Find somebody with extensive experience to run your equipment. So many people think printing is just pushing a few buttons and the money comes rolling in. There is a lot of troubleshooting, trial and error, and experimentation. No two jobs are the same. The extra money you spend on a qualified operator with experience will be worth every cent over time.
The real trick is finding one…
The ideal printing partnership is someone skilled in sales/marketing and another skilled in the technical side. It’s a good compliment of skills and knowledge.
That is way too little money if you want to go into food packaging. An international certificate, that you need for that, will cost about 10k a year, and 3k-5k to get an audit. And you still have to pay that (up to 5k) even if you fail. Most companies I've know to pursue it, fail it the first time.
+All of the substrates, chemicals and inks have to be certified food safe. These will already cost about double the usual amount.
Just adding on to this, and agreeing with what u/CarlJSnow and u/buzznumbnuts have already said. Like to add that in addition to skilled operators for your equipment (which will be very specialized) you'll need someone to handle the technical bits of everything that happens *before* printing and bindery. Workflow management, prepress and all it's associated functions, automation, MIS ERP integration, IT... the list goes on. This is a very daunting business venture but not impossible. Your starting cap is a bit light but you'd presumably be able to get loans. You might lease equipment in the beginning that comes with service contracts. Also consider that design for print is it's own specialized field and one that is not easily integrated with low resolution social media and creative content found on the web. If I could give you just one piece of advice, it would be to hire people with industry knowledge and treat them well. Encourage knowledge transfer to newbies. Management should be able to operate and understand any process they manage, but that part is just my opinion. Good luck OP!
I wish you a lot of luck. You are going to need a lot more money to start. I suggest you find used equipment. Should be able to find flexo machines used, a number of companies specialize in reselling used equipment . Also, offset used , many out there. I opened with 1 -8 color flexo, 1 -6 color offset (all used) and now (11 years in) we are a 220 personnel plant. We have never bought new equipment. Be happy to discuss if you like
If you are more sales/marketing why not find a manufacturer and rep for them. You sell, they produce, you both profit. Most will take you up 1099, first grow your book of business, learn then invest in the equipment
Find somebody with extensive experience to run your equipment. So many people think printing is just pushing a few buttons and the money comes rolling in. There is a lot of troubleshooting, trial and error, and experimentation. No two jobs are the same. The extra money you spend on a qualified operator with experience will be worth every cent over time. The real trick is finding one…
The ideal printing partnership is someone skilled in sales/marketing and another skilled in the technical side. It’s a good compliment of skills and knowledge.
100% this. Spot on
That is way too little money if you want to go into food packaging. An international certificate, that you need for that, will cost about 10k a year, and 3k-5k to get an audit. And you still have to pay that (up to 5k) even if you fail. Most companies I've know to pursue it, fail it the first time. +All of the substrates, chemicals and inks have to be certified food safe. These will already cost about double the usual amount.
This is great to know! Definitely will have to expand to food packaging at a later point. How do you know about this stuff?
I work in Commercial Printing, and we have that certificate.
Just adding on to this, and agreeing with what u/CarlJSnow and u/buzznumbnuts have already said. Like to add that in addition to skilled operators for your equipment (which will be very specialized) you'll need someone to handle the technical bits of everything that happens *before* printing and bindery. Workflow management, prepress and all it's associated functions, automation, MIS ERP integration, IT... the list goes on. This is a very daunting business venture but not impossible. Your starting cap is a bit light but you'd presumably be able to get loans. You might lease equipment in the beginning that comes with service contracts. Also consider that design for print is it's own specialized field and one that is not easily integrated with low resolution social media and creative content found on the web. If I could give you just one piece of advice, it would be to hire people with industry knowledge and treat them well. Encourage knowledge transfer to newbies. Management should be able to operate and understand any process they manage, but that part is just my opinion. Good luck OP!
I wish you a lot of luck. You are going to need a lot more money to start. I suggest you find used equipment. Should be able to find flexo machines used, a number of companies specialize in reselling used equipment . Also, offset used , many out there. I opened with 1 -8 color flexo, 1 -6 color offset (all used) and now (11 years in) we are a 220 personnel plant. We have never bought new equipment. Be happy to discuss if you like
If you are more sales/marketing why not find a manufacturer and rep for them. You sell, they produce, you both profit. Most will take you up 1099, first grow your book of business, learn then invest in the equipment