MANUFACTURING OF TOOTH BRUSH

Introduction

This business idea is for making and marketing of tooth brushes. Toothbrushes are important for safeguarding teeth and cleaning the accessible surface, which helps prevent tooth decay and maintain
dental hygiene and freshness. They have a wide market structure especially in urban areas throughout the year and can be made in different shapes and sizes. The business idea is premised on production of 260,000 toothbrushes per month which translates into 3,120,000 tooth brushes per annum and this is on the basis of 312 working days in a year and 8-hour single work shifts in working day. The revenue potential is estimated at US$000 per annum with a sales margin of 5%. Total investment requirement is US$478,825 for the first year of project operation.


Production Process

In manufacturing toothbrushes, cellulose acetate is used in a multifamily injection-moulding machine to make handles. Mixed in a hopper of an automatic injection machine, cellulose acetate moulding powder is mixed together with a suitable dyestuff. The materials melt to take the shape of mould cavity after injecting this into multi-cavity moulds. On opening the mould, the handles are ejected. Brush handles thus obtained are put into automatic toothbrush making machine for boring, bristle filling and then tightening of bristle is done by fine steel or brass. The bristle is trimmed and packed ready for sale.


Market Analysis

Due to the increasing awareness, personal dental care and dental hygiene is recommended by dental surgeons and is generally accepted by people in both urban and rural areas. Therefore, this product provides good scope for new entrants in the field and considering the growth in the total population coupled with the increasing awareness, the products are bound to find a good market. Nice House of plastics is the key player on the market.

Capital Investment Requirements in US$

Item

Units

Qty

Unit cost

Month

Automatic Injection moulding machine

No

1

4,000

4,000

Pre-heating Oven

No

1

40

40

Automatic Toothbrush making machine

No

1

9,000

9,000

Scarp grinder

No

1

3,000

3,000

Multi Cavity mould

No

1

400

400

Hand tools

Set

1

500

500

Packing Machine

No

1

400

400

Weighing machine

No

1

100

100

Other Equipments

Set

1

1,000

1,000

Delivery Van

No

1

7,500

7,500

Total

25,940




 

 

Direct Materials, Supplies and Costs in US$

Cost Item

Unit
s

Unit
cost

Qty/
day

cost/
day

cost/
month

cost/
year

Direct Costs







Cellulose
acetate
moulding
powder

Kg

1

500

500

13,000

156,000

Nylon Bristle

Kg

0.75

200

150

3,900

46,800

Dyes in
different
colours

Kg

0.75

100

75

1,950

23,400

Gum

Liter

1

100

100

2,600

31,200

Packing
materials

No

0.05

10,00
0

500

13,000

156,000

Sub-total

10,90
0

1,325

34,450

413,400



General Costs (Overheads)







Rent

250

3,000





Labour

2,150

25,800





Utilities

150

1,800





Preliminary costs

100

1,200





Miscellaneous Costs

100

1,200





Deprecation (Asset write off)Expenses

540

6,485





Sub-total

3,290

39,485





Total Operating Costs

37,740

452,885





 

Production costs assumed are for 312 days per year with a daily capacity of 10,000 toothbrushes.
This business unit can make tooth brushes of different colours and sizes.
Depreciation (fixed asset write off) assumes 4 years life of assets written off at 25% per year for all assets.
Direct Costs include materials, supplies and other costs that directly go into production of the product.
A production month is assumed to have 26 work days.


Project Product Costs and Price Structure in US$

Item

Qty/
day

Qty/Yr

Unit
cost

Prod
cost/Yr

Unit
price

T/rev

Toothbrush
es

10,000

3,120,000

0.1

452,885

0.15

468,000

 

Profitability Analysis in US$

Item

Per day

Per Month

Per Yr

Revenue

1,500

39,000

468,000

Less: Production and Operating Costs

1,452

37,740

452,885

Profit

48

1,260

15,115