home Self-development How is the sale of forged products going? Cold forging as a business

How is the sale of forged products going? Cold forging as a business

We live in an age of rapidly developing technology. And gradually folk arts and crafts are being squeezed out of our lives. And, perhaps, forging is almost the only craft that not only has not disappeared in the course of technological progress, but, on the contrary, has recently become more and more popular. What is the reason? In demand. Nowadays, forging is firmly connected with the design of residential premises and offices, with landscape design. With the growing number of country and holiday villages, it is difficult to imagine without forged gates and gazebos. Forging is still in demand in the funeral business.

Forging is not only large outdoor products, but also objects that decorate interiors of different styles.

Forging is a synthesis of craft and art, making each item unique.

And therefore, now the business of manufacturing forged products is very promising.

What to choose: cold or hot forging?

Hot forging is an ancient blacksmith's craft. Since ancient times, in forges throughout Rus', iron was heated on fire, and then craftsmen gave the softened metal the desired shape.

This type of forging requires a lot of effort and time, but products forged in this way are truly unique.

Today there is a more modern version of metal processing - cold forging. Basically, when creating a product, ready-made forged elements are used. This is a less labor-intensive method for the master and cheaper for the customer.

It is not easy to compare two types of forging. Hot forging is uniqueness and elegance, cold forging is durability and reliability.

Imagine the situation: you have decided to create a business manufacturing forged products. The first question is: what kind of forging should I do? Hot forging requires, above all, skill and skill. And this takes time. Therefore, taking a realistic look at things, let’s first turn to cold forging and gradually begin to create a business.

Sales market and competition

Any production is consumer-oriented. Therefore, first you need to study the demand for forged products in your area. Are there cottage villages nearby, individual construction, are orders from the municipality possible?

Get to know your competitors, real and potential. These are not only business colleagues, but the production of this area, located nearby. Forge shops, which are now being opened by large metallurgical enterprises; imported forged Turkish products, very cheap compared to custom-made ones produced in a small workshop; products from Europe, which are more expensive than Turkish ones, but also in demand.

Even a funeral agency that has its own small workshop producing monuments and fences will also compete.

The creation of paving slabs is more relevant today than ever: more and more people want to improve the appearance of their garden, yard and just the surrounding area. Read in ours how to realize yourself in this business.

Fundamentals of the bookmaker business:

We are starting to produce products

Exists standard product list, with which all blacksmiths begin:

Over time, you can switch to producing exclusive products. This requires experience and the availability of individual orders. For example:

knight's armor for the interior of a country house;
unusual lamps (garden and indoor);
parts for furniture, etc.

Video: DIY metal forging as an art

DIY forged elements: where would we be without advertising?

Any business, big or small, needs advertising support.

You can use local media for this purpose by posting photos of products, your interview, customer reviews, or a large article about your business.

Use the Internet. For example, at least just submit ads on Avito.

Many large and small cities hold festivals of folk crafts, including blacksmiths, on City Day. (For example, every year in August such festivals are held in the ancient city of Ustyuzhna, Vologda region, where blacksmiths come even from abroad).

Profitability of the blacksmith business

Let’s take as a basis the situation that you made the first trial product in your garage and have not yet registered as an entrepreneur:

a set of the most necessary equipment for cold forging - 400 thousand rubles.

Now let’s calculate the cost of producing 1 meter of garden trellis with a height of 2 m:

metal – 500 rub.;
Anti-corrosion coating - 15 RUR;
electrodes – 20 rubles;
electricity – 100 rub.;
miscellaneous expenses - 400 rubles.

Total 1035 rubles.

One meter of forged product costs on average 3000 and above.

This will take more time if you have built a workshop. But this is also a more serious investment in business.

Paperwork

Creating any business starts with. Without it, it is impossible to issue the relevant documents. In many regions of the country you can get a good business plan.

Further registration must take place in accordance with the Law “On State Registration of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs dated August 8, 2001 No. 129-FZ”.

