The refrigerator is a rather convenient thing, used not only for its intended purpose, but also as a reminder of very important matters. You just have to write on a small piece of paper what needs to be done in the near future and attach it to the device using simple magnets.
As soon as the appetite is worked up, a piece of paper with a reminder will involuntarily come into view. In this review, we decided to look in more detail at how refrigerator magnets are made. This business idea can become successful for entrepreneurs.
What is the reason for the popularity of magnets?
Perhaps this idea played a significant role in the appearance of decorative souvenirs. This happened back in 1971. Over the entire period of its existence, this product has undergone a fairly large number of changes. From factory conveyors, their production abruptly turned into small businesses with a fairly small initial contribution. And if earlier the production of magnets primarily required a press and an enameling device, then in the modern world it is quite easy to make a decorative product for a refrigerator with a computer and a printer at hand.
But it cannot be said that due to this transition the need for souvenirs has decreased, and the production of refrigerator magnets has become less promising. The thing is that the symbols of the era are constantly changing. This entails a demand for certain products in which new symbolic images will be embodied. Accordingly, old products will be thrown away or hidden, and new ones will take their place on the refrigerator door.
Magnet production technologies are constantly being simplified
The time when refrigerator magnets were made using magnetized metal is long gone. Modern equipment has made it possible to apply a very thin layer of ferromagnetic materials to almost any polymer product.
They are capable of maintaining magnetic induction for a fairly long period of time. The backing is usually vinyl. A special coating is applied to another part of this material, onto which a specific image is subsequently glued.
Vinyl is not an expensive material
Based on everything described above, we can say: there is nothing strange in the fact that over time, making refrigerator magnets has become possible at home. Vinyl for making magnets is a material that is magnetized rubber of various thicknesses. It can be produced not only in rolls, but also in sheets. The cost of one roll reaches 4.3 thousand rubles. According to many experts, vinyl is an ideal material used for making a variety of magnetic calendars, leaflets, souvenirs and notebooks.
Product range
The range of manufactured permanent magnets usually includes products made from one material. They can differ in power, size and shape. It is most profitable to produce neodymium magnets, since they are highly expensive. In addition, there is practically no competition in this niche.
Magnetic products, in addition to the above classification, are also divided depending on the material used and production technology into the following types:
- Vinyl is the easiest to manufacture and does not require large initial investments. Vinyl itself is magnetic and easy to process. As a raw material, it comes in several types - with or without a self-adhesive layer, as well as with a coating for printing.
- Wooden ones are more expensive in cost, but products are in great demand, on which any pattern, inscription or photographs can be applied, including custom-made ones.
- Acrylic - made by printing an image and inserting it into an acrylic blank. Very simple and affordable products with low cost.
- Sunset - similar to round badges with a metal base. They are produced using more complex technology, but are very popular among collectors, especially if they are produced in the same theme as the badges on the stiletto heels.
- Plaster - suitable for production by artists who can create an original picture. They have a low cost, but are valued because of their uniqueness.
- Phosphor - glow in the dark. They can be made of gypsum or other material, which is coated with phosphor - a substance that can glow in the dark, “charged” from any light source.
Each of these types requires separate equipment. Vinyl magnets are considered the most affordable in this regard. Therefore, when opening your own production, it is recommended to first pay attention to this type of product.
Finding a customer will be easy
Manufacturing magnets as a business has certain requirements. First of all, they relate to the sale of products. But finding customers who can purchase a wholesale batch of magnets is not very difficult. The entire complexity of this process lies in the need to predict this or that corporate event.
Magnets have always been popular at various exhibitions, as they are capable of carrying a certain logo. But even if there is no customer for a wholesale batch, you can always produce single products.
What is needed to produce a magnet?
In order to organize a business, you do not need any specialized equipment for making magnets. You just need a computer. As for software, you need to purchase and install any graphic editor. You will also need an inkjet printer, die cutter and batch laminator. The procedure for manufacturing magnetic products takes place in six steps.
- You will need to print an image on transparent plastic with hot-melt adhesive, having first mirrored it in the editor.
- The transparent plastic on which the design is applied must be separated from the substrate and turned over.
- The resulting material must be passed through a laminator.
- The backing that protects the adhesive layer should be separated from the sheet.
- The sheet with the design printed on it will need to be glued onto vinyl.
- The resulting products must be cut down.
There is nothing complicated in the manufacturing procedure. The images can be absolutely anything. You just have to take into account the fact that instead of paper you need to use a transparent material - plastic.
Based on all of the above, it can be noted that the entire procedure will not require too much free time. But at the same time, you can get magnets with any picture and various shapes. The thickness of such products can reach only one and a half millimeters, but the magnets will be quite strong.
