Three Steps to Starting a Ventilation Cleaning Business

The ventilation system is an essential element of any structure. Through it, carbon dioxide leaves the premises, and fresh air saturated with oxygen comes in. An established ventilation system in office buildings allows people to work comfortably in their workplaces.

Proper ventilation is one of the requirements of SanPin and SNiPs. Thanks to this, the production of air ducts becomes a promising idea for private businesses. In this article we will figure out how to organize your business and make approximate economic calculations of the return on business.

1. What are air ducts and where are they used? 2. Air ducts as a business: initial costs 3. Registration 4. Air duct production workshop 5. Recommended equipment 6. Equipment for the production of galvanized air ducts 7. Personnel 8. Sales 9. Income, profitability, payback 10. Pros and cons of the air duct business

What are air ducts and where are they used?

Ducts are a system of pipes passing through all rooms of a building. Pipes provide air movement - removing waste and bringing in fresh air. They help create a favorable microclimate in the premises, which is necessary for productive work.

Air ducts are used:

• In private homes, offices, children's institutions. Help control humidity levels and remove dust.
• In factories. Gas, smoke, and other volatile substances are discharged through pipes.
• In medical institutions. Helps reduce the concentration of pathogenic microorganisms.

Kinds

There are several classifications of pipes. According to their shape, ventilation ducts are divided into round and rectangular. The use of round air ducts is relevant for private houses and apartments, while the latter are used in industry. Flexible, rigid, and welded structures are also available.

The classification of pipes by type of raw material is disclosed in the table below.

It is better to start producing ventilation elements from galvanized steel.

Manufacturing of air ducts

Air ducts are a transport system for moving gases or air to the required location. The manufacture of air ducts solves the main problem - air circulation. And if this system is installed incorrectly, then it will be quite difficult to breathe in the room.

Primary requirements

In order for a design to be convenient to use and produce a tangible effect, it must meet a number of requirements. High-quality production of air ducts is when:

• Absolute tightness ensured
• The noise level from it is within the accepted parameters
• A certain volume of air moves in it at the required speed
• All insulation standards are met
• Fits into the interior
• Takes up as little space as possible

These requirements are basic, but our production of air ducts in the Moscow region, depending on operating conditions and goals, may impose additional requirements on them.

Characteristics

Given the huge number of offers on the market, it can be quite difficult for a buyer to make the right choice. This is not surprising - after all, sometimes one air duct production can offer up to 500 different models.

There are several main parameters by which air ducts differ. Here are the main ones:

• Material of manufacture
• Section shape
• Rigidity
• Diameter and size
• Insulation method

The cost of the air duct itself can hardly be a fundamental criterion for selection. After all, it still needs to be installed! Installation services are not included in the production of air ducts; therefore, the price will differ from the one that the manager initially named.

For the manufacture of air ducts use:

• steel – black, stainless or galvanized
• plastic and polyisocyanurate (PIR) boards
• textile
• aluminum foil

Air ducts as a business: start-up costs

There will be no need for large investments. The most significant cost item is equipment. Under the terms of this plan, an automatic line will be purchased - it is more expensive, but more profitable in the long term, since you will not have to hire many workers.

Table 2. Initial costs for organizing a workshop for the production of air ducts from galvanized steel.

The calculations are relevant for a city with a population of about 500 thousand people.

Classification

Air ducts are different and they are classified according to different criteria:

Plastic air ducts

• shape (rectangular and round duct);
• material (various plastics, galvanized and stainless steel, aluminum, polyester, fiberglass, thermoplastic or other specialized rubber, silicone);
• the presence of special characteristics (flexible air duct, fire retardant);
• connection method (using a nipple or special fasteners).

Two main types of ducts:

1. Hard.
2. Flexible (frame).

The most common option is a round or rectangular duct made of galvanized steel or aluminum. They are produced by a specialized automatic air duct production line. It is practical, cheaper than plastic, faster and easier to install, fire retardant and does not rust. Also has aerodynamic low drag. This type of air duct is usually used for ventilation systems of various enterprises, offices, large cultural and entertainment complexes, sports, educational institutions, and catering establishments. Also for any other type of building that has a large area where the operation of the air duct requires dynamic air exchange.

Air ducts made of galvanized steel

A more complex option is a flexible duct. It is used only under specific circumstances. For example, in a small room that has a complex structure or that does not have a large galvanized air duct suitable for installation. Also used for active ventilation systems: exhaust hood with fan, removal of acid vapors and hot air from industrial buildings.