Metal forging ── is a promising line of business, and with proper organization it will flourish successfully.

Artistic forging has always been popular among buyers, although sometimes the prices for such products are too high. Despite the economic crisis, many private developers want to improve their home or site, for example, with a wrought-iron fence or handmade interior elements that not only look good, but are also a quality product.

If we talk about current realities, then it is better to launch artistic forging as a business either in large cities or in the suburbs. The price tag for these products is serious, and you need to primarily focus on the target audience, and these are wealthy people, of whom there are not many in the provinces. The second option is to work in a small town, with subsequent resale to a metropolis, but here you already need to attract the client by price and quality, and be able to convince him why he needs to use your services.

Who is a business selling forged products suitable for? Firstly, for people with a welding education who love to make beautiful and creative things and want to open their own business. Secondly, if you do not have a specialized education and work experience in this area, you will not be able to compete in the market, unless you hire qualified specialists. But as experience shows, if you don’t personally understand this, you will not be able to control the level of work done, and it will be difficult for you to evaluate all the business processes taking place. Alternatively, you can get a job as a welder in some competing company, work there and gain experience, and only then start your own business.

Documentation

To legally work in this direction, you will need to obtain all permits and receive all documents.

Here's a basic list of what you'll need:

open an individual entrepreneur or LLC.
indicate OKVED for the activity. For Russia it is 25.50. For Ukraine – 25.50.
If necessary, hire personnel.
conclude a rental agreement for premises or a deed of purchase and sale.
obtain permission to operate from the fire department.

These are the basic documents that you will need; to obtain more detailed information on this issue, it is advisable to use the services of a lawyer.

Technology selection

Before starting a metal forging business, you should decide what technology you will use. There are two main directions here:

cold forging.
hot forging.

If we talk about hot forging, then this is an ancient type of craft that requires special skills and abilities from the blacksmith. The entire manufacturing process of the product is carried out manually by heating the metal over a fire and then manually shaping the design. At the moment, the list of such masters is very small, but the price tag for unique products here is high.

At the start, we would advise you to look towards the cold forging business. This is the most commercially attractive option for a novice master. The base of the structure is also bent by heating the metal, but all decorative elements are purchased in stamped form and are subsequently attached to the base of the frame by welding. Due to the simply huge assortment of various stamped forging elements, the master can immediately draw a sketch of the future product and implement it step by step. The cold forging method reduces the production time of the same gates or benches and at the same time is not inferior in quality to the approach given above. A plus is the lower price tag for the products, which cannot affect sales volume, even during a crisis.

Searching for markets and assessing competition

The first is the issue of competition in the field of sales of artistic forging. In large cities, the level of competition is quite high, but at the same time, it is quite possible to start using online sales and advertising yourself on social networks, which many forges are not doing at the moment. In small towns, there are several such private enterprises, but you can also work there, since often either the quality of the products is poor, or the deadlines are delayed, or the price tag is inadequate. When considering this business idea, we can conclude that although the niche is filled with experienced players, with the right advertising approach, you can always get regular customers and take your place in this field of activity. Often it is your name as a brand that is formed, and people will turn to a specific master on the advice of friends and relatives. So, keep an eye on the company’s image through high quality and reasonable prices.

To analyze the market, you need to study the following questions:

number of competitive firms in your region.
volume of products sold.
pricing policy of enterprises.
the presence of good craftsmen and assessment of the quality of products in general.
how well their business is promoted, and what advertising methods are not used.

The main task is to find the weaknesses of competitors and fill this gap when organizing your own forging business.

The main markets include:

owners of private houses.
government agencies.
business structures.
sale of forged products in retail stores (tables, chairs, shelves).
funeral service agencies. For the design of fences at the cemetery.

These are just some of the options. In fact, everything will depend on what products you will focus on, for example, the production of interfloor stairs, this is a narrow niche, but it can bring in a solid income if you provide beautiful examples of work and a market price tag for services. You can start with a narrow segment, gradually expanding the list of works.

