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Carrying out the production of plastic masses, the manufacturer is obliged to establish strict control over the content of vinyl chloride in the air above the enterprise. Before introducing plastic into medicine and industry, it is necessary to carry out a qualified examination. Waste should be subjected to recycling, and on manufactured plastic products it is mandatory to stamp a marking prohibiting the disposal of such products in conventional incinerators.

By complying with the requirements in the production of plastic masses, entrepreneurs will ensure the health of not only themselves and all humanity, but also the environment.

From the moment of its creation to this day, plastic products have not lost popularity. Plastic is cheap, ideal for mass production, and is therefore currently used in huge quantities. Thus, polymer cases for high-tech gadgets, parts interior decoration cars and even artificial organs for humans - all these are the realities of today.

The production of plastic products is more than profitable. Let's discuss why this business is still extremely profitable to this day, despite quite decent competition in this segment.

Business prospects

As we have already said, competition in this segment is quite high. This is especially noticeable in the example of the interaction of our retail networks with the Chinese market, which supplies our country with a huge amount of such products.

To compete with the nimble Chinese, your production of plastic products must be focused on the most promising and dynamically developing market segments. For example, in last years more and more are appearing in our country individual entrepreneurs. Many of them are engaged in food production.

Accordingly, they always have a need for cheap and high-quality packaging, for which plastic is ideally suited.

Don't forget about agriculture too. In recent years, livestock farming in household plots has become increasingly important. People need buckets and animal care items, plastic drinking bowls and feeders, basins and other utensils. In a word, basing own production plastic products, always focus on the needs of the population in your region.

Universal solution

When organizing your own business, you have to focus on many factors, each of which can have a significant impact on the profitability and overall “vitality” of the business.

But there is also a universal solution that suits almost all regions. This is costume jewelry. Today we will look at the business plan for its production.

World manufacturers

It is generally accepted that only unknown companies of Chinese and Indian origin produce cheap jewelry, but this is far from the case. This is confirmed by the list of world-famous companies that also do not hesitate to produce jewelry intended for the widest range of buyers.

These include such “monsters” of world fashion as Yves Saint-Laurent and even Christian Dior, Ted Lapidus and Kenzo. You can often see costume jewelry from Valentino on the shelves of Western stores. And these are not cheap Chinese crafts, as is the case with ours retail chains, and the real jewelry is from the most famous companies. As you can see, expensive jewelry brands are recognizable all over the world.

Famous Chinese companies

Despite all the above facts, one should not assume that the Celestial Empire produces only cheap counterfeits that flood our markets. Not at all.

Among the huge number of handicraft industries and enterprises, Kiel James Patrick and Gold Filled are doing well. These jewelry manufacturers in China have also earned worldwide fame, and therefore their products can be seen today even in expensive boutiques.

If you want to organize a business selling the products of these companies, we advise you to cooperate with China directly. You can often find a paradoxical situation in which local handicrafts copy the products of their own compatriots. These kinds of ersatz items often come to our country, forming a negative attitude towards Chinese jewelry in general.

Advantages of producing domestic jewelry

It is generally accepted that products of this kind are the lot of only young people and people with not very high incomes. Unfortunately, this opinion has become rooted in the fact that our store shelves are literally littered with low-quality jewelry from India and China. Their cost is low, and their quality is even lower.

Typically, such production of plastic products is in the hands of the Chinese, Turks and Indians. They have no particular idea about any design delights, and therefore are busy mainly with crude copying of products from the world's leading brands in the field of high fashion.

Accordingly, the resulting decorations are such only formally. But in the world, high-quality expensive jewelry is becoming increasingly important. There will always be a demand for it. This is confirmed by global jewelry manufacturers: according to their information, high-quality and beautiful jewelry is a fashion trend that is becoming more and more widespread.

Plastic for production

We return again to the topic of cheap Chinese jewelry. It also does not enjoy the recognition of buyers for the reason that the materials of the lowest quality are used in its production. It often happens that a brooch smells strongly of some chemical components.

The danger here is not in the smell itself, but in how all these substances can affect human skin. Accordingly, the most stringent requirements are imposed on the polymers used: plastic can only be food grade and not contain any substances that could negatively affect health.

Raw materials

By the way, where can you get raw materials of such high quality? We will immediately disappoint you: in our country there are plastic production facilities of appropriate quality, but there are not so many of them, and the cost of production is high.

Many manufacturers prefer to buy granulated raw materials in South Korea and China. It's very cheap there, but customs duties low on him.

Important! Be very careful about buying plastic from China. The fact is that the cheapest are processed products made from recycled materials. Such materials cannot be used to make jewelry.

Equipment and its approximate cost

First, you will need to purchase an extrusion line. The simplest model with a load of up to 150 kg of raw materials will cost approximately 1.5 million rubles. Such equipment for making jewelry is currently produced not only in China.

Secondly, you will need a line for thermoforming plastic. In addition, you will need to buy a vacuum loader. Finally, it will not be possible to do without a large number of molds in which the finished product will be formed.

A ready-made line for the production of high-quality jewelry will cost 5-7 million rubles.

Production technology

If we talk specifically about plastic jewelry, then casting and stamping are the most common and cheapest technology. In the first case, molten plastic is simply poured into pre-prepared molds and cooled. After this, excess material is removed from the surface of the products, and the decorations are brought to the required form.

