Polyfoam can be attributed to one of the most widespread building materials. Due to its high soundproofing properties, it is actively used for insulation of buildings for various purposes. The material is also widely used in the production of packaging products, in metallurgy, shipbuilding, medicine and many other areas of human activity. Demand for it is quite high, since there is a development of sales markets, which, with a competent marketing approach, will be able to provide stable profit for a long period of time. In this article, we consider in detail the business plan for the production of foam.
A few words about the material
Polyfoam is a type of material whose composition is based on cellular plastic masses. Its main technical advantages include low density and low specific gravity. In tandem, these two parameters provide excellent heat and sound insulation characteristics.
Foam for the manufacture of foam is obtained from widely used plastics (polymers). The most famous materials are: polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), phenol-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde and polystyrene foam. All these species are characterized by their density, mechanical strength and resistance to various influences depending on the purpose. The choice of a particular type of foam for use in specific conditions and purposes is determined by the composition of the raw materials and processing technology.
Room requirements
To open a foam production workshop, you need a room with an area of at least 250 square meters. m, including a place to store supplies. Ceiling height should be at least 5 meters. Please note that the production room must have good ventilation, water supply, electrical connection (380 W) and heating. A part of the area of at least 50 square meters is allocated for a warehouse for storage of finished products. m. It is important to protect industrial premises from the warehouse with refractory structures. The storage location of the foam must be well protected from direct sunlight.
The monthly rental of premises for the production of polystyrene foam, depending on the region, will range from 50-100 thousand rubles.
Do you need workers?
Personnel costs must be included in the foam plan. The required number of employees is calculated based on the productivity of the line - one person for the production of 6 cubic meters. m of foam per hour. Two shifts will require two employees. The wages of workers are piece-rate, that is, it directly depends on the number of blocks produced per shift (on average - 50 rubles per cubic meter).
In addition to the operating staff of the foam line, the following should be hired:
- masters (salary of about 10 thousand rubles);
- accountant (about 10 thousand rubles);
- sales manager (up to 15-20 thousand rubles).
Equipment
Opening a business for the production of foam, it is worth considering that it will be necessary to allocate investments for the purchase of equipment. For example, for a production capacity of 50 m 2 per working day, the following list of equipment is required:
- foaming agent with automatic feed and dosage of raw materials;
- bunker — receiver with a pipe;
- block form;
- tables for cutting foam plastic;
- waste shredder;
- steam generator (drying tank);
- compressor;
- apparatus for packaging.
On average, investments in the amount of 600-950 thousand rubles will be required to purchase production equipment for the production of polystyrene foam. The cost of installations and working machines directly depends on the brand and the power of the purchased equipment.
Raw materials for production
To support the continuous operation of the line, it is necessary to find suppliers of raw materials for the production of foam. As already noted above in the article, polystyrene will be used for its manufacture. Such raw materials are in the form of granules of arbitrary shape, the diameter of which is from 0.2 to 3.5 mm.
To obtain a less dense foam, large particles are used, for example, with a diameter of 3.5 mm, and for denser versions of this material, raw materials with smaller granules are used.
The cost of material for manufacturing plays an important role in shaping the final price of a manufactured product, but at the same time, quality must be monitored. To choose a suitable supplier, you need to place an order and try to make a batch of polystyrene, and then, based on the results of production, evaluate the quality of the material.
Sales market
In the business plan for the production of foam, it is also important to mention another important point - this is the study of the market. Even at the initial stage of development, it is necessary to try to establish contacts with construction companies in the region, find out about the prices of competitors and offer in the future more favorable conditions for both parties. Having revealed all the nuances of the sales market, it is possible to ensure a stable income.
Marketing
At the first stages of the development of a business plan (foam production), it is important to create your own corporate identity, develop an effective commercial offer and establish contacts with wholesale buyers. Also, to increase sales of finished products, you need to choose options for organizing the retail sale of building material.
Description of the stages of the production of foam
Step-by-step description of material production:
- Lather. At the first stage, steam is supplied from the steam generator to a container with polystyrene granules. When exposed to steam, which enters the container under strong pressure, the polystyrene granules begin to increase in volume (in 4 minutes they increase by 50 times). Since the operator controls its flow, it becomes possible to adjust the size of the granules. After this, the foamed polystyrene obtained is discharged from the container.
- Drying. At this stage, expanded polystyrene eliminates excessive moisture. To do this, in the drying apparatus there is a constant shaking of the wet granules with their subsequent drying with hot air. The process takes about 4 minutes.
- "Rest" of the material. The dried granules are placed in a tank, where the foamed mass is dried and is in the "rest" stage for 4-12 hours.
- Formation. All polystyrene is placed in special block forms in which foam blocks are “baked”. They form under the influence of high temperature and pressure. The duration of the procedure is 6-12 minutes.
- Exposure After the blocks are removed from the molds, they need an additional period of time for them to “lay down”. To do this, they are sorted and sent to the warehouse. Blocks should be stored there for 2-4 weeks. This is necessary to evaporate all excess moisture from the material.
- Cutting. At this stage, the formation of foam plates of a certain size. The standard thickness of the plates is 2,3,4,5 and 10 cm. Using the equipment, it is possible to form blocks with the thickness that the client needs.
- Recycling industrial waste. Residual material obtained at the sixth stage of production, it is quite possible to recycle. And they are added to the resulting mass in the fourth stage. It is not necessary to grind the foam waste, but it must be added to the granules in a ratio of 1: 8. The structure of such a foam will be similar to that made only of polystyrene granules.
Profitability
If we talk about increasing the profitability of the business, then the indicators can be increased up to 100% with the right approach and competent preparation of a business plan for the production of foam. Such results are easily achievable, since the ratio of cost and trade margins is quite substantial. But in this type of business, it is better to focus on the development of a stable sales market and the production of large volumes of material. Alternatively, you can sell products at wholesale prices, and invest in modern equipment.
Thus, in order to recoup the invested capital, it will be necessary to manufacture and sell from 2500 to 5000 cubic meters. m of foam blocks. This production line will pay off in 3-5 months. In this case, the work shift will be only daily. Any business, including the production of polystyrene, should be carried out according to a well-planned business plan. Following all the recommendations and strict adherence to the project will create a truly profitable business.
The organization of the production of foam is a profitable niche with high profitability. Among the minuses, one can single out high competition and the difficulty of finding high-quality raw materials at affordable prices. Of the benefits - the ever-growing demand and simplicity of foam technology.