Location and premises

For a business producing and selling forged metal products, you will need to rent premises. The best location would be on the outskirts of the city. Why? Firstly, this is a low price tag for renting space. Secondly, forging involves a fairly noisy process of making the product, and this way you will be able to avoid complaints from your neighbors.

You can rent either a garage or a small hangar. For work, you can consider options from 60 sq.m. and more. All this is needed in order to divide the room into work areas. There should be several of them:

area for installing a work table and a shelf with tools.
a place for connecting welding and other equipment.
space for painting and sanding.
warehouse for storing finished products and materials.
staff rest area and bathroom.

This segmentation of the area will allow you to organize the entire process as conveniently as possible.

Equipment for artistic forging

Equipment plays an important role in the quality of the resulting products, of course, with the practical skills of the craftsman. In order to work comfortably, you will need a basic base of tools, and it is for this that you will need to allocate a separate item in the expense item when drawing up a business plan for a company for the production and sale of forged products.

Here is the basic list of what you will need:

welding machine.
Desktop.
workbench with cleavers.
Bulgarian.
cold forging machine. It heats up the metal and then changes its shape, for example twisting, bending, etc.
Grinder.
air compressor for painting products.
lathe, drilling and milling machines.
hood.
hand tools (hammer, screwdrivers, wrenches).
security alarm system.
furniture for staff.
racks and shelves for storing tools.
structures for storing finished products.

Depending on the focus of your business, you may need additional tools and accessories. Also, do not forget about safety precautions and always use gloves, safety glasses and masks.

Raw materials and components

The next stage is the purchase of consumables and ready-made stamped elements for work.

steel.
metal profile (square, pipe, corner, round timber and others).
primers, paints and solvents.
electrodes.
grinding and cutting wheels.
stamped forged elements.

All these materials can be found in stores or warehouses with rolled metal. If you live in a small town, then you can take a small wholesale batch of stamping and start selling elements for forging in your city at retail prices. This can bring in a small additional income to the main activity.

How to make products look marketable?

The times of standard artistic forging, which our grandfathers were engaged in, are long gone; now all artistic elements are made using stamping. You can buy them in specialized stores, which are usually located in large cities. Their prices start from $1 and above. By taking a price list with pictures, you can think about your future product in advance.

Product range

As we said above, in the forged products business you can choose two development paths. The first is to choose a narrow niche and build your portfolio in this direction. The second is to initially have different product options. Which one to choose is up to you. It is important to remember that the more examples of work you can provide to the customer, the more likely he is to buy your product. Also, using photographs of the work, you can often sell the client the version of the design that you have already implemented in practice, this will save your time, and the client will be able to see the finished version of the product in a “real” format.

The list can be very long, since forged products are partly an element of creativity. And you can come up with many different options, apply this approach in everyday life or in the design of something.

Advertising

The issue of marketing strategy for such a company is very important. Of course, you can’t do without standard approaches. You need a bright, large sign so that customers who want to come to you can find you on the outskirts of the city. Advertising in the media and online bulletin boards still gives good results.

To attract customers from the Internet, you can create your own website and run contextual advertising or engage in search engine promotion, which many of these enterprises do not do. The main thing on the site is the portfolio, price list and contact information.

One of the extraordinary methods of attracting clients is to search for customers on construction forums or in groups on social networks. But to do this, you need to be active on specialized resources and, by the way, sell your services to the target audience.

How much money is needed?

To really estimate the cost of opening such a production in your business plan, it is important to calculate all the costs of organizing the forging process itself and the subsequent sale of products.

Starting investments:

purchase of tools – $10,000
documentation – $200
corporate identity and advertising products (sign, website) – $750
starting purchase of consumables – $1500

Monthly costs:

premises rental – $5 – $8 per 1 sq.m.
utility bills - from 10% of the rental amount during the heating season.
taxes – $120
salary – from $200 per employee.
advertising – $100
transportation costs for delivery – $80

We have indicated only the basic costs of this business. Your list may be longer if you plan to provide an additional set of services.