Of course, a flexible ventilation pipe is more expensive than a rigid pipe. However, it is necessary to start production with rigid air ducts, since they are more in demand and, therefore, easier to sell.

The process of manufacturing an air duct, both rectangular and round, is absolutely unremarkable and seems to be simple profile bending operations that are performed using specialized automatic equipment.

It is very important to correctly select the line for the production of air ducts and create a rhythmic process of manufacturing and marketing (sales) of the final product.

Registration

The enterprise can be registered in the form of individual entrepreneur or LLC. Each of them has its own advantages.

1. Opening an individual entrepreneur (individual entrepreneur) is much easier, faster and cheaper. OPF will allow you to sell goods through retail stores, but is not suitable for working with legal entities. Most potential customers and construction companies will not cooperate with individual entrepreneurs.
2. LLC is the optimal legal form for air duct business. You can sell goods in retail chains or cooperate with major participants in the construction market.

When registering, indicate OKVED code 27.22 (Production of steel pipes and fittings).

For industrial production of pipes there is no need to obtain licenses or permits. It is enough for an entrepreneur to simply develop a technology for manufacturing a product and apply it in his factory.

Air duct production workshop

You will need a room of 200 square meters. m, where the plant itself with installed equipment, warehouses for storing raw materials and finished goods, and technical premises will be located. You also need to allocate space for staff. Or purchase small cabins for workers.

It is better to rent premises in a place with convenient transport links, where there is enough space for loading goods into trucks. The plant can be located on the outskirts of the city in order to reduce rental costs, but not too far away so that fuel costs are astronomical.

You also need a small office in the city, in a business center or industrial area. It is necessary for registering a legal entity, for receiving clients, and concluding contracts with them.

Recommended Equipment

Line for the production of rectangular air ducts, Ilmaksan KKM
Price 38,300 rubles Buy
Machines for the production of sealed air ducts type VGGG, GDV
Negotiable price Buy
Textile air ducts, FabricAir
Price 1,000 rubles Buy
Machines for the production of air ducts and metal hoses of all types, GR
Price negotiable Buy

Equipment

When choosing a duct production line, it is necessary to consider three main characteristics of the ventilation pipe:

• cross-sectional area;

  
  Apparatus for making rectangular air ducts

• rigidity;
• section shape (taking into account demand in the market).

If everything is very clear with rigidity: a flexible air duct is less in demand, but a little more expensive than a rigid one. However, rigid pipes are purchased more, although they are cheap. The shape and cross-sectional area are a little more complicated. For example, the speed of air flow and, therefore, the level of sound insulation depend on these characteristics.

In addition to this, there are other options to choose from. For example, a round duct is easier and faster to install, has no protruding part, is stronger and creates little aerodynamic drag (this is due to its natural shape).

A round vent pipe is easier to produce as it is held together with a snap nipple.

However, a rectangular duct has a better air flow rate in the ventilated area if a large cross-sectional area is required or the installation occurs in difficult circumstances, for example, above a suspended ceiling.

Analyzing the market, we can conclude that rigid ventilation pipes of round and rectangular cross-sections are sold in approximately equal shares. Taking into account the fact that they are produced using the same raw materials (galvanized steel or aluminum with a thickness of 0.6 to 1.1 mm), then for a successful business you need to buy both lines (for the production of round and rectangular air ducts).

The standard line for the production of air ducts of any section includes:

Electric guillotine

• unwinding machine for rolled metal sheets;
• feeding machine;
• machine for sheet correction (the permissible error in the air duct diagonal is 0.9 mm: ventilation pipes with misaligned geometry produce powerful noise from the air flow, which is why all modern lines are equipped with this function);
• guillotine, which cuts off finished air ducts;
• industrial CNC system.

The price of a line for the production of round air ducts, which are produced by a Russian manufacturer, is 1,376,285 rubles, or a little more than 48 thousand dollars. The price of a line for the production of a rectangular air duct, also from a domestic manufacturer, is 1,688,952 rubles or 57 thousand dollars.

The differences in the lines for the production of rectangular air ducts and round air ducts are manifested in the fact that in round air ducts the forming unit is a rolling roller. And in a rectangular air duct there is a system for applying a stiffener, a corner notching device and an automatic sheet bender with a turning beam.

