Molding for profit: the injection molding business in the 21st century

Business advice for small and medium sized injection molders.

There are plenty of books about molding technology, materials and markets, but the biggest challenges are often the business issues. A typical problem is creating a brand, when you don’t have a specific product to sell to consumers. It can be hard to identify and target the right customers. Small companies often focus on getting today’s order out through the door, rather than thinking about tomorrow. This book examines these conundrums and many more.

History confirms that it’s not easy. The author has thirty years experience as a practitioner, commentator and advisor. She has watched companies come and go, but also seen the successes. In this concise and readable book she draws on this experience, along with advice received and provided.

17 chapters cover Managing Your Business, Understanding the Industry, Technological Challenges and Opportunities, and Planning for the Future. The book includes 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.

Foreword

Chapter 1 Background – the evolution of the custom injection molding business

Managing your business

Chapter 2 Developing marketing strategies for profitability

Appendix 2.1: Employee survey questionnaire template

Appendix 2.2: Customer survey questionnaire template

Chapter 3 Marketing communications – telling your story and communicating your value

Chapter 4 Sales strategies

Chapter 5 Business planning for success

Chapter 6 Employee training, hiring and firing

Appendix 6.1: Skills audit and training plan

Understanding the industry

Chapter 7 Markets and profitability

Chapter 8 Business challenges for the 21st century – local or global?

Chapter 9 Business challenges for the 21st century – sustainability

Chapter 10 Business operations for profitability

Technological challenges and opportunities

Chapter 11 Advanced injection molding technology – adding value

and flexibility

Chapter 12 Factory organization and efficiency

Chapter 13 Moldmaking technology

Chapter 14 Additive manufacturing – from prototyping to production

Chapter 15 Polymer materials – minimize costs and maximize choice

Final thoughts

Chapter 16 Planning for the longer term

Additional material

Chapter 17 A case study

Glossary of abbreviations

Index