Business profitability

What markup do specialists in this field usually make? In fact, it is purely individual. But in most regions, the cost of the product consists of half the cost of materials, the other half is paid for labor. If you gather a clientele, you can earn good money.

It would not be a bad idea to think about the delivery of goods. But at first, you can use the services of a cargo taxi until you buy your own car.

Here is an example of prices for finished products:

Forged gates, wicket - about $160 per 1 sq.m.
Wrought iron fence - about $65 - $70 per 1 sq.m.
Balcony fencing - about $120 per square meter.
Stair railings - about $130 per m.p.

By assessing these values, you can predict the approximate level of earnings from certain products.

The payback period for a business is on average 1.5 years or more.

Conclusions. The forging business is a profitable niche for real craftsmen who live and are interested in this simultaneously creative and technical process. It’s difficult to attract a client and make a sale, but if you have a good portfolio, high quality work without delaying the deadline for the product, and an adequate price tag, you can find your audience. This business is a stable source of income for many years.

Do you have experience in this niche? We look forward to your feedback in the comments below.

Forging is a metal processing process that takes place under the influence of high temperatures. Each metal has its own specific forging temperature. It depends on the physical and chemical properties of the metal. The forging process is quite complex and difficult, but creative.

Nowadays, there is an increasing demand for forged products, which have become fashionable to use in the design of furniture elements, room design and in the garden. Cold and artistic forging are especially popular.

Pros and cons of forging production

The essence of this process is that metal is given a certain shape by applying force to it. To carry out cold forging of metal, special equipment is used.

The advantages of this process:

The specialist who performs this work does not need high qualifications, since the bulk of the work is performed automatically.
This type of metal processing is characterized by a stencil type. This means that the entire process is carried out according to a pre-made template.

Disadvantages of this process:

With this method of processing metal blanks, physical force is used, so after some time the metal will again try to take its original shape. Let this happen in a hundred years, but it will definitely happen and the product will lose its decorative form.
Due to the fact that almost the entire process is automated, it is not possible to achieve uniqueness of the product. That is, this method is not unique.

Artistic forging as one of the types of business

The principle of this process is that a metal workpiece is given a certain shape as a result of exposure to physical force, while the metal is exposed to high temperature.

This method can confidently be called unique, since it is not possible to hit the same place twice with a hammer. The products may be similar, but not perfect; each will have its own characteristics and differences. Products made using this method add coziness, comfort and warmth to any room or element.

Video on receiving subsidies from the state for business development

Due to the fact that forged products have become very popular in our time, forging can become a good and profitable type of business. There are pros and cons to developing this business.

In order to use artistic forging as a type of business, you need to invest a lot of money. To begin with, you need to have a room in which the entire process will take place. Then the room must be fully equipped for work: purchase a press, forge, exhaust hood and other equipment for forging. And it costs quite a lot. Therefore, there is no way to do without initial capital. I would like to note that this business will be quite profitable. The profitability of a small enterprise is approximately forty percent, and this makes it possible to recoup all costs in approximately two or three seasons.

If you decide to start blacksmithing at home, you should not forget that you will have quite a lot of competitors and, basically, these will be blacksmith artels or small workshops. Your business of manufacturing products using artistic forging will be seasonal, which means that income will not come all year round, but seasonally. Basically, the seasonality of this business is associated with the construction season, that is, in the warm season. This is explained by the fact that with this method of metal processing, exclusive items are made that are used not in a stream, but individually.

Cold metal processing

Cold forging, as one type of business, is considered more profitable than artistic forging. This is due to the fact that this type of income requires significantly less costs. After all, to organize it you will not need to purchase a forge and equip your workplace with the expectation of heating workpieces under the influence of high temperatures.

In addition, as a result of this processing method, metals are made into wickets, gates, fences, fences, garden or park benches. That is, the product is not seasonal, which means production will constantly generate profit. Let it be little by little, but steadily. This means that artistic forging, as one of the business options, is inferior to cold forging.

