Toothbrush factory. Toothbrush manufacturing as a business
Almost every person uses one or another tool for regular hygienic cleaning teeth. Most of the inhabitants of developed and developing countries accustomed to the use of plastic toothbrushes with artificial bristles. Plastic is an inexpensive material. In addition, it is well cleaned, which prevents the growth of bacteria on hygiene items.
However, plastic brushes that help people maintain healthy state mouth, are a real disaster for environment, which has already been discussed in the description of the idea of the production of paper utensils. US residents alone throw away 450 million plastic toothbrushes every year, only a small fraction of which are recycled. Therefore, American designers and entrepreneurs John and Heather McDagall decided to create effective tool for everyday oral hygiene, which would be safe for nature.
John and Heather created toothbrush Bogobrush using knowledge from their dentist parents. In addition, brother and sister McDagall studied the structure of hygiene products from the world's leading manufacturers. They have released a bamboo toothbrush that meets the following specifications:
Perfect design for comfortable use of the tool. The round handle of the brush prevents the brush from fixing in one position, which often causes poor brushing of teeth when using brushes with a rectangular handle.
The anatomical shape of the head ensures the removal of plaque from all surfaces of the dentition.
The brush handle is made of bamboo. This material is well cleaned, like plastic, which prevents the growth of bacteria. At the same time, bamboo is completely decomposed into natural environment which automatically reduces the problem of environmental pollution with plastic waste. Bamboo also has the ability to grow quickly. Finally, this raw material has a relatively low cost, like plastic.
The bristles of the tool are made from one of the isomers of nylon, which decomposes in the natural environment within a few months. It belongs to the so-called bioplastics.
Heather McDagall brings brushes to children in need
By purchasing a Bogobrush from John and Heather McDagall's online store, US residents automatically donate the same hygiene item to people in need. Importance social component this business becomes clear if you look at the statistics of the availability of quality dental care in the world. For example, in the United States, one of the richest countries on the planet, about 80 million people are unable to pay for dental services.
Business idea: production and sale of bamboo toothbrushes in Russia
Russian entrepreneurs can use the idea of John and Heather McDagall to organize a business project in Russia. The domestic version of the hygienic brush may have an improved design. Firstly, it will increase the value of the brush for consumers, and secondly, it will avoid any legal claims.
Russian entrepreneurs must correct pricing policy. Bogobrushes cost $10 per unit in the US, or $40 for a yearly set of four. Domestic consumers should be able to buy bamboo brushes at a lower price.
Bogobrush sales model can be adapted to Russian reality:
An online toothbrush store in Russia may abandon the social component. In fact, buying one hygiene product, American consumers pay for two (the second is given to people in need). This increases the cost of production.
Bamboo brushes can be actively promoted through network companies and communities of "environmentally conscious" consumers. People Buying Phosphate Free washing powder and organic food, will buy a biodegradable toothbrush faster than a person who knows nothing about harmful effects phosphates on the body and the environment.
Required Resources
designer services, partnerships with manufacturers from China and the website are the resources necessary to implement the idea.
A designer can use the Bogobrush as a starting point when designing their own model, but its shape needs to be refined. The design specialist should use the experience of leading brush manufacturers, as well as get advice from expert dentists.
John and Heather McDagall set up Bogobrush production in China. They justify this by the low cost of raw materials (bamboo) in this country. In its turn, Russian entrepreneurs should take into account the low cost of labor in China. Therefore, the conclusion of an agreement for the production and supply of bamboo brushes with Chinese companies will be the best solution for Russian businessmen.
The site of the online store can work on a free CMS, since only one product will be placed on it. At the same time, entrepreneurs should pay attention to promoting the project in social networks.
The idea of producing and selling biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes will primarily be of interest to entrepreneurs who manufacture and sell eco-friendly products. They will be able to expand the range of goods. This idea has good chances to success, as the fashion for organic products in Russia is growing.
Dmitry Dementy
The name of the first inventor of the toothbrush is almost impossible to name - it has not been preserved on the pages of history. But the place of invention we know for sure: China. This event took place around 1497-1498. Sources even indicate the exact month - June.
