13.10.2019
EIC network - free search for business partners in Russia and abroad. Production of disposable tableware as a business
Production disposable tableware is one of those business ideas that do not lose their relevance and provide the business owner with high profits for many years.
Brief business analysis:
Costs of setting up a business:5.5 - 7.5 million rubles
Relevant for cities with the population: from 200,000
Industry situation:the production sector is saturated
Difficulty of organizing a business: 4/5
Payback: 10-14 months
As a rule, today, novice entrepreneurs, in search of promising directions for organizing their own business, pay more attention to the consideration of such projects that have all the signs of startups (you can find out about startups here):
- Quick return on investment
- Low competition as possible
- Raising funds for the implementation of business from outside.
Well, impatience and energy are inherent in the younger generation. Meanwhile, experienced entrepreneurs value stability and prospects more. The production of disposable tableware has exactly these characteristics.
Advantages of disposable tableware
First, we need to clarify the question: why is disposable plastic tableware so good that its use is gradually replacing the traditional dishes made of plastic, glass, porcelain, etc., which are familiar to most people?
- First of all, the advantages of disposable tableware include its sanitary qualities. The buyer, purchasing food or drink in disposable plates, cups, using disposable forks, spoons, and knives, will be 100% sure that no one has used them before. The “worm” of doubts about the quality of dishwashing in this establishment will not “sharpen” his brain in the process of eating.
- Safety of disposable tableware. It cannot be broken and cut on the sharp edges of the fragments (this is especially attractive for children's food establishments).
- There is also a benefit for entrepreneurs - there is no need to purchase dishwashing detergents. Which, by the way, are now quite expensive.
Demand for disposable tableware
To imagine the scale of your future business, you first need to determine your target audience - buyers who will purchase wholesale quantities of your products from you. It’s ridiculous to even talk about retail sales of plastic utensils by the manufacturer. Therefore, we will not consider opening our own retail outlets.
Maintaining loyal customers and increasing the number of these customers through various marketing campaigns is the main priority once production is launched. Such wholesale buyers include:
- Various catering establishments - cafes, snack bars, pizzerias, canteens, etc.
- Kiosks that sell takeaway food
- Mini-bakeries producing culinary products
- Fast food delivery services to order
- Catering companies
- Super- and hypermarkets with their own culinary production
- Fruit and vegetable traders
As you can see, the range of buyers to whom you can offer your products is quite wide. All that remains is to attract them all to your proposal. But more on that a little later.
From the outside, it may seem to some skeptics that this business is seasonal, but we can safely say that this is not the case. Look at the disposable tableware consumers listed above - they all work all year round. This means a drop in the volume of purchases in critical indicators there can be no question. Some increase in sales in spring-summer period at the expense of picnic lovers can be considered a pleasant bonus.
Raw materials for production
The raw material for the production of disposable plastic tableware is granulated polystyrene, somewhat similar to foam balls. The cost of 1 ton of such material now ranges from 45 to 100 thousand rubles, depending on the diameter of the granules, their brand, etc.
This type of raw material is used for the production of tableware in full cycle production, which includes the stages of melting polystyrene granules and making a polymer film from them, from which disposable tableware is made.
There is also an incomplete production cycle, in which another type of raw material is used - finished polymer film from the same polystyrene or polypropylene. The price of such film is from 100 to 190 thousand rubles per 1 ton.
Manufacturers of both types of raw materials can be chosen, both domestic and foreign, depending on the proposed delivery conditions.
How to organize production
The implementation of the project for the production of disposable plastic tableware consists of several stages:
- Business registration
- Search for production location
- Purchasing the necessary equipment
- Recruitment
Let's consider each stage separately.
Registration of business activities
Choosing between the two most acceptable forms of management entrepreneurial activity for the production of plastic disposable tableware is determined primarily by the planned production volumes, and, as a consequence, profits. For a small enterprise the best option There will be registration as an individual entrepreneur, for larger ones - LLC. You can find out the difference between an individual entrepreneur and an LLC at this link.
You can choose a suitable tax system here, and you can find out how to combine several tax regimes.
OKVED code for an enterprise producing disposable tableware:
25.24.2 - production of plastic tableware and kitchen utensils and toiletries
No special permits or licenses are required to organize a business. However, it should be taken into account that the finished product will require a certificate of compliance with its standards required by SanPin and GOST.
