Ideas for Manufacture in the UK

[sunny darko]

This is probably a silly question but I'm looking for ideas for starting a factory in the UK manufacturing goods.

I'd like to provide jobs for my community and myself with an income being the boss of a factory.

I just don't know what to manufacture. I think most stuff gets made in china or abroad now so manufacturing in the UK is probably not a great idea but without people doing it we would not have many jobs here.

I was thinking maybe get a CNC machine and manufacture small metal parts. I don't really know exactly what for - this is just an idea and requires much more research.

I suppose most people go into a business area because they already have some contacts or know something about the industry? I don't have that so I need to make my way into something.

I have saved some money from working in a factory myself. Any input on this idea?

 

[vvaannmmaann]

Nice idea Sunny.
Have you looked in your area for an existing production unit/factory that is up and running? Maybe one that needs shaking up, modernising and bringing into 2010! That may be cheaper than starting from scratch?
I also guess you will need deep pockets to achieve this,whichever approach you try.
Good luck with it.

 

[sunny darko]

There are local factories doing similar things. One makes small metal items for hospitals. One makes lock boxes, generally larger ones for bikes and stuff.

Theres also a place that I worked at that makes small metal parts for all sorts. 1 thing they do is make the metal tips for coffee machines. None of these businesses are for sale though.

I figure I could go to the companies that need custom small metal parts and ask how much they pay then work out if I could beat the price and still make a profit.

I think the initial outlay for the machinery could be expensive. Then its a case of making sure you can get the customers so you can keep the place turning over.

 

[Big Pete]

your replying to this jeeez

 

[Chris Ashdown]

what can you offer other companies that the far east cannot

1)You can produce samples in days rather than months

2) You can work much closer with your customer
3) Your quality control can be checked and proved to the customer easlily
4)You can have a high experience in a specialised area
5) you may have a selling advantage by speaking English as a first language, talking to foreign companies can involve many misunderstandings

what you probably cannot do is match the far east on price

Get help to set up, I wanted to start a small manfacturing company for clothing, but even though we would employ probably half a dozen staff there is not aid or grants available i most area's

Good Luck

 

[sunny darko]

Good points chris, thanks.

 

[backtobasics77]

... cont...

6) Great customer service and flexibility
7) I'd also mention reducing the carbon print in the enviroment as goods don't have to come from half way accross the world.

 

[Psl]

You want ideas so you can go into manufacturing, yet in another thread you want to go into the buy to let market but don't have the £150k needed to buy the property?:|

 

[PBDPConsulting]

I think it is great there are people like you out there who want to start a manufacturing business, and that the mission of the business is not just to make money. I really hope you find something.

My first suggestion is that you should try and identify something you are or can get passionate about. OK, the word 'passionate' is overused these days, but having passion and belief in what you want to do is a huge motivator and energiser and will help you overcome many obstacles. When Sir Bob Geldorf got BandAid going, there was nothing rational or business like about it, just passion which was used to enthuse other people to join in. And, while messy, it was huge success. Can you take some time, perhaps with a trusted friend, to find what really gets your juices going?

My second suggestion is to understand how businesses work, in other words how they are organised internally and in their industry and market to make money. There are many different business models even in simple manufacturing. Google the phrase 'business models' - for example, two places to begin are 'business models' in Wikipedia and at the QuickMBA site.

My third suggestion is look for a wonderful book called 'The plan as you go business plan' by Tim Berry. He has a website named Plansasyougo. Its cheap on Amazon so buy it. Berry has an action approach to planning a new business which, in my experience, is what many successful start-ups actually do.

I hope this helps. I hope also other people here will offer their experience!

PBDPConsulting
People and Business Development for Performance

 

[sunny darko]

You want ideas so you can go into manufacturing, yet in another thread you want to go into the buy to let market but don't have the £150k needed to buy the property?:|

I'm throwing ideas out there. I will take the best path when I have evaluated all the situations.

You don't need to worry about what I have or haven't got or where I may end up going.

 

[Psl]

I'm throwing ideas out there. I will take the best path when I have evaluated all the situations.

You don't need to worry about what I have or haven't got or where I may end up going.

I am not worried about what you have or haven't got, factory, buy to let houses or a motorhome, makes no difference to me, I just asked a question but good luck with whatever you do.

 

[sunny darko]

cool didn't mean to be rude

Just trying to point out its all theoretical at the moment.

 

[Barnie]

do you actually have any of the skills needed for manufacture :|

its not a case of banging a piece of metal into a machine and out it comes.

operators may not be skilled but designing a manufacture process is a very skilled job.

 

[sunny darko]

TBH no I don't.

This is literally just an idea and I have done no research into it. Mainly because I don't know what to manufacture yet.

Its just something that would be a great project for me and make jobs locally.

Of course its all no good without a product and a customer but everyone starts somewhere.

 

[Barnie]

you either do contract manufacturing or manufacture your own product (or both)

contract manufacturing id say your 99% already dead in the water

own product, product comes first, then you look at your options, you could outsource to an umbrella company then bring manufacturing in house at a later date when settled. you may find you need to manufacture overseas to be competative. or it could come down to your retail product as separate items manufactured around the world and you just need to place the components into a retail box which isn't to hard but product still comes first.

unless your skilled then id skip manufacture on any scale, if your thinking of going the product route then you need product first and you may never be able to manufacture

food is a different ball game but again you will need to be skilled or you could find yourself in all sorts of legal trouble.

to say you want a factory but have no background skills or product or contacts then there is no answer, the spectrum is to big

 

[berts]

I fully support uk manufacturing. One of our bigger sellers (several million units per year) is manufactured in the UK. Sure i could get it a few pence cheaper in china, but you have all the hassle of quality control to worry about.

Where possible we will always buy from a uk source, but unless you are a large manufacturer you will probably struggle to compete on price with the far east.

I'm guessing you would need some design skills though. Maybe cad experience. I know someone who manufactures metal parts, and they employ around 10 engineers that draw all the parts in cad, and then feed the designs into the machines, which produce them.

If its something you do decide to go into good luck. I expect it will need some serious investment to get big though.