Of course, dental hygiene was strictly observed even in Ancient Greece, Egypt, Babylon. But there, basically, they used either chewing plates or sticks, chewed on one side (for cleaning teeth and gums) and pointed on the other (toothpick).
The invention of the Chinese was that the toothbrush became composite. That is, the bristles of a wild boar were attached to a bamboo stick. In this form, she came to Europe.
In 1950, California dentist Robert Hudson patented the world's first toothbrush with soft nylon bristles, which featured rounded non-traumatic bristle tips. He called his invention simply - "Toothbrush", which in English is "Oral-Brash" or "Oral-B". The very first model of the brush was also called simply - "Oral-B 60", which meant a toothbrush with 60 tufts of bristles made of nylon fibers. "Know-how" was produced in a small home workshop, where the product was assembled almost by hand from plastic and ordinary bristles.
The toothbrush market Soviet Union was, frankly, backward, people used hard toothbrushes made of natural fibers or nylon, and the shape was classic, as well as abroad. In order to make the fibers softer, resourceful citizens of the USSR used a fairly simple method - they immersed the brush in hot water. Even now, if you boil a fluffy toothbrush, it will try to return the previous shape of the bristles. Only after the collapse of the USSR did the inhabitants of the union learn about the diverse world of toothbrushes.
New time - new brushes
Together with the USSR, the production of toothbrushes also died. A holy place is never empty, and in the place of "inefficient", socialist production, "efficient" transnational companies and China, just beginning its capitalist path, have come. The happy Soviet people have learned what the Western variety of capitalism is. Appeared great amount toothbrushes imported from all over the world. The Soviet GOST and the quality mark were canceled and anything could be imported. Three transnational companies were the first to enter the market of the main part of the USSR and later Russia:
Brand "Oral-B" (for wealthy people) and "Blend-a-med" (for less wealthy people) - owned by the American giant Procter & Gamble;
- Brand "Colgate" (for less wealthy people) - owned by the American giant Colgate-Palmolive Company;
- Brand "Rich" (for wealthy people) - belongs to the American giant Johnson & Johnson.
With American spontaneity, they survived from the market of everyone except the Chinese, because the Americans do not know how to fight the Chinese because of the inability to earn less than 100% of the profits, and they occupied 80% of the toothbrush market, leaving a little to feed their friends.
The brand "Aquafresh" (for the middle class) belongs to English giant GlaxoSmithKline. The rest of the world-famous brands "Pepsodent" are the British-Dutch company Unilever, "Crest" belongs to the American giant Procter & Gamble and other brands are on the Russian market and former USSR in statistical error.
Since the main trade in Russia is carried out through chain stores and hypermarkets, manufacturers with a small margin do not have the opportunity to pay veiled bribes under the guise of entrance fees, bonuses, calculations, shares at their own expense, etc.
China, which at that time was deeply parallel to the copyright of the West, did not fail to flood the markets, stalls and small shops of Russia and the entire former USSR with fakes and copies of these brands. With the steady industrialization of China, the quality inevitably increased. Transnational companies began to transfer production to the Middle Kingdom and engage only in trade. On this moment 90% of toothbrushes are made in China. Transnational companies are only customers and brand holders.
Today in Russia and former countries In the USSR, only a few companies produce toothbrushes. Among them:
- Company "Thermo". It mainly produces brush products for technical purposes, and there are very few toothbrushes, mostly in the cheapest version;
- The Glavkosmetika company, which produces its toothbrushes under the Strela brand.
- Company Brush Master in Belarus;
and maybe all...
At the end of the 90s on Russian market actively promoted the brand of toothbrushes "Soldier", which was produced in Moscow by Indian businessmen, but they could not stand the competition with transnationals, closed production and sold off equipment.
In such a "friendly" environment on the market, and in the absence of state support, the LenPlastPolymer software company decided in 2006 to start the production of toothbrushes in St. Petersburg. In 2013, the company launched production of about 50 various models toothbrushes in various categories and price segments under the MAKS brand, as well as private labels. It is exported to other countries. Since 2012, the production of antibacterial toothbrushes with nano-silver particles in the bristles has been launched.
