Do you want to start a 3D wallpaper production company? If YES, here is a complete guide to starting a 3D wallpaper manufacturing business with NO money and no experience. 3D wallpapers are used for the beautification of houses. 3D wallpapers are the in-thing when it comes to home decoration.
Though it has been several decades since wallpapers appeared in the home decoration market, they are gaining immense acceptance by people with distinct intents around the globe. Typically, a wallpaper is a woven or non-woven backing with decorative printing.
Steps to Starting a 3D Wallpaper Manufacturing Business
1. Understand the Industry
3D wallpaper is made with a backing, ground coat, applied ink, and sometimes paste on the backing used to adhere the paper to the wall.
Non-woven backings can be of ground wood, wood pulp, or wood pulp with a synthetic material. Woven backings are those made of sturdy woven textiles such as drill (heavy woven cotton much like jean material). The woven backing is then coated and printed.
The demand for 3D wallpapers has rebounded strongly from its prior slump as consumers, armed with thicker wallets, have sought quality wallpapers for their homes. Wallpapers are used throughout the construction sector, primarily in residential construction.
Nearly 90.0 percent of 3D wallpapers are used for residential construction, while commercial and industrial construction account for the remainder of industry sales. Therefore, industry performance relies heavily on the level of remodeling activity and commercial and industrial construction activity.
The industry prior to 2017 has experienced growth as new constructions boosted demand for building products. So also, the trends in interior design industry have favored the comfortable, polished look that quality 3D wallpapers can bring to a space, convincing retailers to continue to purchase and market 3D wallpapers.
Please note that the 3D wallpaper manufacturing industry has been challenged by rising competition from wood substitute products.
Some of the factors that encourage entrepreneurs to start their own 3D wallpaper manufacturing company is that the business is thriving and the products can be sold not just in your country but all across the globe because there is a large market for 3D wallpapers manufactured in the united states of America.
Good enough, the construction cum real estate industry is experiencing a rebound in the United States and this in effect means that there will be increasing demand for 3D wallpapers and similar products hence a newcomer into this business still has the opportunity to get a fair share of the available market especially within his or her immediate community.
2. Conduct Market Research and Feasibility Studies
- Demographics and Psychographics
The demographic and psychographic composition of those who make use of 3D wallpapers is far reaching; homes, studios, offices, schools, industries, banks, etc make use of 3D wallpapers if they so wish hence the demographic composition for a 3D wallpapers manufacturing business is far reaching.
The bottom line is that accelerating construction in the residential and nonresidential sectors will continue to boost demand for this product.
If you are thinking of starting your own 3D wallpaper manufacturing business, then you should look beyond producing and marketing your 3D wallpapers to just people and businesses in your city, but also to people across the United States of America and other parts of the world especially if you have a product that can favorably compete with 3D wallpapers manufactured in other parts of the world.
3. Decide Which Niche to Concentrate On
When it comes to 3D wallpaper manufacturing, it is important to state that there is no niche idea in this line of business because 3D wallpaper manufacturing is a niche within the wallpaper manufacturing industry.
The Level of Competition in the Industry
The competition that exists in this business goes beyond competitions in your city or country; it is both national and international because, major brands manufactured in China, Germany, France, Argentina, Italy, united kingdom and other parts of the world can be found in stores all across the United States of America.
So, it will be right to say the competition in the 3D wallpaper manufacturing business is tough. But come to think of it, if there are no competition in an industry, it means the industry is not profitable or a major player is monopolizing the market.
The fact that there are a number of registered and licensed 3D wallpaper manufacturing companies scattered all around the United States of America shows that the industry is profitable hence the competition.
4. Know Your Major Competitors in the Industry
These are some of the leading 3D wallpaper manufacturing companies in the United States of America and in the globe;
- Lyons Handcrafted Wallpaper
- Jolie Papier Ltd
- Wallquest Inc.
- Karen Joy Arrington
- Anya Larkin Ltd
- Wolf-Gordon Inc.
- Abram Davis Wallcovering
- Adelphi Paper Hangings
- Andrew Tracy Corporation
- Angel Custom Wallcovering
- Anthony Colamarino Wallpaper
- Anthony English Wallpapering
- A To Z Wall Covering
- Bluegrass Paint and Decorating
- Brewster Wallcovering
- Burlington Design Center Inc
- Burrier Wallcovering Inc
- Collins And Company, LLC
- Daryl C Reese Wallpapering
- Edge Wall Covering
Economic Analysis
Just like any other business, when starting a 3D wallpaper manufacturing business, you just have to get your economic analysis right if your intention of building the business is to generate profits, grow the business, sell franchise and perhaps expand your distribution network beyond one location to another.
