Home > contract manufacturing > Buying an Industrial Laminator Machine May Be Unnecessary

Large laminating servicesCurious about buying an industrial laminator machine? You have options—and some of them might not involve investing in your own machine at all. Break down this valuable machine with Conversion Technologies International, and find out what works best for you.

 

 

What types of laminating machines are there?

Firstly, you’ll have two main categories of laminating machines. These are:

  • Personal laminator machines. As the name implies, these machines are for personal or otherwise small-scale use. If you need to laminate your own study cards, or your ID card for a party, for example—that’s when you’ll need a personal laminating machine. It’s easier to use, but it cannot produce on a high commercial level. For that, you’ll need an…
  • Industrial laminator machine. An industrial laminator machine is the type of machine we use for business purposes. Think hundreds or even thousands of products laminated all at once. Although you have different options available, all of them produce more efficiently than a personal machine. Naturally, this involves a more complex process, which is why some business owners explore contract manufacturing.

What kind of laminating machine do I need?

The question is, do you need an industrial laminator machine or a personal laminating machine? Really, the answer is in the question. If you’re working on a small scale personal project, a personal laminating machine will probably work. If you’re attempting to grow a business or scale up, an industrial laminator machine is probably a better bet.

Keep in mind, however: Investing in your own industrial laminator can become quite expensive, quite quickly. If you’re not quite certain about the long-term future of your business, you may want to consider working with a third party manufacturer like CTI.

What are the different types of industrial lamination machines?

Beyond the basic differences between a commercial laminating machine and a personal laminating machine, you’ll find a few different variations. These include:

  • Automatic laminators. We usually choose these laminators for average-sized products, like standard sheets of paper.
  • Roll laminators. In contrast, we use roll laminators to handle oddly-shaped objects.

What size industrial laminator machine do I need?

The size of your industrial laminator machine is dependent on the project you’re working on as well. The size of the machine could in part relate to the size of the products you need to laminate. If you’re laminating something as small as ID cards, you might not need a large laminator.

Ultimately, when you consider an industrial laminator machine, we want you to think less about the size of the machine and more about the size of the order. You never want to underestimate the size of the machine you need. At the same time, a lot of industrial laminator machines are too big for small business facilities to accommodate. This leads many to consider working with a contract manufacturing company—a third party, as it were.

Who can handle industrial laminating?

Here’s the great thing about industrial laminating: You don’t have to do it in-house. A third party manufacturer can handle the process from beginning to end. Additionally, you can rely on a third party for other services, if needed. Some business owners like to work with one manufacturer to have their industrial lamination services handled. At the same time, that third party could handle thermal transfer printing or thermoplastic heat manufacturing.

At the end of the day, you don’t have to invest in your own industrial laminating machine. Nor do you have to train and pay permanent full time employees. Working with a third party ensures you get the product you need without the investment required when you buy a machine.

FAQs: Working with a Third Party Manufacturer

What is a contract manufacturing company?

A contract manufacturer handles a specific type of third party manufacturing. You may hear this referred to as “copacking” or “turnkey manufacturing”.

Here’s what it means: The contract manufacturing company handles not only the production, but the procurement of raw materials. You don’t have to source anything. While this is a great deal for some business owners, others prefer to source their own materials. This could be because you have a specific deal with a provider, or because you simply want more control.

Keep in mind: When you’re working with a good contract manufacturer, you’ll still have an influence over your product. The right third party collaborates with you—we’re helping you, we’re not shutting you out.

However, you do have another option: toll manufacturing. A toll manufacturer operates similarly to a contract manufacturer. But in the toll manufacturer’s case, you provide the raw materials. Discuss your options with a potential third party manufacturer before making a final decision.

What are the benefits of outsourcing?

We’ve mentioned a few benefits of outsourcing your manufacturing needs. To recap (and expand):

  • Cost efficiency. No matter what kind of production you’re working with, outsourcing tends to be more affordable because you’re not making those long-term investments.
  • Convenience. Rather than spending time on trial and error, sourcing machines and employees, and locking in facilities, you can simply outsource.
  • Consistency. Rather than figuring out your process along the way, you’ll have production handled by the experts from the start. This ensures fewer errors and a more consistent delivery. Whether you’re working with film or ink, an experienced third party has you covered.

In conclusion, it’s easy to see why so many business owners work with third party manufacturers like CTI. Click here or call us at 419-924-5566 and learn more.