Tips For Reducing Wastage

[Solventinkjet]

have you tried the 3 shells yet

Look at this guy! He doesn't know how to use the 3 shells!

 

[KMC]

vinyl/ laminate backers:
for templates / plotting paper for channel letters 3D signs and wrapping up signs etc
the plastic covers for rolls of vinyl to bag up decal bundles
Vinyl off cuts:
have a usable scrap shelf colour coded used for small jobs
and a school/ daycare box for other mini too small pieces that we cant use
coroplast:
we reuse the old ad copy that is marked for the trash for templates on larger channel letters or packing material
Alupanel, aluminum EX frames etc:
high school / collage students, artists buy the off cuts for projects

 

[Gino]

Do you guys recycle your shells or get rid of them right away ??

I've heard of people doing both.​

 

[KMC]

Do you guys recycle your shells or get rid of them right away ??

I've heard of people doing both.​

roll up client banners on them, use them for sword fights, build log cabins ...

 

[shoresigns]

The cores can make a good megaphone for yelling

Our shop dog goes nuts when we do that.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

The amount of trash this profession

Our shop dog goes nuts when we do that.

Mine too. And my 1st grader loves playing with them... She also gets my "mistake" Gemini letters

 

[JTBoh]

In some cases, leftover "scraps" of material are better off in the dumpster due to the amount of wasted time dealing with them, and the storage space they require. Most often, the time you spend looking for the "perfect" piece of scrap to do a job costs more than new material.

Exactly.
Vinyl is cheap compared to time. So is material if you have to trim it down, work the edges, etc.

 

[player]

I had my shop in a building with a larger metal manufacturer. We shared the large washrooms. There was always one, if not two guys taking a dump during the day, all day long. I realized that if my business expanded I would be paying someone to take a crap all day long, every day, year after year.

 

[Jake Howard]

Hi everyone. Thanks for the tips, and for the laughs.

Following this thread, the conclusions that I have come to include:

1. It is more important to save TIME then it is Material
2. Trying to save or utilise Wastage can sometimes cost you more in time than it is worth
3. Focus on the most expensive materials first

Thanks again everyone

 

[signman315]

wipe with one hand, eat with the other...toilet paper is for wimps

 

[signman315]

Seriously though, I use all the excess backing for packaging material instead of buying bubble wrap or peanuts. I save the plastic ends and boxes that I receive vinyl rolls in and ship out my orders using those, the same way I received them. I save the cardboard tubes from expended rolls and roll finished product onto them for outgoing shipping. I save the cover sheets from pallets of PVC/coro/etc and use those as separators in packaging for shipping. I save end rolls of clear laminate and use that to seal boxes instead of packaging tape.

I also place my own logos/marketing prints in the dead space of customer prints. Then I have plenty of my branded decals to give out as promotional items, place on outgoing shipments, etc.

But already mentioned is that time is the biggest waste....I design/produce all of my jobs with the installer in mind. If I spend a few extra minutes during the design/production phase then I can save the installer hours of time out in the field. Not only making their life easier and more productive but also getting them back into the shop as quickly as possible...generally speaking employees are more profitable in the shop then out of it. Not to mention my guys are very appreciative when the install is well-planned and easier so they are happier. Happier people make better signs faster.

 

[signman315]

And if you're the shop owner...learn as much as possible and participate in the day to day operations. You're saving the cost of an employee as well as keeping in the trenches with your crew. If your right there working with your crew it's easier to see and understand where the waste is happening, and you can also keep an eye on quality control. Plus it's easier for your people to respect you and take direction from you if they know that you are right there in the trench with them working towards a common goal....it goes both ways, you are also able to more easily understand their complaints and suggestions which will help you fine tune your business to reduce waste wherever you see it.

 

[equippaint]

It's a bit excessive to be using laminate for packing tape. I can guarantee that buying tape is cheaper. Personally, I think it looks tacky to pack up boxes with your garbage backing paper plus its pretty rigid but I'm not saying that I haven't done it. I'm all for conservation but proper packing materials are cheap and image is important. I feel the same reusing boxes with amazon on them.

 

[equippaint]

And if you're the shop owner...learn as much as possible and participate in the day to day operations. You're saving the cost of an employee as well as keeping in the trenches with your crew. If your right there working with your crew it's easier to see and understand where the waste is happening, and you can also keep an eye on quality control. Plus it's easier for your people to respect you and take direction from you if they know that you are right there in the trench with them working towards a common goal....it goes both ways, you are also able to more easily understand their complaints and suggestions which will help you fine tune your business to reduce waste wherever you see it.