When stamping, almost the same thing happens, but the plastic is not brought to a molten state. The material is simply heated and then stamped out necessary products on molds.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the sketches for production. Most of manufacturers simply buy sketches from some famous designers. If you have such an opportunity, you can hire a full-time designer. We do not recommend engaging in illegal copying, as fines for such activities have been very serious in recent years.

Production premises

In principle, there are no incredible requirements for the premises in which it is planned to establish the production of plastic products.

Firstly, you need an electrical network that can withstand 380 V. A fire alarm and an automatic fire extinguishing system are required.

Since the production of costume jewelry is an activity that is potentially hazardous to human health, the workshop should be located no closer than a kilometer from the nearest residential buildings.

In addition, water supply and sewerage are required. Water is rarely used directly in production, since when making jewelry, ready-made raw materials are often needed, but it is extremely necessary for cooling the workpieces and for organizing workers’ rest.

Staff

To service the machines, you will need to hire three or four general workers, a couple of loaders, a forwarding driver, a production technologist and a designer. In addition, staff will be required to clean the premises. Do not forget that from their salary it is necessary to deduct interest to social funds (about 30%).

The fast pace of modern life, continuously increasing year by year, requires from humanity the maximum return of physical and moral strength. It's hard to stay afloat while sitting at home on a soft sofa. So people have to rush, run and hurry, without looking around and sometimes not having time to have lunch on time.

Snacks are a popular fast food

An active lifestyle has created a need for foods that can be eaten on the go without spending a lot of time. This is how snacks appeared and quickly gained popularity (from the English Snak - light snack). They are small dry food, packaged in small portions in convenient packaging.

In number of products fast food included potato chips, cereal flakes, various nuts, salted fish, dried fruits and, of course, crackers. This snack product was not a big discovery for the Russian consumer. He simply moved from domestic kitchens to the civilized market, where he very quickly gained popularity and the love of a large number of fans.

Making snack crackers is a profitable business

The technology for the production of crackers is not very complicated and provides a high economic effect. The raw material for the production of snacks is bread baked from wheat or rye flour. Depending on the starting product, the production of one hundred grams of ready-made crackers will require approximately one hundred and forty grams of bread, some spices and vegetable oil. Even for an uninitiated person, it is quite obvious that the benefits from the production and sale of crackers are quite large.

Equipment for the production of crackers is affordable for any beginning entrepreneur. Start-up capital a size of one hundred thousand dollars and a production facility of up to one hundred square meters will be sufficient for successful work. It is very important that the enterprise has a technologist for the production of crackers. The quality and taste of the products largely depend on his experience and level of qualifications.

By establishing regular sales of goods and constantly supporting an aggressive advertising campaign, you can return the money spent within six months.

Focus on consumer demand

Any bakery is faced with a constant problem - the need to process unsold or low-quality products. Equipment for the production of crackers is the best way out of the situation. The basis for the production of a popular product is ready-made bread. Dried baked goods are best suited for this purpose.

The disadvantage of large-scale production of in-demand products is the complexity of improving the technological process. Consumer tastes are very changeable, and therefore, to achieve success, manufacturers need to constantly focus on changing taste preferences.

Large enterprises are not very flexible in making operational changes in their production orientation. Small mobile enterprises can regularly study demand and quickly respond to new trends in food fashion.

The line for the production of crackers consists of a machine for slicing bread, an oven for drying semi-finished products, equipment for introducing food flavoring additives and a packaging machine.

Process stages

To cut workpieces into cubes or small bars, a bread slicer is used to produce crackers. By repeatedly passing bread slices through knives, you can achieve semi-finished products of the desired shape and required size.

The heat treatment of crackers is carried out in frying ovens, maintaining the temperature within two hundred degrees.

In order for snacks to obtain a specific taste and smell, they must be processed food additives. In order for the spices to better adhere to semi-finished products, the surface of the bread is first sprayed with vegetable oil. If the production is small-scale, then the aromatization process can be carried out manually. In spacious containers, using special spatulas, the crackers are mixed to evenly coat them with flavoring seasonings.

For large volumes, a special coating machine is used to produce crackers. It is a deep, spacious container or drum in which bread snacks are mixed using wide blades.

The finished product cools down to room temperature, after which it is sent to the packaging machine.

What types of crackers are there?

Depending on the type of flour, snacks are:

• light - wheat;
• dark - wheat-rye;
• black - from Borodino bread.

The rapidly growing interest in crackers required manufacturers to constantly search for fresh ideas and develop new recipes. The product range is determined by the variety of flavoring additives. Here the search for food preferences and interests is limitless. Today they use in great demand Consumers have crackers flavored with meat products, fish, caviar, cheese, sour cream, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, and fruits. Snacks can be salted or sweet.

Who buys crackers

Salty snacks are highly respected by lovers of the foamy drink. The production of beer crackers required the development of a separate line of popular products aimed at people spending their free time on vacation with family and friends.

Business idea in the garage. Centrifugal casting of jewelry, key chains and other small items

Consumers of snack products are equally women and men of different age categories. But fast food is most in demand among young and active people.

