When your business identifies a need to work with plastic manufacturers, selecting suppliers that will meet your needs on quality, quantity, and pricing may take some time. How can you be sure that you’re about to make the right choice for a smart investment? The process begins with understanding how to find and develop an accurate injection molding quote based on the specifications of your order. Follow this simple step-by-step process for making the right moves.
1. Research Your Potential Solutions
Step one may seem obvious, but it’s important to consider when looking for a plastic injection molding quote. Find businesses that align with your needs. Whether you need injection molding and assembly, or simply the rapid production of many simple parts, not every company has the same capabilities. Begin your search by researching the businesses available to you and gather some background information. Now is also a good time to start pulling together the details for your order.
2. Contact a Company of Your Choice
After researching the different options, it’s time to reach out for help. Contact one of the companies you’ve chosen via the appropriate channels. Let them know a little bit about your business and what you’re looking for and see if you can set up a time for a more in-depth conversation. Use this first point of contact to gauge how easy it would be to work with the business.
3. Explore the Process The Company Uses
Ask questions about how they carry out their work. What production capabilities do they have? How many parts can they fulfil in an order? Do they work primarily in domestic manufacturing, or do they augment their production capacity with overseas partners? Understanding the process from end to end is essential for understanding quality, suitability, and affordability for your project.
4. Determine the Company’s Capability for Operating at Scale
There’s nothing more frustrating than proceeding through most of the onboarding process only to discover that your new potential partner may struggle to fill orders at the scale you require. Before proceeding any further, start discussing scale. Can they produce large volumes of parts on time consistently? If there are any doubts about their abilities at this stage, consider returning to step 2 to begin again.
5. Be Specific and Detailed in Your Brief
With assurances that the injection molding company you’ve selected can handle your order size, it’s time to put together everything they need to know to help you. The only way to guarantee a good quote is to provide as much accurate information as you possibly can about your project. Consider all contingencies and remember that no detail is too small to include. The more information you provide now, the more reliable the numbers you receive.
6. Ask for a Free Quote
Submit your brief and ask the business to provide a free quote for production based on your specifications. That’s it — you’re done. All you need to do now is wait for the business to crunch the numbers and come back with a proposal for your consideration.
Evaluate Your Options and Follow Through
With a plastic injection molding quote in hand and your research concluded, it’s time to begin an assessment. Ideally, you will want to “shop around” and determine which business has the capabilities and price point that most closely align with your goals. Weigh the numbers you receive against your business strategy and determine if profitability is within reach. When you’re ready to take the next steps, contact the injection molding company of your choice and confirm you’d like to follow through on the quoted price.