Factors that influence the formation of the price of a product

In order to determine whether this or that type of metal processing will be profitable, you should determine the cost of the product. And to determine its cost, it is necessary to take into account and calculate several factors:

Cost of purchased metal for the manufacture of blanks
Uniqueness of products
Master's reputation
Product quality
Business profitability
Presence of competitors
The number of potential orders and customers who will order a custom product.

Only after analyzing these factors can you make a decision about organizing one or another type of business related to metal processing.

History of forging.

Since ancient times, blacksmiths have been held in high esteem in Rus'. They were endowed with supernatural power, giving opportunities inaccessible to ordinary people. People often turned to them for help and advice, and during times of illness, a common person often went to a blacksmith rather than a doctor. There was always a lot of trust in them. In the old days, blacksmiths even sealed people's unions. There was a belief that such marriages would be even stronger than church ones. And iron itself in Rus' has long been considered a talisman, and horseshoes to this day adorn many entrances to the house. They are hung to protect against uninvited guests and evil spirits; it is believed that an evil spirit will not be able to pass under the horseshoe. In the old days they believed in the power of a horseshoe attached above the bed. It was believed that it would protect a person’s sleep from nightmare visions.

Since the times of Kievan Rus there has been no replacement for blacksmiths. From their forges came agricultural implements and craft tools that fed families, household items, weapons and armor for warriors, and harnesses for horses. None of these things can be made with low quality; the life of a person of that time often depended on the skills of a blacksmith, so people who went into this profession were famous for their hard work and attentiveness.

Artistic forging gained momentum in Russia later, in the 17th-18th centuries. This was largely due to the sufficient development of metallurgy. A large amount of metal gave blacksmiths the opportunity to put into practice the experience accumulated over centuries not only to create ordinary things, but also to create mesmerizingly beautiful decorative elements. Around this time, the weight of the blacksmith's products also increased. This became possible thanks to the technological progress of that time. Forges received “samokovs” or, more simply, mechanical hammers driven by water.

What is metal forging? Types of forging.

The definition of forging is given in various regulatory documents of the country as metal forming by local application of load. This strict concept in many ways clearly explains the images of a hammer and an anvil that pop up in the head.
Blacksmithing can be divided into a number of positions. According to the production method, there are manual and mechanical forging. And if the first depends directly on the skills of the master, then the key to success of the second is the presence and coordinated work of all kinds of devices and machines. According to the type of products produced - ordinary and artistic. The degree of heating of the processed metal gives rise to two more types: cold and hot forging. Here we will dwell on them in more detail.
Almost all steel products can be forged either hot or cold. But does this make sense? When cold forging large products, too much effort and time will be spent on this, and when hot forging small products, a significant part of the material will be wasted due to the formation of scale.

Cold forging.

Cold forging is often used instead of stamping or casting, which are much less suitable for creating sufficiently strong parts. This is ensured by simultaneous bending and pressing of the rod during processing. However, forging also has its disadvantages: in the event of a mistake, correcting the mistake on a finished part that is practically not subject to deformation is not always possible in practice and is very labor-intensive. Thus, correcting a defect in one element entails heating the entire product, directly changing the problem area, and then bringing other sections of the structure that were deformed during heating to their original shape.

The scope of application of cold forging products is very wide:
-grills for windows and doors (products can be made according to the standard, or they can be unique works of art created by the hand of a master)
- artistic elements of the facade (lanterns, flower baskets, figured railings of stairs, balconies and much more)
-artistic and simply functional fences, wickets and gates
-decorative furniture and its elements (legs of tables and chairs, benches, etc.)

Automation of the cold forging process and the ability to “cut” products according to a given stencil allows us to produce gratings, stairs, fences and other popular products in fairly large quantities. With this technology, the metal is not heated, with the exception of partial heating of the connecting nodes of the product. The artistic component of this type of metal processing is highlighted by the price issue: the exclusive work of a master costs several times more.