Today, products made from plastic are becoming especially popular. They can be used in almost any area of ​​human life. In this regard, in industry of this direction only the latest equipment for the production of plastic products and only high-quality raw materials.

Why did such products begin to become popular?

Factories that produce plastic, which is so popular today, display the following products in their list of products: buckets, troughs, film and many other products that are used in everyday life.

Plastic is inherent whole line advantages, among which are practicality, convenience, and environmental friendliness. In addition, you can sell it for a decent price.

Basic equipment

Equipment for the production of plastic products, which is popular today, consists of one production line. Among those units that are included in its complex, one can single out a vacuum forming device. It is necessary so that parts can be manufactured from the corresponding sheet.

The operation of the machine is based on the use of thermoplastic raw materials, which are quite easily processed and molded into the future product. This procedure is accompanied by heating the source material.

Where can such a setup be used?

Equipment for the production of plastic products of this type is in high demand when creating outdoor advertising (formation of logos and three-dimensional letters), in retail and refrigerated display cases, etc.

This unit has the ability to produce POS materials, and it can also be useful in the automotive industry.

It should be noted that even in garden pools there is a fairly large number of plastic parts. Actually, just like in construction with design. Therefore, the profitability of the business will be quite high.

What modern installations can be purchased?

The machine for the production of plastic products is designed to perform wide range tasks. We are talking about all kinds of conveyors, conveyors and separators. If we start to consider the equipment with which we can produce plastic, we should highlight the main installations and all kinds of profiles.

The production line includes an extruder. Typically this machine is twin-screw (with conical-sized screws), with a calibration-vacuum table, a pulling device, special saws and a receiving device in the form of a table. In addition, the line can be equipped with all the necessary equipment that is capable of producing plastic panels.

The production line includes an injection molding machine. Such an installation for the production of plastic products has a water fitting, an adapter, a tray, a cap, a cover and a body that has a rather complex shape. Polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and nylon can be used as raw materials.

The automatic machine for the production of plastic products is designed to provide the entrepreneur with a full cycle of manufacturing the necessary products. In addition, a production line is characterized by the presence of separate units with the help of which specific tasks are performed. You can make plastic products of various shapes, regardless of complexity and size.

Optional equipment

Stands in a special place technological line, which produces plastic boards and numerous profiles. Such products are usually used in the most different areas human life. The equipment includes an extruder equipped with conical screws, drawing devices and receiving tables. To cut to a specific size, you will need to use a specialized saw.

Equipment purchase costs

To buy everything necessary equipment to start production, you will need to spend about 300,000 Russian rubles. However, do not forget that when expanding your enterprise you will need to purchase the necessary equipment. Otherwise, there will be no point in engaging in entrepreneurial activity in this area.

Popularity of plastic

Plastic products are extremely popular at the moment. Life without them is now almost impossible. Naturally, the demand for products is quite high, especially if the products are made to a sufficient standard. high level. Plastic can be seen everywhere now. These include numerous buckets, various boxes, flower pots, basins, and much more. Materials such as wood and metal are gradually being replaced by plastic from everyday use.

Advantages of the material

Plastic products are characterized by resistance to a variety of natural precipitation and other influences. They are resistant to corrosion, and are also easy to use, hygienic and highly durable. In addition, modern plastic can retain all these properties for quite a long time. In addition, anyone can repaint a product made from such material in any color without much effort. And with all these advantages, plastic, as a rule, is not very expensive.

Conclusion

All of the above parameters speak about one thing. Regardless of how high the price of equipment for the production of plastic products is, such entrepreneurial activity will pay off quite quickly. Especially if the approach to the technological process is quite competent and correct. Good luck to you in organizing your own enterprise for the production of plastic products!

The annual volume of the sunflower oil market in Russia is ≈2.5 million tons of finished product. And not all of the assortment presented on store shelves is offered by large corporations - approximately half of the market is occupied by small enterprises and even farms. A mini plant for the production of sunflower oil can be an excellent source of permanent income for a beginning entrepreneur. What will you have to think about when launching your own plant for the production of vegetable oil?

Our business assessment:

Starting investments - from 2,500,000 rubles.

Market saturation is high.

The difficulty of starting a business is 7/10.

Relevance of the sunflower oil business

Many investors have already turned their attention to this production niche, which is understandable - the costs of organizing a workshop are relatively low, and sales opportunities are enormous. Competition in this market segment is quite strong, but with proper management and a well-thought-out marketing campaign, mini sunflower oil production will not be left without profit.

The products can be sold not only to customers in supermarkets and stores, but also to private enterprises that use oil as the main raw material. This component is used in many areas - soap making, canned food production, paint and varnish, cosmetics and medical industries. But if you fail to find “your buyer” (which is very unlikely), the oil can be supplied abroad - for example, in Turkey it is in great demand.

The next advantage of starting the production of vegetable oil is its non-waste nature. During the manufacturing process of the product, production waste is generated that is suitable for subsequent use - husks, cake, meal. These related products can be sold to third parties.

Husks are often sold to brick factories, and cake and meal are sold to farms.

The sale of waste can be counted as additional profit for the enterprise. But more often their sales are clearly reflected in the cost price, reducing the final price of the product.

Which oil is more profitable to produce?

