-
General nosey chit chat – whats the bulk of your work?
Interested to find out what sort of work similar sized operations to myself (1-2 man)mainly do.
It seems we now offer a never ending list of services to the customer but what is your largest selling product?Im guessing like myself, each product we make has different profit margins. For example my margins are higher on vehicles than if im making signage.
A few years ago the bulk of my work was vans, however things have changed. Last year i invested in a tshirt press just to meet customer demand really, something i didnt want to do as from experience its a pain in the #### and low margins for the hours you need to put in. Because of this all i seem to do these days is pressing!! football teams, volleyball, work shirts its all gone a bit crazy. This year im currently sitting at just over 2k pressed logos and a bad back to prove it :awkward:
Anyway be nice to hear from similar sized operations, im hoping more profitable less painfull work comes my way but works work 😆
-
12 Replies
-
what a strange industry it seems to be.
Been trading now for 15 years and like you brought a heat press as an addition to the business. Started doing a free shirt with every van and used to leave it on the dash. Then it went crazy so stopped.40% of my work now is manifestation local and London city
30% van and general signage, labels etc
20% embroidered clothing
10% holidays (although some would argue more)!Still love the industry and never lower my costs for anyone inc trade
-
We’re still doing loads of print, mainly from existing customers we’ve had for years.
We find it’s either 1 thing or another we have a rush on, yet at the moment it’s a lot of signage & vans, the work we want as it gives a greater margin.
We also have a heat press, but rarely use it, as we find it a PITA. "How much for a shirt?" Only to find they want war and peace on it, and have the artwork as a Jpeg.
-
We were just garments for years after I left the Sign game working for others. However we’re now full production and pick up all sorts. Picking up more and more signs and Vans every month and garments still growing. Banners would be the one thing that lets us done. Few and far between for some reason.
Some days I think it would be better if we just did Vans as I would probably be in the swing of it better and knock an hour of my fitting time. Other days am glad it’s not the same assembly line I used to have working for others.
-
I find it funny how the demand varies so much from business to business. Guessing its all to do with location and types of customers. Ive never done manifestations and i was in and out of london for a few years, also to date ive only ever done 1 banner and never been asked about pop up displays.
Yes the heatpress does seem to bring in "those customers" but minimum orders has helped to get rid of most of them. I could chuck the thing out the window some weeks, repetitive and brain numbing at times but still when i sit down to do the invoicing the world seems like a better place.
Few months ago i moved into the digital print world. Ive been buying it in until now at crazy low prices. Infact i dont think im earning any extra money with my own machinery, simply providing a better service.
My main goal is to push into new areas to try and keep the metres going, they seem to be happier working. -
With reference to the remarks on prices and not wanting to do t shirts etc. And a slight sidestep to the thread, sorry
I visited the bullring on Saturday. Walking around and there’s. Sublimation stand there, so straight away hubbys right in there looking around. He brings back a price list.
T shirt £20
20×20 canvas £80
Are just a few prices I can remember. All I can say I’m not any where near those prices, time for an increase -
It’s never the same month for us. Not had a van in for 2 weeks, banners always on the go, so much we have a jv3 just for banners. Clothing always steady with an odd lull or hike every now and again. Selling our specials to Europe still, £1k order every month.
Looking into full sublimation garments made from scratch ATM
Just keep plodding along, then adding something new when we can, if we feel it’s worth it
-
I’ve seen those kind of prices before Denise and it does make you wonder who actually goes for it. Sometimes we’re rock bottom prices and still get told we’re not cheap enough.
As Martin says it’s different everywhere but up here I find we do really well on the garments because we have no minimum orders and we are flexible. I don’t get charged anything extra for colours so nor does the customer. We mix and match on products to help them get minimums. 90% of garment customers are repeat business with done ordering weekly. It’s a pain sometimes when you have to press one of this and one of that, but next week it’s 30 hoodies. It works well for us, I think that’s are strong point. That we use the siser films which touch wood seem to be built proof.
-
Despite everything, digital printing, cnc routing, 3d printing. ..Computer cut vinyl is still my most lucrative income stream
-
Denise those prices do seem very high and not what most people would be happy paying.
I also got into sublimation last year, it seems like a hard nut to crack with so many products to offer. The only thing that really took off was mugs which i did around 1000 in the first 8 months. Now havnt done anything for 5 months?? strange old world.Phill i agree with your statement, vinyl is still the best money maker and smallest investment with low risk. At the moment digital worries me as i literally print 2-5 metres per week and look after my printer better than my kids to ensure it keeps running. I can see the potential if your getting through many rolls per month.
-
We’re very varied… today I’ve spent 40mins on the phone to the IRS in the USA, to get an employer number, to then complete an 8 page form for a customer, so I can continue to supply them with roller banners and ship it around the globe.
I’m now off home for a lie down as I’m knackered after that 😆
-
Don’t kick me out :smiles: , but apart from stuff I do myself, we are not sign makers. We do however have 4 laser cutters (with 2 more on their way), a Roland LEF-20 and a BN20 (To test the water). We mostly make blanks for crafters and a whole host on engraved things on the Trotec. As well as promotional materials and a range of our own products in the shops.
-
In a typical week, if there is such a thing, 75% of the output is signs for shops and units. A lot of takeaways, restaurants, convenience stores, car washes and garages given our close relationship with the Asian business community. Most of this will be full print and wrapped composite panels and reverse printed window graphics. The rest is made up of banners, vans and more specialised products like flame polished acrylic plaques, canvasses as well as your normal ‘signs’ and doing odds and sods of sub-contract work. Add to this the paper print side of the operation doing flyers, menus and cards as well as purely digital media for clients.
How my time is split is a juggling act between getting the work usually via an enquiry, artwork, logo generation and quotes for myself and others, lead on manufacturing and installation especially any high risk / "must be perfect the first time" jobs, billing, staff logistics, H&S/risk assessment, customer service and support, shop and equipment maintenance and troubleshooting…and much more. Thankfully I have a couple of guys that on the whole allow us to function as a team. A "vinyl monkey" / junior fitter / operator that we are really dialed in together as well as the other designer/sales that does most of the paper products and design concept and schmoozing work for the majority of our clients.
Dave
Log in to reply.