’s a common position for small manufacturers. Contract converting services solve it directly: you send raw material to a specialized facility, they run it through the process you need, and you get finished material back. No equipment purchase, no dedicated line, no added overhead. This post covers which converting processes can be outsourced, what materials qualify, and what to look for in a partner.
What is toll converting (and what is contract converting)?
The terms are used interchangeably in the industry. Toll converting, toll manufacturing services, and contract converting services all refer to the same arrangement: the customer supplies raw material, the converting facility processes it using their equipment and technical expertise, and the finished material is returned to the customer. The converter charges a fee for the service, not for the material.
Who uses this model? Small and mid-size manufacturers who need a specific process run without adding a production line. Product developers running pilot quantities before committing to full-scale production. Operations teams that have a one-time or seasonal need for a process that doesn’t justify capital investment. It’s a practical arrangement that has been standard in flexible packaging, medical, and industrial materials for decades.
Which converting processes can be outsourced?
Not all converting operations require the same equipment or expertise. Here is a breakdown of the most common processes available through contract converting services and when each is relevant.
Precision slitting
Slitting cuts wide rolls of material into narrower rolls at exact widths. Depending on the material and tolerances required, the process uses razor, shear, or crush slitting methods. The output is slit rolls ready for packaging, labeling, medical device assembly, or industrial applications. The common use case: buying wide-roll material at a lower cost per pound and having it slit to the production width your line actually runs. Film, foil, and composite laminates all qualify. If you eventually want slitter rewinders in your own facility, contract slitting lets you validate widths and tolerances before committing to equipment.
Sheeting
Sheeting cuts continuous roll material into flat sheets at specified dimensions. The output is stacked sheets for press-fed printing, die cutting, or assembly operations. Paper, film, and foil that must be delivered flat rather than on rolls are the common candidates. Label printers, specialty packaging converters, and industrial fabricators often source sheeted material rather than running their own cutters for every substrate they use.
Rewinding
Rewinding transfers material from one roll format to another, adjusting roll diameter, core size, or tension profile without changing the material itself. What goes in is a master roll; what comes out is a roll wound to your specifications, including the diameter, core ID, and layup your converting equipment or packaging line requires. This matters more than it sounds. Running material with the wrong tension profile or on a core that doesn’t fit your mandrel creates problems at the next process step.
Laminating
Laminating bonds two or more material layers together, using heat, adhesive, or pressure depending on the substrate combination and performance requirements. Common combinations include film to film, film to foil, and film to nonwoven. The output is a composite laminate that combines the properties of both layers: barrier performance, structural strength, printability, or some combination. Manufacturers use this when they need a specific structure they can’t source off the shelf, or when they’re developing a new product and need prototype quantities before committing to a dedicated line.
Coating
Coating applies a functional or protective layer to a substrate: silicone release coatings, pressure-sensitive adhesive, barrier coatings, specialty functional layers. The output is a coated web ready for further converting or end use. Common applications include adding release coating to liner stock, applying PSA to film, and adding barrier coating to paper or foil. The coating chemistry and the substrate have to be compatible, which is why material experience matters as much as equipment capability when you’re evaluating a partner.
What materials can be toll converted?
Contract converting facilities work with a wide range of substrates. Knowing whether your material is compatible is the first practical question to ask before spending time on quotes.
Common materials processed through toll converting services:
- Films: polyester (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), barrier films, shrink films
- Foils: aluminum foil, metalized films
- Laminates: multi-layer composite structures combining film, foil, or nonwoven layers
- Nonwovens: spunbond, meltblown, airlaid materials used in filtration, medical, and hygiene applications
- Textiles: technical fabrics, filtration media, woven and nonwoven technical materials
- Paper and paperboard: coated and uncoated grades, specialty papers, release liners
If your material isn’t on this list, ask anyway. Experienced converters have worked with unusual substrates before and can assess compatibility, including handling characteristics, tension requirements, and temperature limits, before committing to a production run.
What to look for in a contract converting partner
Equipment capabilities and process range
A partner that runs slitting, sheeting, rewinding, laminating, and coating under one roof reduces the number of transportation moves your material makes and gives you a single point of accountability when something needs adjustment. Before engaging, ask specifically what equipment they run: web widths, material thickness range, maximum roll diameter and weight, and which processes they handle in-house versus through a subcontractor.
Material experience
Process capability and material expertise are different things. A converter with experience on your specific substrate will anticipate handling challenges that aren’t obvious from a spec sheet, including blade wear rates on abrasive materials, tension profiles that prevent gauge band distortion, and heat sensitivity that affects run speed. That experience shows up in first-run quality rather than trial-and-error at your expense.
Quality certifications
ISO 9001:2015 is the most common quality management standard in contract converting. It means the facility runs documented processes, systematic quality control, and material traceability from incoming inspection through shipment. Pinnacle Converting holds ISO 9001:2015 certification. Not every contract converter does, and for regulated applications in medical, food packaging, or industrial safety, certification matters.
Communication and transparency
A reliable partner tells you where your job sits in the queue, flags issues during a run rather than after it, and gives honest lead time estimates based on actual capacity. Ask for references from manufacturers with production volumes similar to yours, not their largest accounts, but customers closer to your scale.
A practical path to outsourcing your converting
Before contacting a contract converter, have this information ready: material type and dimensions (width, thickness, roll diameter and weight), the specific process you need, your approximate monthly or annual volume, and any quality or certification requirements your end application carries. That preparation cuts the quoting conversation in half and helps the converter give you an accurate price and realistic lead time rather than a range that shifts once they see the actual material.
Pinnacle Converting handles contract converting work across this range of materials and processes. Contact their team to discuss your specifications and get a quote based on what you need to run.