Having decided to start your own business producing vegetable oil, you need to decide what kind of oil to produce - refined or unrefined. The main differences between these 2 types are the degree of purification of the product.

The production of refined oil is a more labor-intensive process. It is purified using many chemical-technological methods so that the output is a product of a certain degree of transparency, with the absence of foreign tastes and odors. And the production of unrefined oil is based only on mechanical filtration of the product, which gives it a specific smell and taste.

And despite the fact that the production of unrefined oil will require lower costs, you should not rely only on it - profits will decrease significantly. To promote your brand and earn more income, you should expand the range of products offered to customers. Besides, modern technologies allow the production of several types of oils at once on one production line.

Sunflower oil production technology

Technological scheme for the production of sunflower oil

This is not to say that the technology for producing sunflower oil is easy. Technologists here have to choose the most optimal scheme for manufacturing the product.

Without going into details, then technology system looks like that:

• Sifting seeds.
• Collapse of seeds (cleaning of husks).
• Grinding the seeds.
• Heat treatment of seeds.
• Spin.
• Filtration.
• Refining.
• Bottling and packaging.

This is common technological process production, and at a particular enterprise some of the stages may be omitted. For example, to make an unrefined product, refining is not needed. The same is with heat treatment - to reduce the cost of purchasing equipment, this stage is often eliminated. Therefore, it is important that the business plan for the production of sunflower oil must contain detailed description selected technology. The choice of necessary equipment depends on this in the future.

To draw up the practical part of a business project, it is better to invite a qualified technologist.

What equipment will be needed to start the workshop?

Line for the production of sunflower oil OVOR - 450

When the product manufacturing technology is thought out, you need to buy equipment for the production of sunflower oil. There is a huge selection of equipment on the market - from low-power household units to high-performance automated lines. Which option to choose depends on the planned volume of production of the finished product.

If you plan to produce oils of more than 30 tons/day, it is more advisable to think about purchasing a fully equipped line (squeezing + refining). With less power (up to 10 tons/day), it is better to buy all equipment separately.

Average price of equipment for the production of sunflower oil, purchased separately:

• Separator for cleaning seeds - from 50,000 rubles.
• Tumbler-fan machine - from 70,000 rubles.
• Roller machine - from 500,000 rubles.
• Roaster - from 400,000 rubles.
• Spin machine - from 650,000 rubles.
• Filter for pressing oil (2-3 pieces required) - from 90,000 rubles.
• Refining apparatus - from 700,000 rubles.
• Filling machine - from RUB 300,000.

As a result, it turns out that you will need to spend at least 2,300,000 rubles on equipment. The figure will increase significantly if the line is expanded with additional units and automated. And equipment with a capacity of more than 25 tons/day of finished oil will cost the entrepreneur at least 7,000,000 rubles.

Without a large investment, you may want to skip the fryer at first. Also, in order to save money, the sunflower oil production workshop can be equipped with supported equipment. But such deals are always risky.

But private home production will not require such impressive costs for equipment. The price of household devices is not so high, but they are not very powerful either. For example, a mini butter churn for the production of sunflower oil with a capacity of 5 l/h today costs from 100,000 rubles. But here, of course, not we're talking about O big profits. As a family business - yes, this option has a place to be, but as production equipment in a full-fledged workshop - it is unlikely.

What kind of premises should I rent?

The main difficulty in launching food enterprises is the strict requirements for workshops and warehouses. There must be electricity, water, and sewerage. In addition, the city’s sanitary services will definitely check the premises for compliance with lighting and cleanliness standards.

As for the area of ​​premises, here you can focus on the following standards: for 1 ton of raw materials processed per day there should be at least 40 m 2 of free space. And the storage facilities should be even larger, since according to the rules, sunflower seeds cannot be stored in bulk in a layer that is too thick. Moreover, the production reserve norm is considered to be for 1-1.5 months at once. On average, warehouses should be twice the size of production workshops.

Separate premises will also be required for storing husks and meal. If there are none, then used products can be stored outside (under a canopy) for some time in good weather.

What kind of staff should you hire?

The sunflower oil production line must be serviced by specialists. And the more automated the enterprise, the less maintenance personnel will be needed.

Qualified employees with relevant diplomas will require foremen and technologists (2-6 people). Low-skilled personnel (loaders, drivers, cleaners) are recruited based on the needs of a particular enterprise.

On food enterprises As a rule, a shift work schedule is established - 2*2. Salary is piecework and bonus.

Well, at home, using a butter churn, even one person can make the product.

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Homemade dumpling production as a business.

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Financial justification for the project

Every business plan should have a section dedicated to all expenses and planned profits. Without this data, not a single bank or investor will give a business loan to a beginning entrepreneur.

Taking into account how much an oil press for the production of sunflower oil and other equipment costs, we can calculate the fixed costs of organizing a small workshop with a capacity of 5 tons/day:

• Rent of premises (from 500 m2) - from 100,000 rubles.
• Preparing the premises - from 300,000 rubles.
• Purchase of equipment - from 2,000,000 rubles.
• Registration of documents - from 50,000 rubles.

It turns out that the entrance ticket to this area of ​​​​business will cost an entrepreneur at least 2,500,000 rubles. And the figure will be significantly higher if the plant is equipped with vehicles for delivering products to customers.

