Inventory - Amount and Variety

[Jeff Heinrichs]

I'm brand new to laser engraving as a business. I have been in either the capital equipment manufacturing industry, or the military for the last 30 years.

As a brand new laser engraver provider, I'm trying to get a sense for how much inventory and the variety that I should initially carry. I know that's probably the million dollar question that can't be answered without knowing exactly what I'm targeting. Since I can't know everything up front, here is my general targeted services:

• Material (mainly metal) etching for commercial business - engraving of their parts, so no need for inventory related to that
• Custom engraving for organizations that want products to sell for planned events
• Specialized engraving for end-consumers who want specialized products
• Creating of my own art/products to turn and sell through online or through retail shops locally - (lol... I'll hopefully be able to decide what I want to do there).
• Thinking of providing use of my laser to others for their art, products, etc.
• Not targeting the awards market specifically, but won't turn it down either.

I know this general, but I hope it's enough that I can solicit advice from others who started somewhere and with something for inventory. My initial thinking is to keep some sheet stock of 1/4" or 1/8" birch, acrylics, etc., rather than trying to keep specific "expensive" blank items around.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Scott Shepherd]

Hi Jeff, I'm sure others will offer their opinions, which I'm sure will differ from mine, but in my opinion, the top tier suppliers out there are so good that you need not stock much of anything. Most all materials are 1 day shipping away in many parts of the country, worst case being 2-3 days. Being able to order materials by 3:00 and have them show up the next morning with standard shipping has changed what we keep. I'd say pick up some material to do samples, get accounts set up at the major suppliers and get the orders before ordering the material.

[John Lifer]

Agreed, the items I've ordered from JDS​were always shipped quickly. I've ordered at 4pm, and they always ship that evening and I have in two days. Very little stock unless you have specific items you display and want immediately to engrave and sell. But just my opinion

[Gary Hair]

I agree with Scott about buying from top tier vendors. I'm in Eugene and any order I place with JDS before 3pm arrives the next day. Being in Portland you'll get the same service, in a bind you could even pick it up, they are just in Seattle. I would keep very little if I were you, at least until you get a better idea what your customers want. I started with about $15k in inventory 11 years ago and gradually tapered down to where I don't have any more than a few hundred $ at the most! If someone is in a bind and needs something faster than JDS can get it to me then they are pretty much S.O.L.

[Mike Null]

I keep laminated plastic on hand and a few sizes of a particular style of plaque along with about 5 versions of metal engraving or sublimation stock. Otherwise, my firm rule is to buy only as needed.

[Jeff Heinrichs]

Thanks for the great advice. I was worried I'd have to keep a vast and varied array of materials and blanks laying around in order to meet turn around times, but it looks like JDS is a great vendor, especially in the PNW.

BTW Gary - I like your work and your KEZI video. Sandblasting looks very interesting and maybe a little messy as well.

[Gary Hair]

BTW Gary - I like your work and your KEZI video. Sandblasting looks very interesting and maybe a little messy as well.

Thanks Jeff! Sandblasting can be messy but there are ways to mitigate the mess. That video you saw was outdoors and the city cleaned up after, all I had to do was show up and make a mess...

[Tim Bateson]

When I started I stocked a lot of "cool" things, and 9-10 years later are still gathering dust. So, depends on your business plan, how busy you are, and how much room you have on-hand. In my case, I'm a "Service business", so I engrave customer products not my own. I do keep a few (popular) colors of Rowmark around for a single customer that has weekly orders. On the rare event something such as a plaque is needed, it is only 1 -2 days away. If a customer can't wait that long, let them find another shop.

[John Kleiber]

Buy only a few samples to test on. As you perfect your technique showcase samples in your shop. Only display what you have done successfully.

Just like the others say, don't buy inventory, it will not end well.

I call it, "Selling from an empty cart."

[Ross Moshinsky]

Keep what you need. Order what you don't. Generally speaking, this isn't a business where people expect to walk in, place an order, have it picked, and walk out. This is an order and come back in a week type of business.

I do think it's good to have options for rush orders and there are financial incentives to ordering and having stock between case pricing and shipping. You just have to try your best to control your inventory as best as you can. Even the best companies can struggle at times and that's why you get sales and clearance racks.

[Kev Williams]

Move to SLC and forget all about all those shipping fees!

Within 10 miles of me is:

Marco Awards outlet, tons of awards and plaques and engraving metales, always handy-

Delvies Plastics, for Rowmark, Duets, lots of basic plex, badge hardware, always in stock--- IPI plastics by order, but no shipping charges...

Regional Supply, one of the nation's largest suppliers of anything to do with vinyl, acrylics, banners, screen printing, UV printing..

Machine Tools West, which is where the world's best Gravograph rep resides, along with repair & maintenance parts and most anything 'engraveable'...

About 15 miles away is Affiliated Metals, for ANYTHING metal...

Guess I'm lucky
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This is likely echoing everyone above, but here's what I'd buy for a 'starter kit'...

1 each 24 x 48" sheet of black/white, white/black, red/white, yellow/black-- these colors will take care of 80% of small plate and tag orders. Depending on costs, $60-$70 per sheet? (I don't really know, thanks to Delvies!)

1 12x24" sheet of black/gold lasersteel, and 1 sheet of black/silver lasereable aluminum. These will take care of 90% of "I need an award plate" orders... these sheets are $8 or less each-

Pick your favorite award place, Marco, JDS, whatever-- order 2 each of 3 sizes of the cheapest 'econo' plaques availlable- sized 5x7, 8x10, 9x12, and get an oak, a walnut, and a cherry. Maybe pick up a few of the 'marble' looking plaques...
AVOID dark edged plates, as the wood print tends to flake off at the edges. Beveled or contoured all wood print edge is what you want.
A dozen such plates will set you back less than $50 (plus shipping)...
-- For the one-off plaque orders I get, no one has ever complained about the cheap plaques, because the look good!

Open your phone book and find a sheet metal shop that works with 18-20 gauge 304 and 316 stainless, and find out if they can cut you some 1x3 or 2x3 etc etc pieces, approx. prices and lead time. Keep this info handy if someone asks for and SS ID plate.

Aside from that, you'll figure out as you go what to get...

[Robert Bonenfant]

Start small and build up - when I first started I spent $3400 on sheets of arcylic - sold four total order $189 . Had a few sheets of Baltic birch from a cabinet I build and that's all I use now. Didn't have to spend more than $50. Also try to find a focus on one part of your business - everyone buys machines and say I'm gonna do this and this and this but in reality you'll find one sub category that actually make money and boom your business grows. Focus on commercial customers they have the work and the money to place huge orders. Doing single run items takes up a lot of time so make sure you charge enough - example $10 an hour is not worth being in business - $75 is

[Joe Pelonio]

I always kept a good assortment of laminate (Rowmark) and eventually learned which colors were most popular for my regulars, plus plenty of assorted name plate holder, mostly wall mount, and badge findings, magnetic, pin and clip. I had a supplier for acrylic next door and for most everything else within a half hour drive. The few awards I did were all special ordered. Most of my work has always been wholesale production, the same items in quantity over and over.

[Mark Sipes]

Jeff I know you are aware that there is a Hugh warehouse in Portland.......... Western Trophy and Sign Supply.

Metal and Plastic..... plywood is another matter........


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