Molding for Profit

A book of business advice for small and medium sized companies engaged in the business of plastics injection molding. The custom injection molding business offers as many challenges as opportunities. It's a relatively modern manufacturing technology that has evolved extremely quickly from the 1940s to the present day. The technology is fraught with many variables in the process and materials used, and the direction of the industry will always be influenced by its diverse customer base. There are many books on the market which examine the technology, materials and markets. However, perhaps the biggest challenges for those in the business of injection molding are the "business" issues. One typical problem is that of creating a brand, to raise market awareness of your company when you don't essentially have a specific "product" that you sell directly to consumers. It can also be hard to know which customers are the "right" customers and how to sell to those customers. Molding companies are frequently small, and focused on getting today's order out through the door, rather than thinking about tomorrow or next year. This book examines these business issues and many more like them. History confirms that it's not easy. The author has thirty years experience of molding, having started in the industry before moving into trade journalism and also advising molders on sales and marketing. She has watched many companies come and go, but also observed the successes. In this concise and readable book she draws on all this experience, together with the advice she has received and provided. 17 chapters cover Managing Your Business, Understanding the Industry, Technological Challenges and Opportunities, and Planning for the Future. The book includes useful examples and case histories, together with information resources, practical suggestions, tools and action plans which can be adapted and applied in the reader's own business.