How to Start a Small Scale Toothpick Production Company

Toothpick production is an interesting business that attracts huge demand. Despite its small size the manufacturing company make lots of profit.

Toothpicks are used both for home use, restaurants, fast food joints, hotels and travel industry.  You can produce either wooden or plastic toothpicks.

The business model includes semi-automated and fully automated machinery to carry out the production. You can access locally fabricated machinery or imported one.

Raw materials for the production of toothpicks are readily available and easy to purchase in most countries. Disposable toothpicks are package and presented in a simple plastic cup for easy use and storage.

You can make your own packaging or outsource the production. To start your toothpick manufacturing company you need to take a few things into consideration.

How to Start a Toothpick Manufacturing Company

To start your production line you need to determine if you want to produce wood or plastic toothpicks. You also have to market your product to you local community or export.

You need quality products, permits, company registration and finance. Other things are raw materials, type of machinery and learning the production process.

Write a Good Business Plan for Toothpick Production

Before starting your enterprise you need to write a good business plan. The business plan highlights important aspects of setting up the business.

The plan should focus on lease agreement, staff, machinery and management structure. It should cover funding, goals, future plans, target market and growth potential.

You can add a feasibility study targeted at your immediate community and competitors. The plan is important because it provides a blue print of how to proceed.

Registration and Permits for Toothpick Production

Once you have written your business plan then you need to register your business. Register your business with the corporate affairs commission in your country.

You can register your company as a sole proprietorship which is a one man business model. You need a municipal trade license and permit to operate the enterprise.

Other permits to look into are value added tax, ISO certification, environmental and pollution guidelines. Many countries have several subsidies to help small scale manufacturers.

This includes soft loans and practical training workshops. Find out what is obtainable in your country.

Funding for Toothpick Production

Secure funding from trade, merchant or commercial banks. The funds are needed for machinery, leasing space, marketing and souring raw material.

 Bank loans require good credit rating, and collateral such as landed property. Try to approach associations and cooperatives that offer loans to members.

Try government loan schemes for small business owners. You can ask your friends and family for soft loans.

Capital investment includes fixed capital for landed property and machinery. While working capital is meant for staff wages, raw material, utility bills and marketing.

Location for Toothpick Production

Locate your industry close to raw material and customer base. This reduces transportation costs and haulage.

To produce toothpicks you need a factory space for your machinery and production process. Lease a small warehouse with a store front to reach customers.

The business is applicable to home based commerce and industry. So you can turn your garage into a toothpick production company.

Raw material for Toothpick Production

Toothpick is made from bamboo, hardwood, and plastic material. The hardwood and bamboo are used to make wooden toothpicks.

While the plastic material (plastic granules) is used for plastic toothpicks. You can grow your own bamboo or buy from bamboo farms.

You can easily source hardwood from wood markets in your area. To produce plastic toothpicks melt thermoplastic material in an injection speed and pressure machine.

Once cooled through the cyclic process, remove before packaging, labeling.

Howto Grow Bamboo Commercially

Machinery for Plastic Production

There are machine for both small and large scale toothpick manufacturers. Buy high quality standardized machines to produce quality toothpicks.

The machines are both locally available and imported machinery. You have semi-automatic and automatic injection molding machines. The automatic injection molding machines is more effective, precise and reduces production time.

Apart from the injection molding machine you need scrap grinders, mold lifters and color mixers. Other machinery is packaging machines, molds and weight scale.

Your staff strength depends on the scale of your production. You might need machine operators, driver for delivery and supplies and sales representatives.

A List of Machinery used to Produce Toothpicks

·         Weighing Scales

·         A Variety of Molds

·         Scrap Grinding Machine

·         Automated and Semi Automated machine

·         Dry color mixer

·         Packaging machine

·         Mold lifting Machine

·         Polishing, polishing, sharpening machines

Marketing

You need to network with consumers of your product. Major consumers are hotels, restaurants, fast food outfits and local eateries.

Try to target celebrations, parties, weddings and anniversaries. Actively seek supply contracts for your products or focus on export market.

Advertise your products through electronic and print medium. Other advertisement channels are Facebook advertisements, Google adsense and your own website or blog.

Hire sales representatives to work on commission per sale.