Equipment and tools for cold forging of metal.

Let's look at them in more detail.

This small set of tools is designed to make blacksmithing easier; it is supplemented depending on the goals and capabilities of the master, but it is quite enough to start your own business. Experienced forge masters make many of these devices on their own, the reason for this is the low functionality of industrial designs.

As development progresses, it will be possible to take a closer look at more serious CNC equipment to automate the production of forged products.

In addition to the above equipment, for a successful metal forging business, you also need to stock up on stamps.

Hot metal forging.

Metal forging with preheating is used in cases where, in order to shape large enough products, it is necessary to deform without destroying the material. In a heated state, the metal becomes more plastic and allows various manipulations with it without fear of chips, cracks and other troubles.

The manual labor of a hot forging master is highly valued. This labor-intensive process allows you to create real works of art. Metal roses and lilies, striking in their precise repetition of the lines and sizes of natural flowers. Each product that comes out of the hands of such a master is unique. It will not be possible to repeat the plan twice on hot material: in any case, there will be differences.
Hot forging also has its unpopular features. Firstly, the economic side of the issue: the cost of fuel for forge (chamber) furnaces has not been canceled and this increases the cost of the final product. Secondly, there are difficulties with calculations, because due to the thermal expansion of the metal, the released part is in a hot state more than in a cold state. Consequently, in order for the product to comply with the drawings, it is necessary to make allowance for the compression of the metal during cooling, and for inexperienced craftsmen this is a significant difficulty. When producing products with significant mass, it is also necessary to install additional equipment for transportation, usually mechanical or electric hoists.
The main tools for hot forging of metal include pliers, a sledgehammer, a set of hammers of various shapes and weights, all kinds of punches, crimpers and smoothers, chisels and handbrake tools. Everything that can help give ductile metal the desired shape.

How to start your own metal forging business?

The metal forging business, like many other businesses, begins with a simple hobby. After you have given samples of your products to your friends and acquaintances, word of mouth begins to work and the first clients appear. By this point, you already have experience and some confidence in your “new” job. Confidence helps you communicate with strangers. But don’t forget that you need to constantly improve your skills and experiment.

Your first products will be simple and, in a sense, even primitive, but over time, if you understand that metal forging is truly your business, you will learn to do something that many others will not be able to do. It is also worth adding that each forging master has his own characteristics and his own style in his work, which has been developed for many years and is precisely thanks to which new clients are drawn to him.

You should start your business with minimal investment. If we break down the start of a metal forging business step by step, we will probably get the following picture:

An important point at the very beginning of a business is studying your region, your future competitors and markets.
You know:

How many companies and individual entrepreneurs are engaged in metal forging in your region?
What is the demand for forged products?
Where do your competitors buy material and at what prices?
Main markets for products?
Is this production seasonal?
What advertising works best in your region?
What is the average check amount?
What is the average number of clients over different periods?
Which forged products are in greatest demand?

In general, the better your research, the more accurate your business plan will be, which will be the key document in your business.
In the business plan, you also need to reflect your uniqueness in your work, which is called indicating your individuality.
If you do not have money to purchase equipment, but after drawing up a business plan you have confidence in your business, try contacting the employment center to receive a subsidy. Many small entrepreneurs manage to receive start-up capital free of charge.

When starting a metal forging business, you should understand that the concepts of cold forging and hot forging are absolutely compatible things. Since both cannot exist without each other. It is impossible to make a stamp on a part without first heating it. There are also parts that need and can be shaped without heating them, which is called cold.

Room. Forging workshop.

Compared to the ancient Russian forge, the modern forging workshop has changed a lot. In the old days, a blacksmith made small items. Routine work included horseshoes or rims for cart wheels and all kinds of household utensils. The pinnacle of creativity of blacksmiths of that time were swords and sabers. Some examples of the work of ancient gunsmiths are still pleasing to the eye in museums today. The production of all this does not require large premises, so the forge of that time was not very large. However, the idea of a blacksmith’s workplace was formed precisely during that period. If the conversation turns to it, our imagination draws us a furnace, an anvil, a hammer and a container filled with water to cool the metal.