You don’t have that kind of money and there’s nowhere to get it from? Then you should seriously think about starting home production. Choose your production methods, buy an inexpensive butter churn and get to work.

• Salary to employees - from 400,000 rubles/month.
• Rent of premises - from 100,000 rubles/month.
• Taxes - from 70,000 rubles/month.
• Advertising, transport and utility costs - from 100,000 rubles/month.

If we take as a basis for calculations that the workshop will work daily (8 hours) and produce ≈50 tons of finished oil per month, then the profitability table can be presented as follows:

If in the early seventies of the last century the world production of gas-filled plastic products was 6-7% general production polymer products, now this figure, as knowledgeable people testify, exceeds 20-25%.

This is understandable; filling with gas reduces the consumption of polymer for the manufacture of a particular item. The state of the Ukrainian “expanded polystyrene” industry was discussed relatively recently (see BUSINESS No. 18 of 05/06/02, pp. 19-22), since then little has changed on the market. The experts interviewed agree that the demand, for example, for polystyrene foam boards in Ukraine will grow in the coming years, which means that organizing their production is a promising business. But the world is not a wedge on polystyrene foam boards; you can produce a lot of things from foamed polymers and make good money from it.

Profitability
According to surveyed existing manufacturers, the profitability of producing products from foamed polymers can be 2-30%. The degree of profitability largely depends on what product is being produced. The size of the start-up investment also plays a significant role. To organize a truly highly profitable production, a lot of money is needed. For example, 100-150 thousand “conventional units” is an amount sufficient to organize the production of thermal insulation products.

For comparison
A disposable polystyrene cup weighs 3 g. The same cup made of polypropylene foam weighs 2.5 g. The cost of granulated polystyrene is approximately $1400 per 1 ton, the cost of granulated polypropylene, suitable for producing gas-filled products, is approximately $900 per 1 ton. The cost of producing disposable cups made of polystyrene and polypropylene foam are approximately the same.

State of the Industry
In Ukraine, as in other countries - former republics of the USSR, the production of products from gas-filled polymers has long been “in the paddock”. The share of such in the total volume of plastic items produced is very small. A significant part of foam products is imported from abroad (see BUSINESS No. 18 dated 05/06/02, pp. 19-22).

According to information available to BUSINESS, there are now about 30 manufacturers of products made from gas-filled polymers throughout Ukraine.

In particular, “UkrThermoBud” (Nikolaev), “Termoplast” (Kiev), “Ros-Plast” (Belaya Tserkov, Kiev region).

Moreover, the majority of enterprises that produce products from gas-filled plastics use equipment that is “aged” - or worn out soviet cars, or refurbished imported equipment purchased recently.

What to do
According to the surveyed “polymer workers,” now it is best to start producing various types of insulating gaskets, sheets and panels, pipes, cups, containers and packaging.

As you know, the assembly of televisions from imported components has begun in Ukraine. To protect the finished TV from impacts, they use imported foam packaging, which costs about $7. Why, one might ask, bring polystyrene foam from Japan? To then throw it in a landfill? However, organizing packaging production will cost more than one million dollars. The fact is that the mold of this packaging has to be constantly changed due to changes in the shape of televisions. It may happen that the purchased mold will be used for a year, then the packaging manufacturer will have to buy a second, third, etc.

The market is also in demand for trays in which supermarket “raw cuts” are packaged - all sorts of schnitzels, chops, chicken legs.

Naturally, it is worth thinking about the sale of such products not after, but before the creation of production.

Premises and permissions
Any room whose ceilings do not leak is suitable for locating production. As a rule, there are no special requirements for it. The exception is production in which the foaming process is carried out using pentane. Its explosiveness will provide the potential “foamer” with the opportunity to get acquainted with representatives of the State Supervision Service (in particular, the boiler inspection) and the fire inspectorate. In general, it is necessary to comply with the requirements of SN 245-71 “Sanitary design standards industrial enterprises”, SNiP 2.04.0591U* “Heating, ventilation and air conditioning”, GOST 12.1.005-88 “Air working area”, GOST 12.4.011-89 SSBT “Means for protecting workers. General requirements and classification”, “Rules fire safety in Ukraine". Needless to say, it is best to look for premises for locating production away from the “dormitory” areas of large cities; it is more advisable to locate somewhere in an industrial zone or on the outskirts of a populated area.

To place a line of areas you will need nothing at all - from 40 sq.m to 200 sq.m. But a considerable warehouse may be required (after all, in a certain sense, you will have to store air - the products weigh little and take up a lot of space). Almost any room can be used in this capacity, providing protection of products from wind, moisture, dust, thieves, homeless people and other unfavorable factors. Granular polymers should be stored in a dry and, if possible, heated room: in this case, their surface absorbs less moisture, and the quality of any product will only benefit from this.

“Permitting” authorities include local executive authorities, sanitary and epidemiological stations, fire inspectors, local departments of the State Supervision Service, thermal workers, electricians, gas service, etc. The expenditure of time and money on “resolution” depends on the skill of the businessman. In favorable cases, 2-3 months and several thousand “killed raccoons” are enough.

Equipment
“Iron” can be found in different ways. In particular, some domestic enterprises have idle equipment that, with proper skill, can be purchased not too expensively and, using the services of specialists, modernized and brought into working condition.

