Blow molded parts are more than just a great value. They are easily customizable, visually striking, and very durable. Whether you’ve sourced blow molded parts in the past or are just beginning your research, it’s important to know the basics. Here are five blow molding facts every purchasing manager should know.
- Blow molded products are everywhere.
Blow molded parts are used in virtually every aspect of modern life from stadium seats to medical devices. Product designers should familiarize themselves with the capabilities of blow molding before starting a project. Click here to read the blow molding design guide. - A bigger mold can save you money.
Though the upfront costs of a larger mold with more cavities may appear to be less economical, large batch sizes often benefit from investing in a larger mold because the resulting unit price is lower. - Shipping costs are only part of your delivery cost.
Freight costs are only part of the picture. While it may be enticing to use an overseas manufacturer to save on production costs, logistics limitations, and delivery time, these suppliers often have hidden costs many producers don’t take into account. Long delivery times can turn engineering updates, quality problems and price changes into major issues. For true cost savings, consider using a blow molding manufacturer with its own distribution facility, like Custom-Pak. Utilizing an in-house team to assemble, pack, store, and deliver finished products will save you both time and money. - Allow time for color selection.
Choosing the right color for your product matters. The colors of your products have to align with your brand, meet regulations, attract customers and be cost effective. Blow molding gives you an almost infinite choice of colors, however, creating the right color takes time. Most color manufacturers must formulate a color match for each color delivery. To select, approve, and order your desired color can add significant time to the development process. Discuss color with your design team at the beginning of the process to avoid delays and understand color lead times. - You can save money by using standard molds.
Not every project requires a custom mold. Most established blow molding manufacturers have a collection of standard molds that can be used for any number of projects, like a standard carrying case mold. Learn more about available standard molds here.
If you’re designing a new product and considering how to save money on an existing one, contact Custom-Pak to learn more about the process and to get a customized quote.