Where to locate production
As a rule, most manufacturing enterprises are located on the outskirts settlements. The following factors speak in favor of this arrangement:
- Greater choice of premises in terms of parameters (area, power supply, etc.) compared to buildings located in urban areas
- Lower rent
- No complaints from residents of nearby residential buildings regarding noise, smell, approaching cars, etc.
The area of a plant for the production of disposable tableware must be selected taking into account the fact that the following buildings should be located in one building:
- Manufacturing facility
- Stock finished products
- Raw materials warehouse
- Staff room
- Administrative office for working with clients
Taking into account the specifics of production and the raw materials used for it, the following criteria are imposed on the workshop:
- The floor should be poured concrete or tiled
- The ceiling height in the production room must be at least 4.5 m - this is due to the equipment installed in it
- The walls must be finished with fireproof material to a height of at least 1.5 m
- The workshop must have a ventilation system and be connected to the water supply network
- The electrical network of the workshop must have 3 phases (380 volts)
As I said above, production is divided into full and incomplete cycles. Equipment for the production of disposable tableware in a full cycle includes:
- Granulator
- Crusher
- Extruder
- Thermoforming line (or punching presses instead)
- Stacking and packaging line
For an incomplete production cycle, only the last two items from this list are needed.
Depending on the type of product being manufactured, you may need optional equipment. So, for example, the production of plastic cups will require:
- Apparatus for bending the top edge of cups
- Cup counting and packing machine
- Special printers for printing advertising inscriptions and images on dishes
The production of plastic cutlery - forks, spoons, knives will require the purchase of bulk molds. A complete set of equipment can cost 5-7 million rubles, not counting other expenses for organizing a business - rent for premises, purchase of raw materials, etc.
Who among us has not been to a picnic? Beginning with early spring All people strive to spend more time in nature. Plastic dishes become indispensable for such trips. It is light, comfortable and accessible to everyone. Its sales volumes are growing every year. Steadily growing demand makes the production of plastic tableware profitable and promising business.
- How much money do you need to start a business producing disposable tableware?
- What equipment to choose for making disposable tableware
- Disposable tableware production technology
- How much money do you need to start producing plastic tableware?
- How to choose equipment for the production of plastic tableware
- Plastic tableware production technology
The demand for these products in Russia has some seasonality. In summer and spring it is higher, but in winter stable sales will be ensured by agreements with lunch delivery companies, catering companies, snack bars and owners of vending machines. With competently established work with wholesale buyers, for an income of winter months no need to worry.
How much money do you need to start a business producing disposable tableware?
To start in this niche you will need at least 500 thousand dollars. The amount is quite large, so investors or bank loans are usually attracted. If you buy not new equipment, you can invest up to 200 thousand dollars. In general, the price of devices in Russia largely depends on the brand and manufacturer.
What equipment to choose for making disposable tableware
The most well-known manufacturers lines are German and American enterprises. Prices for these brands are high and vary depending on the power. For a novice businessman in Russia, we can recommend equipment from Taiwan or Korea for the production of disposable tableware. It also has different power levels. The production line consists of the following components:
| 1 | Injection molding machine. It works with materials such as polystyrene and polypropylene. |
| 3 | Extruder. It produces sheets of plastic from granular material, ready for further molding. Typically a roll has a diameter of 800 mm and a weight of about 200 kg. The thickness of the plastic, its color and width are set by the operator. Moreover, the overall dimensions are usually cut off after the material has hardened, after exiting the extruder. This waste goes to recycling for further production. The thickness of the plastic is directly related to the quality and technological capabilities of producing finished disposable tableware. The thicker the canvas, the deeper the drawing can be done at the next stage. For example, to make a glass 155 mm high, the material must be rolled to a thickness of 1.1 mm. For smaller disposable tableware, you can use plastic with a parameter of 0.6 mm. The quality, further purpose and cost of the product depend on all these dimensions. |
| 4 | Molding machines. In them, under the influence of temperature, the dishes themselves are made. Bobbins of plastic are installed on them. The material is heated and fed into the mold. Here it not only stretches, it must form and cool. The molding machine also removes unnecessary elements of the product. The finished dishes are blown out of the mold and accumulated on a special rack. |
Disposable tableware production technology
The technology is called the pneumatic forming method. The raw materials for production are translucent granules, 4 mm in size. They add waste from their own production, which was generated in previous cycles. They are finely crushed and mixed with fresh granules. Typically the content percentage is about 30, but in practice technologists often develop their own standards. They depend on:
Sometimes products are made entirely from recycled materials. The equipment allows this. Plastic utensils can be transparent or colored. The dye in the composition should be no more than 1-2% of the total volume.
