Machining business

bizzyb

Hi all,

I have been working as a wood machinist for over 10 years now where i currently work i run a 6 head moulder machining skirting, architrave, door frame, plained timber,basicaly anything you can think of. My question is i am thinking of starting my own business doing the same thing but not on a big of scale where i work but with how quiet the indusry has gone am i mad?

AidanBoland

Could you compete on price and still make a decent wage plus enough to cover the expenses involved with setting up and keeping machinery like that running?

Id imagine it would be difficult if your doing it on a smaller scale you will never have the buying power of bigger workshops such as your employer

I think you have two options if the business is to work, compete on price, which i presume will be difficult or else market your product as better quality than your competitors and in that justifying your higher price

JoeB-

Is there much of a market for the products?

Who does your employer sell them to now?.. would you be able to sell to the same customers, or poach some of his existing customers?

I'd have thought that this was a job for the bigger boys.. in that if you are successful would you be able to cope with other companies deliberately selling at below cost in order to put you out of business?.

woodturner

Depends where you are based. Some mouldings are very popular and I'd say you'd have no problem competing with the big boys.

1chippy

i can currently buy solid oak skirting at less than than i can buy the raw material. a lot of my friends are in a similar business and things are pretty rough out there unless you aim at going very big. which will involve fighting with a lot of massive companies.