A drinking straw is a short cylinder made from either paper or plastic and employed by humans to suck a liquid from a container up to their mouth. In the past, these were composed of grass stems, resulting in the name “drinking straws.” Marvin Stone first patented and manufactured the first paper drinking straws through a spiral winding process in 1888.
Thanks to advancements in technology, plastic straws can now be commercially produced. Here’s an overview of the equipment and production process needed to make them.
In America, it is estimated that 500 million plastic straws are used every day for beverages such as soda, juice, lassi, and cold coffee.
You may like to read: How to Start Bitter Gourd Cultivation Business?
Drinking Straw Making Business Plan for Beginners
Here are the 5 steps to begin a plastic straw production business:
1. Understand the Local Market
It’s essential to research the local market and determine any gaps in demand before beginning a business, be it at home or elsewhere. Use this knowledge to your benefit when making plans.
2. Create a Business Plan
Starting a plastic straw-making business from home or on a small scale doesn’t require an extensive business plan.
Addressing key business issues is essential for your business plan. Factors to consider include:
- Startup and recurring costs
- Target customers
- Pricing plan
- What profit percentage do you anticipate?
- What is the best way and place to sell?
3. Make your Business Legally Compliant
To ensure a smooth operation, obtain necessary permits and licenses according to local regulations. In addition, register your business.
Consult the appropriate local authority and choose a company structure that best fits your resources.
4. Buy a Drinking Plastic Straw Making Machine & Equipment
The following are the required tools:
Plastic Straw-Making Machine
Depending on your budget, you can purchase the manual, semi-automatic, or fully automatic straw-making machines from the market.
Reach out to machine vendors, or search online marketplaces like Alibaba, to inquire about cost and production capacity.
Plastic beads/ Paper Roll
Plastic beads are the primary material used to make plastic drinking straws.
Paper straws are usually made from paper rolls with a thickness between 0.25 mm and 1.0 mm.
These materials can be sourced from nearby shops.
Cutting Machine
A cutting machine is necessary to achieve the desired shapes and sizes of straws.
Colorants
If you are looking to make colored straws, buy some colorants.
Packing Machine
For commercial manufacturing, quality packaging is essential. Look for a reliable packing machine at nearby equipment stores.
5. Learn the Drinking Straw Manufacturing Process:
Drinking straws can be made from either paper or plastic and their manufacturing process is relatively simple.
The first step is to purchase plastic beads from the market.
For Step 2, add the plastic beads to the hopper of the machine and start it. This will produce plastic straws automatically.
Step 3: Cut the straws into the desired sizes using a cutting machine.
This machine typically uses a 4 hp motor and a voltage of 440 volts.
Establishing an adept network of wholesalers, distributors, and retailers to promote your drinking straws is a must. Put together a marketing strategy and employ some salespeople to market your product.
As well, do not overlook the importance of setting up a website for your business; it helps in uncovering new customers while simultaneously cultivating a brand.
You may like to read: Tips to Choose the Appropriate Inverter Battery