The last stage of the technology is quality control and packaging of disposable tableware. The equipment usually works smoothly and without failures, but it happens that “slips” occur. Such products are removed and sent for recycling.
According to experts in Russia, approximately the same amount will be needed to furnish the premises, pay staff salaries, and pay overhead costs. The full payback of the business will not occur earlier than in 2-3 years. When planning a business, you need to consider the possibility of expanding it. As we said earlier, the demand for disposable tableware products is growing every year.
Thermoforming line.
Manufacturers of disposable tableware in any country, including Russia, are mini-factories. You can look for premises for them in the industrial zones of the city. On the outskirts, renting space will be cheaper, which will reduce the cost of finished products. In addition to the main workshop where the equipment will be located, it is necessary to provide storage facilities, an office for administration and living quarters for workers.
Since all plastic utensils will come into contact with food in the future, they must be safe for humans. It is mainly used for cold products. But if thick-walled polystyrene is used for production, it will be suitable for heating in microwave ovens. The equipment allows us to produce products from polypropylene. This material is thicker and can be used more than once to store food. Containers for refrigerators are made from it. The equipment has many possibilities. It is important for a businessman in Russia to decide on the type of product even before opening a workshop. It is better to choose dishes that are not produced in the region. You can make your products special in shape and color so that they are recognizable among consumers.
How much money do you need to start producing plastic tableware?
In this area of business, the main investments will go to renting premises and purchasing expensive equipment.
The purchase of equipment occurs in several stages: purchase, delivery to production, installation and configuration. Next, you need to train the staff in the necessary skills.
Basic equipment worth purchasing:
- molds (5 - 7 pieces) from 1 to 1.5 million rubles;
- extruder – about 1 million rubles;
- compressor - approximately 600 thousand rubles;
- thermoforming machine (2 - 3 pieces) - from 1.3 to 1.6 million rubles.
Additional costs will be spent on purchasing office equipment and organizing transportation (300 - 400 thousand rubles). Plus the salary of production workers (workers, cleaners, loaders, director, accountant) is about 600 thousand rubles.
Bottom line: this area of business requires large initial investments. To start this business you need 5–6 million rubles.
How to choose equipment for the production of plastic tableware
Necessary equipment supplied to several countries at once. The cheapest ones are produced in South Korea and China – its main priority is cost. More expensive, but an order of magnitude better quality, they are manufactured in Europe (Germany and France) - they have high quality products. The most prestigious is brought from the USA - its price is slightly higher than that of its analogues, but the quality and power indicators are excellent. The cost of a set of equipment ranges from 5 to 50 million rubles. The main question when choosing equipment is financial capabilities.
Plastic tableware production technology
The technology for making plastic utensils is almost completely automatic. The necessary devices are supplied with raw materials in the form of granules or rolls of paper (depending on the product being manufactured). The automated production system then passes the materials through several processing steps. For plastic or paper tableware, they differ significantly, but the manufacturing process is completely controlled by a pre-configured control system. At the output of the conveyor, a finished, already packaged product is obtained, which remains only to be sold.
In today's world, the production and sale of disposable tableware is constantly growing, and this trend has been observed for a number of years. The popularity of such utensils is quite justified - glasses, plates, forks and spoons made of plastic are very inexpensive, absolutely safe for health and hygienic (after use they are simply thrown away). Disposable tableware is of particular importance for fast food establishments, where they are used extremely actively and in huge quantities.
The history of plastic tableware in the USA
The birthplace of plastic tableware is the United States of America. It was in this country, in the middle of the last century, that a certain William Dart invented a plastic cup, the very first in the world. He patented his what later turned out to be revolutionary invention and founded Dart Container Corporation. It currently occupies a third of the entire US disposable packaging market. Somewhat later, in addition to plastic glasses, plates, forks, spoons and knives began to be produced. The production of disposable tableware in Moscow and other cities of our country began only in the mid-90s of the last century. Before that, it was imported from abroad, which certain moment became economically unprofitable. Now in Russia there are many large and small enterprises producing disposable tableware, which almost completely cover the needs of the domestic market for it.
Equipment for the production of plastic tableware
Modern technology for the production of disposable tableware involves the use specialized equipment, which includes:
- Extruders;
- Thermoforming machines;
- Automatic production lines.
Extruders are necessary in order to produce plastic sheets, from which dishes are subsequently formed. This process is carried out using thermoforming machines. The largest and modern enterprises are equipped with specialized automatic production lines with high productivity. As for the cost of equipment for the production of plastic disposable tableware, it is quite high. For example, a new high-performance extruder made in Europe costs about $500,000, while a thermoforming machine costs about $40,000.
