Styrofoam production business plan: step-by-step opening steps, manufacturing technology, calculation of income and expenses

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Polyfoam can be attributed to one of the most widely used building materials. Due to its high soundproofing properties, it is actively used to isolate buildings for various purposes. The material is also widely used in the field of packaging production, metallurgy, shipbuilding, medicine and many other fields of human activity. The demand for it is quite high, as there is a development of sales markets, which, with a competent marketing approach, can provide stable profits for a long period of time. In this article, we will consider in detail the business plan for the production of foam plastic.

A few words about the material

Foam 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 performance.

Foam forFoam plastics are made from commonly used plastics (polymers). The most famous materials are: polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), phenol-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde and polystyrene foams. All these types 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.

Requirements for the premises

To open a workshop for the production of foam, a room of at least 250 square meters will be required. m, including storage space for consumables. The ceiling height must be at least 5 meters. Please note that the production area 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 storing finished products. m. It is important to protect industrial premises from the warehouse with refractory structures. The place where the foam is stored must be well protected from direct sunlight.

Monthly rental of premises for the production of foam plastic, depending on the region, will vary between 50-100 thousand rubles.

Are workers needed?

It is imperative to include personnel costs in the foam production plan. The required number of employees is calculated based on the production of the line -one person for the manufacture of 6 cubic meters. m of foam per hour. Two employees are required to work in two shifts. The wages of workers are piecework-bonus, that is, it directly depends on the number of blocks produced per shift (on average, 50 rubles per cubic meter).

In addition to the foam production line workers, the following should be hired:

• masters (salary about 10 thousand rubles);
• accountant (about 10 thousand rubles);
• sales manager (up to 15-20 thousand rubles).

Equipment

When opening a foam plastic business, 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 m2 for one working day, the following list of equipment is required:

• foamer with automatic feed and dosage of raw materials;
• bunker-receiver with pipe;
• block form;
• foam cutting tables;
• waste shredder;
• steam generator (drying tank);
• compressor;
• packaging machine.

On average, the purchase of production equipment for the production of foam plastic will require investments in the amount of 600-950 thousand rubles. The cost of installations and working machines directly depends on the brand and capacity of the purchased equipment.

Raw materials for production

To keep the line running smoothly, it is necessary to findsuppliers of raw materials for the production of foam. As 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.

Larger particles such as 3.5mm diameter are used for less dense foam, while smaller grain sizes are used for denser versions of this material.

The cost of the material used to manufacture plays an important role in determining the final price of the product, but at the same time, quality must also be monitored. To choose a suitable supplier, you need to place an order and try to make a batch of foam, and then, based on the results of production, evaluate the quality of the material.

Marketplace

In the business plan for the production of foam, it is also important to mention one more important point - this is the study of the sales 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 competitors' prices and offer more favorable conditions for both parties in the future. Having identified all the nuances of the sales market, it is possible to ensure a stable income.

Marketing

In the early stages of developing 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 the sales of finished products, you need to choose options for organizing the retail sale of constructionmaterial.

Description of foam production steps

Step-by-step description of material production:

1. Froth. At the first stage, steam is supplied from the steam generator to a container with polystyrene pellets. When exposed to steam, which enters the container under strong pressure, polystyrene granules begin to increase in volume (in 4 minutes they increase 50 times). Since the operator controls its supply, it becomes possible to adjust the size of the granules. After that, the foamed obtained polystyrene is unloaded from the container.
2. Drying. At this stage, the foamed polystyrene is relieved of excessive moisture. To do this, the dryer constantly shakes the wet granules, followed by drying with hot air. The duration of the process is about 4 minutes.
3. "Rest" material. The dried granules are placed in a tank where the foam mass is dried and is in the "rest" stage for 4-12 hours.
4. Formation. All polystyrene is placed in special block molds in which the foam blocks are “baked”. They are formed under the influence of high temperature and pressure. The duration of the procedure is 6-12 minutes.
5. Excerpt. After the blocks are removed from the molds, they require an additional period of time to "rest". 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.
6. Cutting. At this stage, the formation of foam plates of a certain size takes place. Standardthe thickness of the slabs is 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 cm. With the help of the equipment, it is possible to form blocks with the thickness that the client needs.
7. Recycling of industrial waste. Remaining material obtained at the sixth stage of production can be completely recycled. And they are added to the resulting mass in the fourth stage. Styrofoam waste does not have to be crushed, 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 from polystyrene granules.

Profitability

If we talk about increasing the profitability of a business, then the indicators can be increased up to 100% with the right approach and competent drawing up of a business plan for the production of foam. Such results are easily achievable, since the ratio of cost and trade margin is quite significant. But in this type of business, it is better to focus on the development of a stable 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 working shift will be only a day shift. Any business, including the foam industry, must be run according to a well-planned business plan. Compliance with all the recommendations and strict adherence to the project will create a trulyprofitable business.

Organization of the production of foam plastic is a profitable niche with high profitability. Of 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 the simplicity of foam production technology.