Today the forging workshop is a technologically advanced and largely automated production. Sledgehammer blows replaced mechanical hammers. Manual work was given over to programmable machines. The small room expanded to huge areas, divided between assembly, painting, and element creation workshops. The variety of premises varies depending on the type of production. Heating the metal to the deformation temperature was no longer necessary: the hot cutting was replaced by threading using industrial shears.

Large production is unthinkable without significant progressive changes. However, with the increase in the volume of output, its individuality was lost somewhere. The same type of railings and stairs, bars and fences filled everything around. And it was precisely thanks to this that the craft work of the blacksmith began to be revived. Exclusive things have always been in price, and now, when everything around is the same, standing out against the background of monotonous hedges, a hand-forged fence elevates the status of its owner above the rest. Unique forged products are in demand more than ever before. This creates favorable soil for the development of small businesses in the field of artistic metal forging.

To start your own business in metal forging, a room in the form of a garage measuring 6x4 meters, which equals 24 sq.m., will be enough.

The following zones must be located in the room:

Slipway - approximate size 200x200 cm
Desk – 200x80 cm
Procurement zone – 350x40 cm
Rack for metal – 250x50 cm
Ventilation area – 150x100 cm

Process and technology for the production of forged products.

The algorithm for creating a forged product is in most cases very similar. It can be divided into certain stages.

Stage one or what we will actually do. This is the period of searching for drawings, drawings or simply prototypes for a future creation. There are no difficulties with this - fortunately, the Internet and print media have devoted a lot to this issue, and city streets are often full of forged jewelry. Especially talented individuals can independently develop the design of their product.

Stage two – purchase of metal. The standard metal profile has a length of 6 meters. The quantity of material should be planned in such a way that there is no need for a second visit to the supplier or warehouse later. It's better to make some reserve. There are quite a few cases of its application in practice. From a simple error when calculating the material, to accidentally damaged elements during the production process.

After the delivery of metal raw materials, stage number three often arises: pre-processing of raw materials or simply cleaning from rust and dirt. The material could get dirty during transportation, and its surface becomes corroded due to the fact that most metal depots do not bother to build a covered warehouse or even a canopy over rolled metal products.

The fourth stage is already carried out at the blacksmith’s main workplace and involves the manufacture of a frame. For some products it may not be needed, but it is still worth pointing out the features of its production. The frame must have perfectly even corners and match the dimensions. In artistic forging, the frame size is measured along the outer sides.

Stage five. Drawing. Image of the product in a one-to-one scale on a handy surface for subsequent measurements and cutting of metal raw materials. Measuring the length due to the figured shape of the elements is most easily done with a rope: we lay it on top of the drawn line, then, in an unfolded form, apply it to the rod. After this, the required part of the metal is cut off. Everyone understands about maintaining accuracy in all the above-described manipulations.

When assembling products, the production of small elements is always required. The sixth stage will be their creation. Smooth workpieces are given the shape conceived by the master by deformation using the devices described above. If the assembly of the final product requires many similar parts, it is necessary to make them as identical as possible.

By all rules, the seventh stage should imply the collection of all elements into a single creation. Here it is almost never possible to do without adjusting the parts to each other. Trim here, tweak here, the main thing is not to get carried away and not distort the originally intended product. To do this, you need to check the drawing each time. When you are sure that all the parts have been assembled correctly, secure them in place with light welding.

Stage eight. Final welding of all elements together. If it is a lattice or fence, then after boiling all the elements on one side, you need to turn it over and repeat the procedure on the other side. It should be remembered that after the final welding of the elements, it will be impossible to change the type of product. Before you start welding, you should check everything carefully again.