Raw materials for the production of plastic tableware
In Russia, the main raw materials for the production of disposable plastic tableware are polystyrene and polypropylene. These materials meet all sanitary and hygienic standards and do not emit any substances harmful to human health. They are most often delivered to production in the form of granules.
Disposable tableware market V last years is at a stage of steady growth. The range of products offered is also constantly expanding. More and more new materials are being used. Therefore, an increasing number of entrepreneurs are ready to invest in the production of disposable tableware. And this is despite the fairly large start-up costs required to implement this business idea.
The main items of current costs are: preparing the launch site for production, ordering a project, purchasing raw materials, purchasing and connecting equipment.
The main equipment is considered to be thermoforming machines, costing up to 40 thousand dollars. each. Used equipment costs approximately 30-60% less.
Disposable tableware It is customary to produce from polystyrene and polypropylene. The problem is that there are not many suppliers of such raw materials. However, most of them offer imported products. This in turn, firstly, increases the price of the final product, and, secondly, leads to dependence on the exchange rate. Therefore, polypropylene is more popular among domestic manufacturers of disposable tableware. Thanks to the special composition, propylene products can also be used in microwave ovens.
It is important to think through effective distribution channels. As such, you can either use wholesale companies or sell the goods yourself in a supermarket chain. Opening your own specialized stores selling disposable tableware does not justify itself.
Formation of product range should be based on demand studies. There is both a standard set (plates, glasses, forks) and specific products (vodka glasses, dishes, etc.). Demand for some products, such as beer glasses, is subject to seasonal fluctuations.
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For production It is imperative to involve specialists with at least some work experience. The quality of products and, accordingly, sales volumes depend on the qualifications of the personnel. It is also important to wisely use various marketing tools: discounts, bonuses, advertising.
Start-up capital to start the production of disposable tableware should be in the region of 150-250 thousand dollars and above. The optimal production volume is within 7-8 million units of production monthly. With a markup of 100%, the start-up costs pay off in about 2 years.
Video - production plastic dishes:
Nowadays, there is a constant demand for disposable plastic tableware, which means we need to open production. This activity especially increases with the onset of summer, when many people go outdoors. But is she really that popular?
Disposable plastic tableware is so popular that Abercade Consulting predicts an annual increase of about 5-6% in the consumption of such disposable tableware by residents of our country. On this moment the use of polymers per person is $70 per year, and this is tens of times less than in Europe and America. Every year it produces about 40 million dollars, most of which are glasses, plates and cups. More than half of the goods are purchased in major cities and the capital. Fast food cafes, mobile carts, and tents use large amounts of plastic utensils. According to Natalya Chaloy, an employee of NPO Polymer, the production of plastic products remains one of the most profitable businesses(30-50%), and all investments can be recouped in two years. But recycling plastic is not cheap and requires serious consideration.
History of success
In the 50s, there was a massive development of fast foods in the USA, which led to the need to use special utensils. By 1960, William Dart created the production of plastic tableware by the Dart Container Corporation. This company still occupies a leading position in the United States.
Until about 1998 Russian market disposable tableware came only through imports, since there were no own production enterprises. At the moment there are practically no imports in our market.
Equipment for the production of
In order to start producing disposable tableware, you need to purchase equipment called an injection molding machine. Its price ranges from 35,000 to 1,000,000 US dollars. There are many companies supplying such equipment. Equipment from German and Austrian companies is more common. It is possible to purchase used equipment, this can be a significant savings.
At the second stage, it is necessary to purchase an extruder; it produces sheets for disposable tableware from granulate, and two thermoforming machines. If you take such used equipment, their total cost will be up to $200,000.
However, do not forget about the costs of premises, finished product warehouses, raw materials, and staff salaries.
Despite the large investments in this business, there is a high probability of receiving a good income from the production of disposable plastic tableware. An example is the company “Fraht Holding” - it produces packaging for dairy products. With a huge investment, the payback period was 1 year and 10 months with a monthly profit of up to $30,000.
Raw materials for making plastic and paper
Most plastic disposable tableware is made from polystyrene and polypropylene, while paper tableware is made from laminated cardboard. This cardboard is an environmentally friendly material, but more expensive than previous ones.
Can also be made from recycled materials. Such disposable tableware will be cheaper. There are many companies that collect, sort and deliver recyclable materials to the facility for processing.
