Muse help needed: Contract manufacturing a bowl like product?

[A Hill]

So I have the product for my muse planned out. I now need to take the conceptual product and make it a reality. The product is a plastic bowl with slits going to the bottom, similar to a colander with slits instead of mesh or holes. The product is going to be baseball sized.

I am having trouble finding a contract manufacturer that makes custom plastic pieces. I have found plenty with ability to package in plastic but none yet to make custom bowls...

Has anyone been there done that and have advice on finding a company that will create a prototype then be able to mass produce it? Does anyone know how precise the information such a company would need?

Thanks in advance, any help is appreciated.
-Andrew

[kamakiri]

How many do you need?

Also, how much testing have you done? A die for an injection molder is expensive.

[A Hill]

How many do you need?

Also, how much testing have you done? A die for an injection molder is expensive.

Initially to test is a small amount if possible about 100. My market is pretty much a guarantee and is solid. I have a few years experience in it and whatnot.

Hopefully it is worth it, if not I may look for other alternative ways to manufacture the product.

Has anyone used Delta Plastic Mold Injection aka Delta Tool and Mold? Seems like a possible contract manufacturer to use. I'm worried he may be crazy expensive but I figure I'll give him a call Monday and see what he thinks.

Initially I'm looking for a prototype and then I'm going to go from there, I may skip the prototype phase altogether though.

Thanks,
-Andrew

[kamakiri]

Initially I'm looking for a prototype and then I'm going to go from there, I may skip the prototype phase altogether though.

Maybe you should skip your intuition and do some testing before moving along with product development. Tim outlines a near fail proof method, you would be better off not ignoring his (and my) advice.

[Sven]

I am specialised in small scale manufacturing, both as designer and manufacturer.

Feel free to contact me if you'd like to know more.

[A Hill]

I think I didn't explain this very well.

Wabi-Kusa is a style of dish gardening made popular by the Japanese company, Aquarium Design Amano (ADA). This consists of a ball of substrate in a dish of water with numerous aquatic plants and bog plants grown out of it. The problem is keeping the mound of what is essentially mud on its form. By having a small bowl with slits going down the sides it will hold the substrate (mud) in and let the plants grow out and around the ball. Once mosses are grown the plastic of the dish should be hidden and the form will be kept. The US aquascaping community consists of somewhere around 10-20 thousand members and around 1,000 or so are active on online forums. With my website (www.rumfordaquatics.com) and web presence on these forums (A Hill is my username as well) I have built my brand and reputation as a provider of high quality plants and products. Being a High school student I've never had super consistent sales but when I do sell I'll sell a few hundred dollars worth of product a week.

My last major new product launch in the USA was Wonder Gro fertilizer tabs. I imported 45 of them for my initial round one and sold them all within the week the were in the USA, they were $5 shipped to me and I resold them for $25 a piece. It did so well a major international wholesaler pushed me out of the market, while I was sick with the flu no less... But heck, thats what happens when you're 15 years old and importing great stuff and doing it well. Since then I decided to lay off the import side of the business because of possible legal ramifications and hookups being a minor all legal stuff would fall on my parents. Now I'm not a minor and stuff is simpler.

So yes I've done the find the product resell the product and it has its pros and cons. Since then I've been selling aquatic Flora mostly and shrimp foods I've made. Most recently I sold a few hundred dollars worth of süßwassertang an aquatic fern gametophyte.

Now I am planning on having my own product that is not a plant or something that is seasonal shipping wise.

Maybe you should skip your intuition and do some testing before moving along with product development. Tim outlines a near fail proof method, you would be better off not ignoring his (and my) advice.

Hopefully the above made some more sense? If not I don't intend to not listen to great advice like yours, so please be critical its important! :)

I am specialised in small scale manufacturing, both as designer and manufacturer.

Feel free to contact me if you'd like to know more.

I'll send you a PM, thanks!
-Andrew
PS. I'm assuming that the information I've posted will not be taken and acted upon by someone else. I'm going to be applying for a patent on the product eventually as well...

[Sven]

No worries there, the only plants I am involved with are those that are made in to planks and boards and then boats.