Bristles with nano-silver, as well as plain nylon-610-612, are produced by the American chemical company DuPont, one of the largest in the world. The company is the inventor of many unique polymeric and other materials, including neoprene, nylon, Teflon, Kevlar, Mylar, Tyvek, etc. The bristles of this company are used in 90% of toothbrushes in the world.
Myths about toothbrushes
For many decades, the toothbrush had a classic configuration in most countries of the world. This is a plate with bundles of pig bristles inserted into the holes. Toothbrushes differed only in size and number of bristle tufts. Even rows of bristles of the same height - a classic model, it is optimal for any person. With the invention of nylon, pig bristles have been replaced. Nylon is more durable, cheaper and more aesthetically pleasing. The myth that natural bristles are porous and accumulate bacteria is invented to quickly switch to cheaper technology. Another myth from transnational corporations about replacing toothbrushes every three months on the advice of dentists is also invented to extract the greatest profit.
In my experience with dentists, they are no more knowledgeable about toothbrushes than a plumber. Purely technologically, a toothbrush needs to be changed when the bristles lose their properties. The better the nylon, the better large quantity it withstands bending without losing its original shape. Well-known corporations also use this property. They put cheaper nylon on the toothbrush and the consumer has to change it more often. The quality of nylon cannot be determined by appearance.
By the end of the 20th century, toothbrushes had received their finished and functional view, moved to the commodity category of everyday and monotonous. To revive sales in the late 20th and early 21st century, innovations in toothbrushes appear. Both useful and promotional. As useful, I would include the arrangement of some rows of bristles at an angle (criss-cross) for better cleaning interdental space and an elongated nose for better cleaning of the back molars, as well as various forms handles (everyone can choose the most optimal for his structure of the mouth and hands).
Innovations such as rubber inserts for massaging the gums rather save the manufacturer bristles and the benefits of them, to put it mildly, are doubtful, and even a brush for cleaning the tongue reverse side heads in general publicity stunt. If you are itching to scrape your tongue, take a special scraper. There is no sense in this so at least you will not lose time. Floating heads, bendable handles, and radial bristle arrangement also belong to the same category. Also, the different-level arrangement of the bristles only reduces the life of the toothbrush. The latest that appeared in the world in the segment of non-electric toothbrushes is antibacterial toothbrushes with silver ions.
The manufacturer of this bristle, DuPont, received an international certificate in 2012. The manufacturer claims that the added colloidal silver solution in the manufacture of nylon has further antibacterial effect similar to water in a silver dish. It remains to believe that this is so. The LenPlastPolymer software company, using the most popular 3D model, has released a 3D Ag + toothbrush with this bristle since 2013.
It was also developed fundamentally new model 5D Ag+.
The difference between this model and the rest lies in the five enlarged tufts of bristles. These bundles, glued into the handle by new technology, allow you to double the number of bristles on a standard area of the toothbrush head, which increases cleaning efficiency by 50%.
Choose toothbrushes not by loud names, but by quality and efficiency. Why pay money for a name and not for a toothbrush. Margins on toothbrushes of transnational corporations range from 100 to 1000% of the cost. You pay for their huge advertising budgets. Save your money! Better spend them on something useful. For example, a good book.
Zabordinov Maxim Vladimirovich
Director of Production at LenPlastPolymer
Initial investment: 1542 tr.
Monthly profit: 667 tr.
Payback period: 3 months.
A "Hollywood" smile is the dream of many. Our teeth require constant care. Toothbrushes are used twice a day and replaced once a month. You need to approach their choice responsibly, because the health of teeth and gums depends on the quality.
The production of toothbrushes can become successful business. But it is very difficult to compete with well-known manufacturers. Opening a factory for the production of brushes with a unique design can help you.
The main thing is creativity and design
To attract the attention of buyers to your production, develop an original design. In doing so, several obvious problems can be solved. For example, if you make a brush with a hook for hanging, its handle will not blacken in a cup. For children, design the handle like popular characters.
Make a whole catalog of possible designs. Make products under the customer's order from the catalog.
Variety of toothbrushes
The brush consists of 3 elements:
Pen;
head;
neck, which acts as a connecting link.
The design of the handle should be given great attention. Consider its shape for a comfortable fit in the hand. The handle can even be folded down for compact travel toothbrushes.