After the product has acquired its almost final appearance, it is necessary to remove all excess. This is the ninth stage. Welding scales do not in any way decorate products for interior or facade decoration, nor do rough welds. The former must be removed, and the latter must be cleaned until the desired smooth shape is formed.

The tenth stage is often associated with decoration products. This is the time to decorate the product. There is a large selection of welding elements available for wrought iron products. When choosing, you should give preference only to options that are similar in style. Different styles of decorating elements can ultimately ruin all the efforts of the master.

The eleventh stage is necessary due to the metal's susceptibility to corrosion. The finished product should be primed and painted. The primer for these purposes should be chosen in an inverse color both in relation to the metal and in relation to the paint. This will make it easier to see flaws in the application. This type of product coating is required for outdoor elements, but if the forged element is located indoors, to save money, you can limit yourself to just a layer of paint.

Stage twelve or how to increase the cost of the finished product. It consists of performing additional activities to decorate the product. Examples include giving the effect of aging or gilding of individual elements. It all depends on the taste of the master or the requirements of the customer, the main thing here is not to overdo it. As they say: the best is the enemy of the good.

Sales of products.

To organize your own good product market, you need to decide on the demographic for which this product is actually suitable and make sure that this potential client wants to buy it here. So for standard products produced by cold forging, such as stairs, railings, gratings, the choice of buyers is very, very wide. However, a business limited only to the production of such products will not always be able to overcome the competition of large factories and industrial associations that have devoted many decades to this issue.

Buyers for artistic forging are more difficult to find, but competition for this item is quite acceptable. Decorative metal products are often needed by people with good or moderate incomes who want to decorate their homes, as well as wealthy offices for decorating office facades. The experience of cooperation with construction teams engaged in the construction of individual houses, cottages, estates or administrative buildings will also be positive. They will take upon themselves the coordination of product sketches with clients, and all you have to do is complete your work on time and with high quality.

It’s good if the work is done to order, but this also needs to be earned. A person usually trusts either something that someone has already tried and given personal positive recommendations, or a well-known brand that will not fail to maintain their own reputation. Any company, even the smallest one, can make its brand popular through advertising. The main thing is not to miss when choosing funds.

The following PR moves are suitable for artistic forging:
- personal contact with the consumer. A face-to-face conversation always gives better results than empty chatter on the phone. The buyer will be more likely to be interested in you if he personally sees your work and is convinced of your professionalism.
- advertising in the media. The cheapest and most expensive type of advertising at the same time. It all depends on the choice of location. The most affordable option is free. This is an advertisement on the Internet on popular sites that have a suitable contingent of visitors. The most expensive is television. The roller will hit your pocket hard at the most opportune time.
- outdoor types of advertising in “suitable” places, for example, a billboard near the entrance to a new cottage community, the construction of which is in full swing.

In any case, you can find a bunch of options both for a well-earning business and for beginners, for whom advertising is a necessary event, but due to the low turnover it is low budget. For industries that have not yet reached full strength, advertising on the Internet or simply submitting an ad in a newspaper is suitable. At the initial stage, you should not shell out money for expensive television or radio commercials; the effect of them is not always immediately visible, and the cost is not always reasonable. Remember, your money should not be wasted.

Financial plan.

Costs and profit per unit of production:

This calculation shows that having spent 9,905 rubles on production and sold for 29,700 rubles, you get a pretty good profit.

Investments in metal forging business.

Equipment:

Necessary elements for the production of forged products - 200,000 rubles.
Grinding machine – 2,000 rubles.
Welding machine – 10,000 rubles.
Compressor – 15,000 rub.
Welder's table - 20,000 rubles.
Rack – 10,000 rub.
Slipway – 15,000 rub.
Cutting machine - abrasive - 15,000 rubles.
Ventilation – 15,000 rub.

Total for equipment: RUB 302,000.

Premises:
Rent of premises – 30,000 rubles. per month

Grand total: 412,000 rubles.

If the business plan is implemented correctly, the payback period for the business should not exceed 6 months.

Options for manufacturing forged products.