If you are considering starting a small-scale cast stone manufacturing business, here is a checklist to help keep you on track. Before You Do Anything Else - Research any local regulations that might affect your business, including truck traffic, industrial zoning requirements, etc.
- Do your local market research, including demand, competition, etc.
Location - Make sure you have adequate shop space.
- Be sure that you have a warm water supply near your mixing and pouring area.
- Define a dry storage area for cement and coloring agents.
- Get storage containers for coloring agents.
- Set up a curing area in the shop to store molds for 12 hours.
- Be sure that you have adequate table and shelf space for working and storage.
- Have enough room in your "yard" for aggregate delivery.
- Define an aggregate storage area, build bins if desired.
- Locate an outdoors curing area to store product until cured.
- Provide an adequate loading/unloading area in your yard.
Locate and Acquire the Equipment Needed - Molds--get quality, or you'll have to replace them often.
- Vibrating table.
- Mixer--be sure it's large enough for your projected workload.
- At a minimum, get a pallet jack--if you can afford a forklift, get one.
- Build racks for working with corner molds. --Dry scale--preferably digital.
- Make sure that your water hose has a storage reel and reaches your mixer and vibrating table.
- Stacking pallets--specially designed pallets for holding molds.
- Normal pallets for handling finished product.
- Mold storage solution (industrial wire baskets, etc.)
- Large, sturdy wheelbarrow.
- Misc. buckets, shovels, gloves, putty knives, etc.
Materials - Determine availability and choices of lightweight aggregate
- Locate a wholesale lightweight aggregate supplier.
- Find a coloring agent supplier.
- Find an admixture supplier.
- Find a wholesale cement supplier.
- Set up accounts with the aggregate, coloring, and cement suppliers.
- Explore various packaging solutions (pallets, boxes, etc)
Misc. - Will you be installing the product?
- Will you deliver the product to the customer? How?
Business Stuff - Decide on a business name.
- Get a business license (may need state and local)
- Apply for a state tax number early in the process so you can purchase wholesale.
- Get a business bank account, even if you'll be a sole proprietorship.
- Develop a marketing plan.
- Carefully research your costs and set several price points: wholesale, contractor, and retail.
- Set up a bookkeeping system.
- Design or purchase invoices, estimate forms, etc.
- Business cards and stationery.
Assembling all of the stuff and getting all of the paperwork done can be intimidating, but if you break it up into smaller chunks with a checklist, you'll find the process much more manageable--and maybe even enjoyable! Copyright 2006 by Dave Sharpe Permission to use this article is freely given as long as it remains unchanged and the resource box remains attached. |