If you have the money, it's better to buy something newer. There are many in the country machine-building enterprises, producing equipment for creating machines for polymer processing.

You can also purchase imported equipment. One of the specialists interviewed by BUSINESS expressed the opinion that, for example, refurbished German equipment for the production of products from foamed polymers is approximately equal in quality to the new equipment that can now be purchased in Ukraine. Nobody, of course, prohibits buying new imported equipment, but... Firstly, it can cost millions of dollars, and secondly, it is usually made to order very far in advance.

Unfortunately, almost none of the Ukrainian manufacturers and suppliers of “hardware” make “ready-made” offers for the sale of equipment for the production of products from gas-filled plastics; the majority prefer to talk about each specific issue with a specific customer...

Regulations
Apparently, the “underdevelopment” of domestic production of products made from gas-filled plastics determines the almost complete absence of appropriate regulatory framework. According to the data available to BUSINESS, currently only the standard for thermal insulation materials made of gas-filled plastics used in construction is in force - DSTU B V 2.7-8-94 “Polystyrene foam boards”. Therefore, each manufacturer has to “create” technical specifications for each manufactured product (group of products).

It is best to entrust the development and coordination of technical conditions, again, to the technologist who selected the equipment and will subsequently be involved in setting up production. This procedure will “lighten” your wallet by about $1 thousand.

In the technical specifications for products that may come into contact with food products, and some products used in construction must have hygienic requirements. Upon release of the first batch of such products, the compliance of the products with the stated requirements will be checked. The sanitary and epidemiological station must do this. Based on the results obtained, it can be argued that the equipment used is suitable for the production of, say, food products.

In order not to have problems on this basis throughout the year, a certificate of compliance with sanitary standards used in the production of granular polymers and additives (ready-made mixtures) is sufficient. Then it will be necessary to carry out further testing of products based on toxicity indicators. This “pleasure” costs about 800 UAH.

Of course, the technical specifications reflect the requirements for manufactured products, as well as their testing methods. Typically, quality indicators such as dimensions, weight, density of the product, in some cases, strength indicators, thermal and electrical conductivity, etc. are checked. Each batch of products is subjected to acceptance tests.

It is hardly advisable to create your own laboratory capable of testing all indicators: these are the costs of premises, equipment, laboratory assistant’s salary, accreditation of the laboratory itself, and much more. Experts believe that it is better to conclude long-term contracts to carry out the necessary tests with organizations that have laboratories accredited to conduct such tests. An example of such an organization is the Kievgorstroy Institute. Acceptance testing of product samples selected from one batch of foam insulation will cost approximately 400 UAH.

Staff
To operate the line you will need from 2 to 10 people. Workers will most likely have to be trained “from scratch” (the equipment supplier can train them for very modest money). But you can hire them for relatively little money - in Kyiv it can be $60-70 per month (in the provinces - even less). But it’s better not to skimp on a technologist’s salary, keeping in mind the large shortage of such. In any case, as they explained to BUSINESS at existing enterprises, $300-400 is not the limit for a good technologist.

Raw materials
Primary polymers

Things are not going well in Ukraine with regard to raw materials for the production of products from gas-filled plastics. Currently the country produces:

polyethylene (Oriana concern, Kalush, Ivano-Frankivsk region);

polypropylene (JSC LiNOS, Lisichansk, Lugansk region);

polystyrene (JSC Concern Stirol, Gorlovka, Donetsk region).

Many polymers are imported into the country from abroad (from Russia, Belarus, France, Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic). According to the experts interviewed, today it is most advisable to establish the production of all kinds of things made of polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene. These polymers are almost harmless, chemically neutral, and their cost is low. Foams obtained from them have a wide range of applications. Finally, these polymers are produced by powerful and stable enterprises.

You need to be very careful when purchasing polymers. No matter how good the equipment is, its use most likely will not allow obtaining products of the same quality from the same polymers from different manufacturers. To carry out “transitions” from one raw material to another, serious readjustment of equipment and development of technology using a new polymer are required. The best option- constantly buy granular polymer from the same manufacturer. And one more thing: if the shelf life of granulated polyethylene and polypropylene intended for foaming is almost unlimited (if stored under proper conditions), then the shelf life of granulated polystyrene for a similar purpose is only six months. For this reason, you should not be particularly susceptible to a cheaper polymer that accidentally turns up.

Prices for granular polymers are unstable - jumps of 10-20% are common. On average, one of the most commonly used polymers for producing foam plastics - granulated polyethylene - costs at least $1 thousand per 1 ton. Granulated polypropylene is about 20 percent cheaper.

Secondary polymers
If the product does not have particularly stringent requirements (for example, it should not withstand high loads), then a secondary (that is, already used) polymer can be added to the initial mixture along with the primary one, but the share of “recyclables” should not exceed 20 %.

Recycled polymers cannot be used in cases where the product will come into contact with food. Secondary polymers are usually 20-30% cheaper than primary ones; if desired, you can make them yourself if you have a special crusher (it will cost $200-5000 depending on the origin, type and performance). Beyond the “hill,” secondary polymers, for example, are widely used in the production of insulating materials.