And make bristles from artificial hairs, preferably from nylon, because more microbes settle in natural ones. The bristles vary in thickness, tip treatment and height.
Degree of hardness:
very tough;
rigid (fibers up to 0.22 mm in diameter);
soft (fibers up to 0.2 mm in diameter);
very soft (fibers with a diameter of 0.15 - 0.18 mm).
But there is no single criterion. Rigidity affects the purpose of the toothbrush. Fine and soft bristles are used for milk teeth of children, as well as for thin enamel and inflammatory processes. Rigid - for teeth prone to plaque.
Often used in one brush different degrees hardness:
the anterior bristles are hard and the lateral bristles are soft. Bristles of different stiffness are made in different colors.
Setting up production
How are toothbrushes made? Production is divided into several stages.
1. Material selection
Usually the handle is made of plastic and rubber. Often these are thermoplastics that are processed by injection molding.
Use eco-friendly materials like bamboo for your production. In addition, it looks beautiful and is easy to process. You can burn patterns on it.
2. Compliance
Select materials for manufacturing in accordance with GOST 6388-91 “Toothbrushes. Are common specifications". And also consider the requirements of SanPiN 1.2.676-97 "Hygienic requirements for the production, quality and safety of oral hygiene products."
3. Production technology
The process consists of:
pad blanks;
bristle preparation;
bristle attachments;
decor.
Thanks to modern equipment, 10 pens are produced at the same time, the interval between batches is only 36 seconds. First, melt the plastic balls into a mass, pour it inside a metal mold. Then melt the rubber balls, send the resulting mass into the same metal mold.
The bristle sockets are either straight or slanted.
Synthetic bristles are cut to a certain size and connected in bunches. And these bundles are pushed into the holes of the head with a special copier. With modern equipment, you will fill 900 holes in just 1 minute. When receiving different lengths of beams, they are simply cut with special blades. Finally, sand the edges of the bristles with diamond-coated discs. This will give the toothbrush bristles the desired shape.
At the end of the manufacturing process, several toothbrushes are tested by the machine. If everything went well, the entire batch is ready for sale. Pack products in specially designed packaging.
Packaging material can be varied:
Polyethylene;
polyethylene film;
cellulose film;
polypropylene;
impact resistant polystyrene.
How toothbrushes are made
We equip the enterprise
The production of toothbrushes requires the purchase of specialized equipment and premises. Start a business with a small enterprise for which you will need to equip a complete production line:
Bush planting machine;
Grinder;
bristle trimming machine;
horizontal injection molding machine;
vertical injection molding machine;
packing machine;
injection moulds.
Do not save on equipment, but immediately buy from additional features such as protective devices. They stop the manufacturing process if there are any problems, such as something stuck. Otherwise, the entire batch will be ruined. Such equipment has a color display, which displays information about the problems that have arisen.
To accommodate the equipment, you will need a room with an area of about 50 square meters. m. In addition, you need a place for arranging a warehouse. Location does not play a special role.
Recruiting staff
Take recruiting seriously. For a business to be successful, your business plan must include the following jobs:
Manager (you can hold this position yourself);
operators (6 - 10 people);
technologist;
equipment repairman;
designer;
marketer;
brand manager;
advertising manager;
purchasing manager;
lawyer.
Sell products in the following areas:
Large retail chains - 33.5% of production;
perfumery and cosmetic stores - 22.6%;
pharmacies - 9.3%;
small shops - 17.5%;
markets - 11.4%;
hardware stores - 5.7%.
Consider the numbers of our business
Despite the optimistic forecasts of experts in this field, in reality the business is not so profitable.
Domestic production is not inferior in quality to foreign products, but wrong approach to the advertising company does not allow to carry out sales in full. Competent advertising will help you establish the sale of toothbrushes.
To open your own production, you will need:
Cost item Cost, rub.
Premises rent 50 000
Purchase of equipment 1,000,000
Advertising 12 000
Salary 400 000
Taxes 80,000
Total 1542000
The annual turnover of an average enterprise reaches 20 million rubles.
Product sales are directed to:
75% - to Russia;
25% - to the CIS countries.