I totally disagree. There's a saying that goes you can either work in your business or on your business. My employees know that I can work and I don't need to prove anything to them. They know my job is to keep the bills paid and the work coming in, their job is to do the work.

 

[Breezy85]

I save the larger pieces of vinyl for cutting small jobs or for quickie fixes. Anything too small for the plotter to have any room for cutting, I throw away. I have a single shelf under the table that has my excess vinyl. The tubes/cores I save for using as take up rolls on the printer or for shipping.

We had a week that there was barely anything going on. I spent a good deal of time going through a 32 gallon trash bucket full of rolls upon rolls of excess vinyl that the previous designer had thrown in there. Most of it rolled up too tight to use, and I threw 98% of it away. Another trash bucket full of scrap substrate---why? Don't ask, I don't know why they saved it. Most of it was useless. Threw all that away. I cleaned up so much and got rid of material they didn't need to be saving. We now have two more trash cans in case we need them. There's one shelf that's full of excess substrate that we've hardly used any of in the 8 months I've been here so far. No idea what it's being saved for and debating if I should clean that out too if I find time before I leave.

 

[Gino]

I like both sides of the fence on the employees and the owner becoming an employee.

Basically, when in business, if you are the owner, you do not want to be in the trenches with the rest of them, unless there's a problem or help is needed. Your job as owner... is running the business and making sure of quality control, unless you're lucky enough you have a responsible person in that capacity. I don't mind digging ditches, putting signs up, helping make them or whatever, but my real job, which was hard to comprehend..... is to make sure the business is there tomorrow, not be buds with the employees. I can show my fondness of them with lunches, bonuses and consideration of their needs.... if warranted.

Ya need to be able to either rule the roost or get down and get dirty, but not both on a routine basis.

 

[geb]

And if you're the shop owner...learn as much as possible and participate in the day to day operations. You're saving the cost of an employee as well as keeping in the trenches with your crew. If your right there working with your crew it's easier to see and understand where the waste is happening, and you can also keep an eye on quality control. Plus it's easier for your people to respect you and take direction from you if they know that you are right there in the trench with them working towards a common goal....it goes both ways, you are also able to more easily understand their complaints and suggestions which will help you fine tune your business to reduce waste wherever you see it.

I like what you think and say above.

George

 

[signman315]

I totally disagree. There's a saying that goes you can either work in your business or on your business. My employees know that I can work and I don't need to prove anything to them. They know my job is to keep the bills paid and the work coming in, their job is to do the work.

There's always advantages/disadvantages to doing it both ways and it really depends on your specific business/market/employees/etc....but per the original post had asked how to reduce waste and so my response focused on that and less about overall company strategy...we could debate until the cows come home about the pros/cons of acting as an employee within a business you own....but we could probably all agree that if you are trying to reduce waste and keep overhead low that working for your own company is one of many ways to do that....

 

[signman315]

It's a bit excessive to be using laminate for packing tape. I can guarantee that buying tape is cheaper. Personally, I think it looks tacky to pack up boxes with your garbage backing paper plus its pretty rigid but I'm not saying that I haven't done it. I'm all for conservation but proper packing materials are cheap and image is important. I feel the same reusing boxes with amazon on them.

You make good points, image IS everything. I'm only using laminate to pack boxes when I have end rolls that are too short to thread into the laminator and would be garbage otherwise. And we only reuse unbranded boxes, we receive a lot of goods in plain packaging that are easily reused/rebranded. And my customers have specifically thanked me for not using foam peanuts, the paper is more easily managed on their end and is no different than using the brown paper filler that ULine sells. Again we only use the unbranded liners so no unsightly logos, etc. We feel good about saving a few bucks and conserving the environment ever so slightly. Nothing huge but every little bit adds up through the years If I can save even a mere $1000 over the course of a year then I can justify giving an employee a $1000 bonus, which to the company is almost nothing but to the employee is great! The $1000 doesn't mean much to the company but that employee is going to be significantly more loyal, productive, and pleasant which shows in their work and the people they work with. You've now given them a reason to care about the company....one hand washes the other. All because you didn't buy as much packaging tape last year lol!