Supplements
In addition to polymers, fillers such as wood flour, silicon oxides, titanium, carbon black, and graphite are sometimes added to mixtures subjected to foaming. This allows you to reduce the cost of products and/or give them the desired properties. For example, reduce the weight of sheets used as cladding or insulating materials.

As already noted, the production of products from gas-filled polymers cannot be done without the use of various modifying additives. Nowadays, the use of ready-made mixtures, which are introduced into the original composition in an amount of 0.5-3% of the total volume of raw materials, is in fashion. “Ready mixtures” are exclusively of foreign origin and are managed by Ukrainian distributors. The cost of 1 kg of any of these mixtures is close to $6. It is not necessary to look for mixtures of modifying additives for every polymer: polystyrene intended for foaming already contains all the necessary additives.

Technology
The most common gas-filled plastics include polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, polyethylene terephthalate foam, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride foam, and phenotypic plastic foam. Each of these materials has properties that determine its areas of application.

The technology for producing gas-filled plastics consists of preparing a composition, introducing a gas phase into the polymer medium (most often by foaming), giving the foam mass the required shape, and then fixing it.

Sometimes this very composition is poured into a mold and then foamed. In the process of preparing the composition, the ingredients of the plastic mass or rubber mixture are combined (oligomers, polymers, hardeners, catalysts, plasticizers, dyes, stabilizers, fillers, blowing agents, etc.).

To introduce a gas phase into a polymer medium, various tricks are used: mechanical foaming, introducing gas under pressure into the composition, saturating the compositions with low-boiling liquids, which turn into steam when heated...

This or that method of introducing the gas phase is used depending on what kind of polymer is being processed and what they want to get from it. For the production of gas-filled plastics, each of the listed methods usually uses its own equipment. But now there are machines that are more universal, suitable for carrying out various processes.

By processing different polymers and using different techniques, gas-filled plastics with different properties can be obtained. For example, elastic polyurethane foam (the most famous type is foam rubber) is used in the production of upholstered furniture, clothing, shoe soles, brushes, carpets, sponges, for packaging breakable products, as a heat and sound insulating material. Rigid polyurethane foam can be used as thermal and electrical insulation, packaging material, for filling hollow structures in automobile, aircraft and shipbuilding, to protect structures and equipment from vibration, moisture, mold, and corrosion.

Made from polyethylene with a density of about 920 kg/cubic meter. m, you can obtain a gas-filled polymer with a density from 10-60 kg/cub.m (high-foam) to 400-500 kg/cub.m or more (low-foam). For other polymers, all the “digits” have the same order. Highly foamed materials can be used to make heat- and sound-insulating, as well as packaging materials(of course, if high strength is not needed). Low foam polyethylene and polypropylene - good materials for the manufacture of sheets, panels, pipes, insulating gaskets, etc. Products made of polypropylene (including foam) have higher strength and thermal stability compared to products made of polyethylene.

Gas-filled plastics are divided into foam plastics (with closed pores) and foam plastics (with open interconnected pores). Polystyrene foams are more common than foam plastics.

Depending on their elastic characteristics, gas-filled plastics (or foamed polymers) are conventionally divided into rigid, semi-rigid and elastic. They can be obtained from almost any polymer. Gas-filled plastics have a low apparent density (20-280 kg/cub.m) and high heat, sound, water and electrical insulation characteristics.

The scope of application of foamed polymers is endless. They can be used to make packaging, thermal insulation for building structures or refrigerators, filters for gases and liquids, cushions and cushions for furniture, protective pads for helmets and hard hats, buoys, and lifebuoys.

Vladimir Alexandrov.

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In this article:

Production of plastic disposable tableware can become a profitable investment if two essential conditions are met: the presence of sufficiently significant initial capital and a thorough study of the market situation.

Disposable goods firmly entered into our everyday life. And the demand for plastic tableware has seen a steady increase over the past 15 years. What captivates the consumer?

Three pillars of the popularity of disposable tableware:

• lightness of the material,
• practicality in use (this cookware does not break),
• comfort for relaxation (no washing - collected and thrown away).

Recently, consumers have also begun to highlight aesthetic factor– plastic tableware becomes not only a means of providing comfort, it creates an atmosphere of relaxation and celebration.

Who is who? Key players in the plastic tableware market

Despite the fact that the volumes of Russian production of disposable tableware are still far from European ones, products foreign production do not play a leading role in the plastic tableware market. They account for only 15% of production.

Back in 1998, to protect domestic production, duties were adopted on the import of this category of foreign goods - about 70% of the cost of the shipment minimizes the interests of foreign importers. Actually, 1998 can be considered the initial year in the development of the domestic plastic tableware market.

Major suppliers of imported plastic products– China (36% of imports), Portugal and Poland (7% each). Leaders- Tupperware company, Huhtamaki, IKEA. On the domestic market there are about 100 enterprises engaged in the production of plastic tableware. Largest participants:"Artplast", "Stirolplast", "Huhtamaki S.N.G.", "Rossi", "Centrpack".

In addition to domestic consumption, Russian products are also in demand among our closest neighbors. Ukraine and Kazakhstan account for about 71% of all exports.

Significant competition for plastic tableware comes from paper (laminated cardboard). In the European market, the latter already accounts for more than 41%, and this figure is growing steadily. Cause– ease of paper recycling, which compensates for the higher cost raw materials. In the domestic market, tableware made from polymers is losing its position much more slowly - the share of paper products accounts for no more than 20%.

