Glass has long and firmly entered our lives. A huge mass of various products are made from it, without which we cannot imagine our life: dishes, containers, windows, doors, furniture and other items. For enterprising people, it may become quite possible glass production at home. It is on such a matter that you can build a profitable business.
Advantages of glass making
Naturally, the manufacture of such material is not cheap, but with the right promotion and organization, it can still bring some profit. Moreover, the production of glass containers is a popular business.
Among the merits of this case are the following:
- high payback;
- demand;
- the possibility of manufacturing different products, that is, expanding the range.
Naturally, the technology for manufacturing glass is not simple and requires a fairly high cost (raw materials, energy, equipment).
What documents are needed for work?
So, before starting this business, you should prepare a package of all necessary papers, thanks to which you can legalize the process. You will need:
- The lease of premises.
- Certificates of quality of equipment that you will use.
- Permission of public services (SES, fire) to work related to increased danger to human health.
- License.
- Contracts with suppliers of raw materials.
- Floor plan in case of evacuation of personnel.
Naturally, you will hire a certain number of employees who will service the equipment. All of them must have work and medical books, and must also undergo a medical examination. It is also advisable to draw up a consumer area, in which there will be copies of documents confirming your right to engage in this type of activity.
As for the staff, you will need at least 15 people. That is 5 workers per shift.
Criteria for choosing a room for doing business
In order to organize the production of glass containers, it is necessary to choose a suitable building. First of all, pay attention to the possibility of free access and access to it, since you will have to regularly receive raw materials and take away finished products. Also, the room should be divided into several parts: rooms for personnel, a warehouse for raw materials and finished packaging, and, in fact, a production workshop.
Please note that the building must comply with all technical standards and be as safe as possible. Pay attention to the quality of the electrical wiring. Not only the ability to use a large number of sophisticated equipment depends on it, but also the protection of personnel from the sudden occurrence of a fire due to line overload or short circuit.
It is also advisable to pay attention to the size of the room. The area of the building depends on the amount of equipment, as well as the degree of development of your business.
What is the material presented made of?
Before you start working, remember that this case involves the use of large quantities of raw materials. Without it, you simply cannot make a single bottle. So, the raw materials for glass production should be of the highest quality and environmentally friendly.
A container is made from a multicomponent composition.It includes silica sand, lead oxide (potassium, calcium, aluminum), as well as salts (carbonates or sulfates). In this case, each component performs its role. For example, thanks to oxides, glass receives certain physicochemical characteristics. In order for the container to be transparent, sodium or calcium carbonate should be used in the manufacturing process.
The main element, without which the manufacture of glass is impossible, is sand. The remaining components are added as needed. For example, to lower the melting point of a substance, sodium or potassium silicate is used. Barium oxide makes the glass chemically inert. Lead compounds give glass products a beautiful sheen. Oxides of other elements provide different color containers.
Raw materials for glass production should be purchased from trusted suppliers with a good reputation. The quality and safety of your products directly depend on this.
What mechanisms are needed to work?
Before starting your own business, you should purchase the necessary equipment for the production of glass. I must say that it has a fairly high cost. So, for work you will need:
- controlled channel for supplying raw materials;
- a device for cutting liquid mass;
- a press on several forms with a control panel;
- forming machine cooling system;
- hydraulic press station;
- the mechanism by which the finished product will be removed from the forming apparatus;
- conveyor line, which can be controlled without human intervention;
- furnaces for melting raw materials and annealing products;
- a machine for applying paint, as well as a dryer.
In addition, you may need such equipment for the production of glass that will wash the finished product. If machines and assemblies should be ordered from the manufacturer (the number of molds used is taken into account), then the furnaces will need to be built from refractory bricks.
Equipment for the production of glass bottles is also ordered from manufacturers. Moreover, the shape of the future packaging should be taken into account. It will be enough for a beginner to purchase one glass processing machine worth 10-15 thousand dollars. Further production can be expanded.
Glass production steps
The manufacturing process of the presented products is quite complex and multi-stage. The main stages of glass production are mainly distinguished:
- Preparation and supply of raw materials to the receiving bins. The dosed addition of all necessary components is immediately made.
- Sending the prepared mixture to the melting furnace.
- Cooking mass. It is produced at a very high temperature (from 1200 degrees), so workers who control the process should be very careful (not to be near the oven and wear protective clothing). At the same stage, various additives and dyes are added to the mixture. Thanks to these substances, the glass melt becomes light, homogeneous, freed from gas inclusions. The first three stages are very important, as the mistakes made will certainly affect the quality of the products.
- Preparation of the mixture for the formation of products. To begin with, a certain amount of molten glass is fed into the draft form, where the bullet and neck are made. Next, the workpiece passes the final processing. This is already done in fair form.
- Annealing finished products. This process ensures the strength of the glass and its safety during further use.
- Quality control and durability testing of products. That is, bottles or cans need to be carefully inspected and some experiments conducted with them on pressure resistance, high temperature.
- Product packaging and storage.
Who will buy the manufactured products?
The glass market is very large. Therefore, you have room to grow and expand.For example, you can start with the manufacture of bottles or cans, and then develop new activities: the production of glass sheets, decorative products, stained-glass windows and other products.
The most “popular” goods are bottles and cans. The main consumer is the alcohol and food industries, as well as ordinary people. Bottles are needed for bottling alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and cans are often used for canning products.
Demand for glass has always been and will be high. The fact is that this material is environmentally friendly, as it is made from natural materials.
Business value
The presented case can bring substantial income: from several tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars per month. Naturally, the production of glass containers requires certain investments. To start a business you need the following tools:
- rent or purchase of premises - more than 10-15 thousand dollars;
- equipment - from 100 000 cu;
- payment of energy and salaries - from $ 40,000;
- raw material costs - at least $ 10,000 per month;
- additional expenses - from 10 thousand cu
These prices are approximate. It all depends on how big you want to make the production of glass containers.
Useful Tips
If you want your products to be in demand and business to be successful, all of your products must be manufactured very high quality and meet all international standards. Making defective batches will bring you not only financial losses, but also a loss of reputation in a market where there are many competitors.
Use only high-quality raw materials. Do not try to reduce the cost of production using any substitutes or substances unsafe for health. Periodically inspect and repair your equipment.
Home-made glass can be a truly lucrative business. You just need to try a little, be patient and persistently go to the goal.
