By Bimbola Oyesola
If you are still in search of products that will not go out of demand, then you need not search further, but just look around you and you will see nylon or polythene bag. That simply means investing in the Nylon bag will not be out of place. Nylon bag production is highly profitable and viable. The product is in high demand from supermarkets, grocery stores and homes.
In fact you can become a millionaire just by producing and selling nylon and polythene bags. The demand for nylon is very wide and on a daily basis worldwide. Millions of tons of nylon are produced worldwide and the production hardly meets the demand.
While individuals use nylon bags for a wide range of domestic purposes such as shopping, bagging, and covering, manufacturing businesses require nylon in large quantities for wrapping and packaging their products.
The thinnest forms of nylon bags, the transparent films are used in packaging edible products such as bread and other non-edible products purchased from the market. Thicker forms are used in packaging biscuits and other snacks.
The fairly large ones are used by laundry operators for packaging, while the very large forms are used for making tents and covering cars and other machinery (Tarpaulins) to protect them from rainfall and other harsh weather conditions. And the thickest forms are used in producing fancy shopping bags and school bags, and for other uses.
Production of Nylon bags is equally easy, and the machines and the raw materials can also be sourced locally for those who wants to start small.
It is indeed a very good business opportunity to exploit right now, especially if you have been pondering on how you can start your own business.
There are basically two different types of nylons, the low density nylons and high density nylons.The utilization and application determines the usage of each product. Small packaging companies prefer the low density nylons for packaging, wrapping and sealing.
On the other hand, the industrial and commercial establishments prefer high density nylons which are relatively stronger and more durable than the low density nylon.
The manufacture of plastic bags of different grades, density and dimensions is one of the most popular products. In Nigeria due to poor availability of drinking water, sachet packaged water has become a billion dollar industry and one can specialise in the production of this sachet water lylon.
Just like any other business, there are steps or guidelines that you will need to take to be successful in this line of business.
Knowledge
Definitely you need adequate knowledge about the business, the technical knowhow on how to produce lylon. It is essential that before you start a nylon bag production company you learn the trade. Ways to develop knowledge include attending seminars, reading books, manuals and trade workshops. Once you understand the technicalities then develop your business skill.
Business Plan
Business Plan is very vital to the success of any business, so a comprehensive nylon production business plan is crucial. The plan should cover start-up costs, management structure, location and equipment.
You can also carry out a feasibility study to know your competitors, find perfect location, prices and consumer interests.
Register with Corporate Affairs Commission
Its essential that you register your business name or company before you begin operations so as not to have any problems with the government. The Corporate Affairs Commission have branches in almost every state of the Federation.
The C.A.C in recent time have updated their services in a bid to make processing of applications faster at least within 48 hours.
Location
The law of economics demands that you locate your business closer to your market, as such you need to choose a location nearest to your target market. The closeness will reduce transportation costs and increase revenue. The location should have good road network, easy accessibility and electric power.
Your factory requires adequate space for machinery, parking, storage and administrative building. You can also consider locating the business close to raw materials to beat down cost of production.
Finance
The amount of funding you need depends on the size and scope of the operation. Small nylon production companies require moderate funding to cover fixed and working capital.
You can raise funds through personal savings, supports from family and friends, loans from co-operatives or banks. However you need to go for a low interest rates loans if you ever want to break even.
The major equipment are cutting and sealing machinery and they come in various sizes and capacity. You could leverage your production on locally fabricated machinery or purchase highly sophisticated equipment.
The production output could be semi or fully automated. The type of equipment, raw materials and lease are the major investment.
Expenditure
The capital expenses include leasehold, purchasing the extruder/blower machine and cutting/sealing machine. Other expenses are punching machine, purchase of raw material, staff wages. Printing and marketing. Don’t forget maintenance, bank fees and transportation costs.
Equipment
If you actually want to start small, all you need is the semi-automatic nylon-cutting machine with punching blades and these can be fabricated locally. But if you can afford the cost, it is best to acquire a fully-automatic machine, which is much more efficient
However, there are three types of machinery used in nylon production, the extruder blowing machine, nylon cutting machine and punching machine.
•The extruder blowing machine is the primary equipment you need to make nylons. The machinery converts raw material into sludge liquid and then polythene sheets. The sheets are produced into varied thickness depending on the manufacturers preferred market.
•The cutting machine is used to cut the long nylon sheet into smaller units.
•The punching machine is used to shape the nylon for different purpose. The punching machine creates holes and shapes.
Raw Materials
The raw materials for nylon production are bye products of petrochemical processing that are obtained from refineries. These main raw materials are polythene and polyethylene.
The basic raw materials for the production of nylon are Escorene, and Dow, while others are B.A.S.F and Master Berg.
Master Berg is used as a coloring agent while BASF/Escorene or DOW is poured into the heating unit of the extruder. The material undergoes melting into a liquid form then blown under intense pressure at the output end of the extruder.
These materials are abundant in petroleum-rich countries with many functioning refineries. But manufacturers in other countries import the materials from Indonesia, Korea Republic, and China.
9. Employees
Look out for an experienced workers when recruiting staff for your nylon production company. You can also send some of them on training to get the best out of your workers.
10. Marketing
Marketing nylon bags is quite easier as it is a product in high demand. You can target supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, fashion outlets and private schools.
Other potential customers are market women, waste management companies, hospitals, eateries, bakeries and restaurants. You can customise the bags to meet specific customer’s needs and functions, such as wedding, naming, birthday and burial.