Features of the sales market

Main consumers of disposable tableware can be divided into three segments: catering, catering, retail sales to the public.

The easiest way is to cooperate with supermarkets - the buyer knows what plastic tableware is and what it is needed for, so no special advertising is required, just a competitive price and a good location of the products on product shelves. As practice shows, in online retail, priority places are given to manufacturers in the middle and high price segments, with bright designs, original packaging, offering not individual product items, but various complete sets of disposable tableware.

Most profitable– cooperation on an ongoing basis with catering companies. The field service segment for various events is one of the most promising directions sales in major cities today. According to analysts, it has been developed to only 30% of its possible capacity, with a growth rate of up to 15% per annum.

Catering services have a pronounced seasonality:

• mid-December – early February – holiday and New Year parties are popular;
• May-October – outdoor buffets, picnics, weddings;
• February-May – time for corporate banquets;
• September-November – team-building events to strengthen the team spirit of the team.

Therefore, a manufacturing enterprise planning to develop at the expense of the catering market needs flexibility and a fairly large assortment of products in order to adjust supply to demand in a timely manner.

One more thing to pay attention to important nuance: today the consumer considers disposable tableware not only from a practical point of view, but also as an accessory to the holiday table. Skewers with knobs of unusual shapes (hearts, treble clefs, beads), figured tubes, plates, wine glasses and glasses with cartoon characters, plant motifs, flowers, balls and other festive surroundings - such dishes help to easily decorate any event in a style that matches the theme . New trends are the production of original tableware according to individual shapes and the application of various images to finished products.

Working with catering enterprises attracts with constant demand and volumes. This sales area is stable and has no pronounced seasonality. Demand may increase during the warmer period of the year due to outdoor and tray trading. Active buyers are airlines (the average annual growth rate of sales of tableware for in-flight catering is about 10%).

Top sellers by product range are glasses, cutlery, plates, food containers, cups for hot drinks. The sales dynamics by product line can be represented as follows:

• glasses (polystyrene, 200 ml) – April-September;
• glasses (polystyrene, 500 ml) – May-August;
• cups for hot drinks (including polypropylene glasses) – September-April;
• food containers and packaging are not subject to seasonal changes, the demand for them is equally stable;
• plates - relevant mainly in summer months, therefore, manufacturers of these products must definitely consider an alternative (for example, produce sets, cups or glasses for vending the remaining 9 months of the year).

Cost of entry into the plastic tableware market

Current market participants estimate the initial capital required to enter the business at $500 thousand. The most economical option for capital investment will cost $100 thousand - this is the purchase of a Chinese used one equipment(extruder + 2 thermoforming machines). With uninterrupted operation of the workshop, such production can generate a profit of $15-20 thousand (this is if you are engaged only in the production of cups, as the most popular product from the assortment range). Of course, you can only count on a quick payback if you have a wide distribution channel.

But, firstly, manufacturers advise looking for a “golden mean”, without skimping on equipment, since breakdowns, inevitable for used mechanisms, will most likely cause regular stoppages for repairs. When choosing a production line, it is recommended to pay attention not only to the country of origin, but also to the availability service centers in the region, the possibility of prevention, rapid response in case of breakdowns and availability of components.

Secondly, purchasing fixed assets is just the tip of the iceberg. The development of infrastructure requires an amount no less than for the purchase of equipment. This includes the purchase of raw materials, staff salaries, and purchase/rental production workshop, and also repairs will be required...

Reserve capital can “insure” an enterprise at the initial stage of development. That is why the threshold for successful entry into the plastic tableware market is at least $500 thousand.

Dynamics, prospects for market development

Since 2000, the domestic market for plastic tableware began to actively develop. The annual increase at the initial stage was up to 25% in value terms and maintained a high rate until 2007 (15-17%). The market successfully survived the crisis years, slowing down but maintaining growth, unlike other industries (up to 5%). The reason for the stability is said to be an increase in demand for catering products in the low price segment, which was actively purchasing large quantities of goods.

Briefly about the main thing:

• The Russian market for plastic tableware, despite the large number of goods on supermarket shelves, is only 35% developed.
• The relatively low rate of development of the industry (10-15%) is compensated by its duration - the domestic market for plastic tableware, compared to European countries and the USA, demonstrates a consumption level that is 10 times lower.
• Over the past 2-3 years, there has been an increase in the segment of paper products in the disposable tableware market due to environmental friendliness and ease of disposal.
• The demand for plastic tableware has a pronounced seasonality, therefore, in order to avoid equipment downtime in the autumn-winter period, various sales areas should be developed (wholesale and retail chains, public catering, catering enterprises).
• Consumers give preference not only to high-quality products - the design and originality of tableware design plays an increasingly important role (the ability to choose sets in the same color scheme, themed images for various holidays, etc.).
• The entry threshold is quite high. And attempts to reduce the cost of capital expenditures by purchasing used equipment in practice do not live up to expectations - high wear and tear and regular breakdowns lead to losses that arise during equipment downtime and delays in delivery. In addition, there is a problem with modernization - for machines with a service life of more than 10 years, it is quite difficult to find suitable components.