The total cost is quite small and amounts to approximately 3 million rubles. Profitability, which is 50% of total costs, is very modest for such production. Selling price from 125 to 3050 rubles per linear meter (depending on the diameter) when working in one shift and a five-day working week, the net income for the month is at least 750–850 thousand rubles. The payback period is approximately six months.

Equipment for the production of galvanized air ducts

There are 2 options for organizing the business: make products manually using small equipment or purchase an automated line that will eliminate manual labor.

For the first option you will need:

• guillotine (model – Schechtl HT 150);
• bending machine (model – ACL LC-12R);
• folding / folding machines (models STD-11019A-01, Stalex RTB-8A);
• stiffener machine (model – ZP1.25);
• pointing machine (model – TRUMPF TF350-2);
• ZIG machine (model – TZ-08);
• spot welding machine (model – PEI-POINT BSM 216 S1);
• spiral-winding machine (model – TFM-1250M);
• machine for making bends (model – ILMAKSAN KKM).

The second option – an automatic line – is more profitable. The price of the AML-II-1300 (LC) line is 1.25 million rubles.

Staff

A minimum of 2 workers will be required to operate the equipment in the workshop. In general, the number of workers depends on the type of machine chosen. An automated line only needs to feed raw materials, while on mechanized machines you have to work with your hands. A storekeeper (1-2 people) will be required who will be involved in loading and work in the warehouse.

The businessman himself can manage the processes—at first. In the future, he may be replaced by a senior manager.

The office should hire one employee to work with clients and documents. An LLC needs an accountant. It is better to hire a specialist through an outsourcing scheme.

To organize logistics, you need a car and a driver. It is better to hire a driver with his own truck.

Advantages of online ordering of air ducts

The VentSystems online store offers the opportunity to buy ventilation components online. All products are manufactured in-house and have the necessary quality certificates. Buying air ducts online has several advantages compared to the usual ordering procedure.

• Constant availability. Construction or renovation work is often carried out in an accelerated manner, which requires the rapid execution of contracts for the supply of equipment. In this case, you have to wait for the start of the next working day when orders will be accepted. If the supplier does not work on weekends, this significantly delays the deadline. Purchasing in an online store does not have this drawback: it can be done at any convenient time and from any computer at hand.
• Large selection of goods. The catalog presents a wide range of products used in ventilation systems. In addition to straight sections, shaped elements, components and consumables are presented here. The buyer himself chooses the items he needs and the number of units. You can configure product parameters: section type, metal thickness, dimensions, etc. The whole procedure takes place in a few clicks.
• Automatic cost calculation. Not every seller is ready to immediately report the total amount, since everything depends on the individual parameters of the order, and this requires calculation. In the VentSystems online store, the cost calculation process is completely transparent and occurs instantly: already when adding products to the cart, the system itself calculates and displays the final cost of the order. In addition, even before the purchase stage, you can make preliminary calculations using an online price calculator.
• Everything is in stock. The company is a manufacturer of the products it sells, so there is no possibility that a particular product will be unavailable. The goods are located in the company's warehouse, or, if necessary, are produced in workshops. Regular supplies of material allow us to be ready to manufacture any required parts at any time.
• Order execution speed. As soon as possible after registration, managers will contact the client to clarify the details of cooperation. The goods are shipped strictly within the agreed time frame and in no case later. The standard deadline for completing an order is the next day, but even faster production is possible.
• Delivery. For customers from Moscow and the Moscow region, goods are quickly delivered directly to the site where the ventilation system will be installed. Shipping to Russian regions is also possible.

Sales

Competition in the industry is high, so in order to succeed, you need to thoroughly study potential buyers, do this in advance and, already at the stage of organizing a workshop, begin to conclude preliminary sales agreements and send out information about the new company.

Among the main consumers:

• catering establishments (cafes, bars, restaurants);
• shopping and entertainment centers;
• plants, factories;
• educational institutions.

You need to constantly keep in touch with them. When repairing and updating communication systems, consumers may need a company that sells air ducts for ventilation inexpensively. More than a third of all orders will come from various production facilities.

How to choose a product

The characteristics of air ducts and additional shaped metal products for constructing units, turns, and transitions are calculated at the stage of developing a ventilation system project. You can order air ducts, equipment, and individual parts by phone or email. Our products are intended for the construction in Moscow and other populated areas of communications with high and low throughput for various purposes:

• residential and utility rooms of apartments, houses, hotels;
• production workshops, utility rooms;
• catering: large and small restaurants, cafes, canteens.