How to choose equipment for making refrigerator magnets
Completely different equipment is intended for different manufacturing methods and materials used. For vinyl magnets, an inkjet printer is purchased, and the resulting image is glued to a magnetic base, like a regular photograph. You will also need a computer and equipment (tools) for cutting the workpiece. To reduce labor costs, you can purchase a cutting plotter. For volumetric magnets, you need to buy special molds in which the impressions will be made.
High business profitability
An entrepreneurial idea, the essence of which is the production of magnets, has a profitability of 100 percent. And this is even taking into account the minimum prices that will be set for products. You can make about 8 magnets on one A4 sheet. The cost of such souvenirs will vary from 50 to 100 rubles. The cost of the manufactured magnet will not exceed 40 rubles.
Setting up a magnet manufacturing business is not too difficult. The entrepreneur will not be required to purchase too expensive equipment and invest too much money at the initial stage. Even with the help of a simple computer and printer in modern conditions, you can print a high-quality drawing.
Equipment
The production of photomagnets can cost only two things: magnetic vinyl and a printer for printing images. But to create high-quality and varied products in a short time, you will need a little more equipment:
| Equipment | Cost, ₽ |
| Vinyl Printer | 30’000 |
| Plotter for speeding up cutting of magnets | 17’000 |
| Printing Supplies | 20’000 |
| Image Processing Tools | 3’000 |
| Licensed design software | 5’000 |
| Total | 75’000 |
Absence of any competition
It is also worth noting that this entrepreneurial idea will be successful because there is no competition in this field of activity. The market is not saturated with souvenirs of this kind, and in some cities an entrepreneur is even capable of becoming a monopolist. The not very high cost of all products will allow you to make a profit that will significantly exceed all initial costs. That is why this business is considered highly profitable.
To summarize all of the above, it can be noted that for the first time the entrepreneur will need approximately 50 thousand rubles. But this entire amount will be fully paid off in two months, or even earlier.
What documents are needed to open
It is necessary to register the subject of business activity: most often it is an individual entrepreneur. Prepared documents (passport, code, applications for registration and taxation system) are submitted to local government authorities or to specially designed multifunctional public service centers (MFCs). After this, you also need to register with the Pension Fund and Social Insurance Fund. For settlements and payments with legal entities, you will need to open a bank account.
What is special about acrylic magnets?
Every day you can increasingly see acrylic magnets on many people's refrigerators. They are quite beautiful and original. Therefore, their popularity is understandable. In addition, making acrylic magnets is not too difficult. They consist of only two parts:
- A body that serves as a blank. The material used is transparent plastic – acrylic.
- Printing insert.
When creating a magnet, the image is simply inserted into a previously made housing and snaps into place. With the help of prefabricated housings already available, the production of acrylic magnets occurs at a rapid pace.
Production of sunset magnets
The main difference that sunset magnets have is the iron base. The manufacturing technology for magnets of this sample is as follows:
- Purchase of a specialized machine. It is a not very large press with which you can roll the edges of iron blanks.
- Printing elements must be available - images, bases, magnetic vinyl and inner insert.
Making sunset magnets also has its downsides. The disadvantages include the high cost and the not very wide range of types and shapes of the magnets that were manufactured.
Positive features include the ability to produce fairly large quantities of goods in a very short period of time and the ease of organizing a business idea. In addition, using the machine you can make not only magnets, but also badges.
Raw materials
The types of raw materials are determined by the type of magnets or products made from them.
For permanent magnets
Neodymium magnets contain three components:
- iron;
- boron;
- neodymium
Raw materials are purchased in powder form from foreign manufacturers or through Russian intermediaries.
Ferrite magnets require two types of ferrite powder:
- barium
- strontium
These raw materials are cheaper and available on the domestic market.
In the manufacture of polymer magnets, the same ferrite powders and various binding fillers are used, the choice of which depends on the required performance characteristics of the finished products:
- for sheet magnetic plastic produced by calendering, these are thermoplastic elastomers, plasticized PVC, sulfo-chlorinated PE, rubbers;
- for extrusion and injection molding – polyamides, polystyrenes, polyolefins, Sevilen and other thermoplastics with good fluidity;
- for pressing – epoxy-phenolic and polyester resins.
For magnetic products
Depending on the type of product being manufactured, the following materials may be required in this production:
- photo paper for printing;
- magnetic vinyl or ferrite magnets;
- lamination film;
- gypsum;
- wood (plywood);
- plastic and/or metal blanks;
- paints and varnishes;
- glue.
All other materials are purchased as needed.
Advertising activity
In order to attract potential customers and interest them in your products, it is best to create a business card website. In addition, advertisements can be placed on other portals of similar topics. Advertising activities on a large scale are not advisable, since the company will be engaged in wholesale sales. You can also advertise your activities through supermarkets, selling some of the magnets with their help.
Selling magnets can bring quite high profits. Therefore, it makes sense to try hard to ensure that your income is very high.
