what direction is trade moving?

[Lee]

They say that 2 days is a long time in business, yet the forum is now 2 years old. What direction is the trade moving?

 

For me there have been 2 or 3 main changes in the past 2 years.

First of all (and on going) is the refresh to the look of my unit.

 

This has included a complete re-fit, & new signage. A new image has given me new incentive to arrive to work!

 

I always try to bring something new to my list of services each year and re-invest in machinery. In the past 2 years I have replaced 2 key machines and introduced1 new one.

I have also entered the world of vinyl cutting and although this was introduced to replace my own signage orders are beginning to become regular.

Finally in the last week or so I have brought a Nano Silver Klenz machine (for fun mainly).

So who knows where I will be in another 2 years!

 

What has happened to you business in the last 2 years?

 

Lee

[kobblers]

complete relocation and minor expansion hopefully we'll be going into sublimation soon and also transponder technology

[TITs]

Hello all, after another spell over the atlantic I have returned with new machines and great plans in hand, i visited nearl a dozen small to Med sized engraving stores only to discover that nearly all of them had moved into embroidery and sports apparell in a big way, In particular the custom gift ware sector doing bath towels for newly weds, Baby blankets for christenings and his and hers engagement robes and stuff like that, got the new machines delivered on thursday and have had 4 orders from customers who have seen us unboxing and setting up the stuff, If US trends are anything to go bye them I think we will see more and more engravers becoming embroiderers !

[petercoulson]

thats interesting tits, the embroidery market here is pushing into engraving more and more. perhaps engravers need to get there first?

[TITs]

Im going for it in a big way, My Thinking is " How much more biz can I get from the number of customers I already have " Already the sailing , football and rugby club have all started talking about kit, I expect to make at least 40% margin on clothing and £3-£9 per garment depending on work.

 

All our sports customers need clothing,caps,kitbags, Im going to have maybe 8-10 items of clothing in store and the rest via A4 presenter on the counter, Thats the way they are all doing it stateside. I was there in March and a few were doing it, last week they were nearly ALL doing it.

[petercoulson]

did you get machines over there or here?

[TITs]

Almost bought one at Trophex, but bottled it, Glad I did, there are real differances between "sudo-commercial" amd real commercial machines and a lot of the stuff being flogged at the shows are "toy" machines, I got the stuff from a UK supplier of Brother Commercial machines, I was swithering about it but when I saw the wave of interest stateside I phoned the UK from an engraving store in Toronto , and had them shipped up to scotland, I bought a single head machine and a seperate 4 head machine, I have gone in fairly heavy but my local maket is wide open and Im going to cover all the bases. But a good used single head machine will cost you £3-£4k and will do 10-15 items an hour.after you have your image sorted out.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

You can do Football boot tongues on them if you get the togue out of the boot, Trade service on the horizon methinks!!!

 

If Becks can get Romeo done why not target yer local school kids.

[TITs]

Becks has got millions , Im not going stealing kids school dinner money