When choosing pipes and metal products, pay attention to the technical parameters of the goods, which must be suitable for the project conditions: type of alloy, cross-section of the part, type of connection, type of pipe (flexible or not).

We have a stock of goods that customers often order in our warehouse. Less-demanded metal products are quickly produced after submitting an application from the client. The production of ventilation air ducts and other parts takes from 3 to 5 working hours. days.

• Rules for operation and maintenance of air ducts
• What materials are air ducts made of and how do they ensure stable ventilation operation?
• Some interesting facts from the history of ventilation ducts
• The principle of operation of supply and exhaust ventilation
• What equipment will be needed to install a ventilation system in the office?
• Types of ventilation

Income, profitability, payback

As we calculated, the amount of initial costs is 2.17 million rubles.

Monthly expenses (salaries, car rental, purchase of raw materials) - about 750 thousand rubles.

The average price of a linear meter with a thickness of 1 mm is 1 thousand rubles. Sales of 1000 m2 per month will bring the company 1 million rubles.

Minus monthly expenses, net profit will be about 250 thousand rubles per month. The business will pay off in 8.5 months.

But this is only possible if there are constant and fairly large orders. It is not always possible to get them right away, because in reality the enterprise will probably pay for itself in a year. Then the company will bring large, stable income to the owner.

Finance

Drawing up a financial plan for a project allows you not only to calculate the income and expense parts of the project, but also to correctly distribute future costs.

In total, the starting capital for launching a new enterprise for the production of ventilation systems and air ducts will be about 3,000,000 rubles.

Initial costs include :

• Rent of production premises, finishing work and documentation – 100,000 – 150,000 rubles.
• Purchase and installation of production equipment.
• Remuneration of employees.
• Supply of consumables.
• Other expenses.

The profitability of this type of business is assessed by experts quite high - at the level of 60-70%.

The level of net profit is planned in the amount of 200,000 - 400,000 rubles.

With such indicators, production can pay for itself within 9 months after the opening of the project.

On video: Ventilation systems

Pros and Cons of the Air Duct Business

The production of air ducts for ventilation is in high demand. Construction volumes in the country are growing steadily. Accordingly, the need for arrangement of ventilation systems is increasing.

Old buildings are also being renovated. Along with the communication systems, ventilation is also being updated. This is where the “big fish” may be.

You need to remember that there are many competitors in the market. To earn the favor of customers, it is often necessary to offer reduced prices, which increases the payback period of the project.

Another disadvantage is the need for large initial investments: for the purchase of equipment and organization of the work process. You need to understand the topic well, learn the aspects and nuances. This will help optimize costs and improve the quality of the finished material.

The production of ventilation equipment from steel and other materials is a business that has prospects for further expansion. At the first stage, you can expand to the production of fittings (connecting/fastening) and shaped products. Then start producing goods from rigid, flexible plastic.

If you start producing air ducts, the business will almost certainly pay for itself quickly and generate above-average income. However, the fall can be no less rapid than the rise - if you distribute low-quality products, you will instantly lose all your customers. Therefore, you should not save money on purchasing equipment and time on independent and careful study of the work process and its features.

Profitability

At first glance, the most obvious prospect in automatic air duct production lines seems to be the organization of a service for the design and installation of a ventilation system. But this becomes the last step in the development of this business.

Initially, it is necessary to make fastening and connecting fittings for the air duct: bends, nipples (couplings), plugs, inserts, umbrellas, galvanized mounting tape. This material is often made from trimmings, substandard goods or other production waste.

The second step is a progressive expansion of the choice of product range that is produced:

• rigid plastic pipes;
• flexible polyvinyl chloride pipes;
• polyester pipes;
• rubber pipes;
• silicone pipes;
• other ventilation pipes that do not require a large investment in equipment.

This will help the entrepreneur occupy a minimum regional market segment.

And only after thoroughly preparing the industrial base and demonstrating stable operation for a couple of months can you hire a ventilation system engineer. The installers themselves, like the workshop employees, may not have a special specialized education, therefore, their services are valued slightly less than other workers. But an engineer specializing in heat and gas supply and ventilation is an employee with a full higher education. They offer sales services for ventilation, air purification or heating systems. Their work is accordingly rated quite highly.