When conducting economic analysis for your 3D wallpaper manufacturing business, you just have to critically examine these key factors; place, product, pricing, and promotion. As a matter of fact, you would have to continue to review these key factors at regular intervals.
It is important to note that payment of utility bills, rent, packaging and promotion and of course the purchase of raw materials and other supplies is one of the most important factors contributing to the overall cost of a 3D wallpaper manufacturing business and should be considered as a major factor when carrying out your economic analysis.
5. Decide Whether to Buy a Franchise or Start from Scratch
Unfortunately, you can hardly find the franchise of a 3D Wallpaper Manufacturing Company to purchase meaning that if you want to own such business, you must be ready to start from the scratch. The business is open and still pretty much thriving and there are loads of opportunities available to aspiring entrepreneurs that are interested in the industry.
The truth is that it will pay you to start your 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Company from the scratch. Starting from the scratch will afford you the opportunity to conduct thorough market survey and feasibility studies before choosing a location to launch the business.
Besides, most of the big and successful 3D wallpapers manufacturing companies around started from the scratch and they were able to build a solid business brand. It takes dedications, hard work and determination to achieve business success.
6. Know the Possible Threats and Challenges You Will Face
Amongst the obvious threats and challenges you will face when you decide to start a 3D wallpaper manufacturing business is the fact that the industry has been challenged by rising competition from wood substitute products. The rising imports are expected to add more competition and the rising use of substitute products has hurt industry demand.
For example, wall designs made of wood, and fiberglass et al, have become increasingly popular because they are durable. Another of the major threats that you are likely going to face is economic downturn and unfavorable government policies; policies that discourage the falling down of trees.
It is a fact that economic downturn affects purchasing power. Another threat we may likely face is the arrival of new 3D wallpaper manufacturing companies in same location where your target market exists.
7. Choose the Most Suitable Legal Entity (LLC, C Corp, S Corp)
These are some of the factors you should consider before choosing a legal entity for your 3D wallpaper manufacturing business; limitation of personal liability, ease of transferability, admission of new owners and investors’ expectation and of course taxes.
If you take your time to critically study the various legal entity to use for your 3D wallpapers manufacturing business, you will agree that Limited Liability Company is most suitable. You can start this type of business as limited liability company (LLC) and in future convert it to a ‘C’ corporation or an ‘S’ corporation especially when you have the plans of going public.
Upgrading to a ‘C’ corporation or ‘S’ corporation will give you the opportunity to grow your business so as to compete with major players in the industry; you will be able to generate capital from venture capital firms, you will enjoy separate tax structure, and you can easily transfer ownership of the company.
8. Choose a Catchy Business Name
You will agree that when it comes to choosing a name for your business, you should be creative because whatever name you choose for your business will go a long way to create a perception of what the business represents. If you are considering starting your own 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Company, here are some catchy names that you can choose from;
- Woodcroft Designs® 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Company, Inc.
- Craft Mason® 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing, Inc.
- Bob Sancho® 3D Wallpapers Production Company, Inc.
- Inglewood City® 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Company
- Rowland Barros® 3D Wallpapers Brand, Inc.
- Michael Culberson® 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Co, Inc.
- Handmade® 3D Wallpapers Production Company
- Treviso Kinston ® 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Co, LLC
- Perfect Edge® 3D Wallpapers Production Company, Inc.
- Red Culture® 3D Wallpapers Production Company, Inc.
9. Discuss with an Agent to Know the Best Insurance Policies for You
In the United States and in most countries of the world, you can’t operate a business without having some of the basic insurance policy covers that are required by the industry you want to operate from. So, it is important to create a budget for insurance and perhaps consult an insurance broker to guide you in choosing the best and most appropriate insurance policies for your business.
Here are some of the basic insurance covers that you should consider purchasing if you want to start your own 3D wallpaper manufacturing business in the United States of America;
- General insurance
- Health insurance
- Liability insurance
- Workers Compensation
- Overhead expense disability insurance
- Business owner’s policy group insurance
- Payment protection insurance
- Facility /Building insurance
10. Protect your Intellectual Property With Trademark, Copyrights, Patents
If at all there are any business that requires intellectual property protection, then 3D wallpaper manufacturing should be one of them. The truth is that your design and your style need to be protected or else anybody can successfully fake or create similar products.
So, if you want to protect your unique design, your company’s logo and other documents or software that are unique to you or even jingles and media production concepts, then you can go ahead to file for intellectual property protection. If you want to register your trademark, you are expected to begin the process by filing an application with the USPTO.
11. Get the Necessary Professional Certification
Although you do not need any special professional certification before you can successfully start your own 3D Wallpaper Manufacturing Company, but you will do yourself a whole lot of favor if you study arts and crafts (interior designs) or a related course. It will afford you the opportunity to truly maximize the business.
12. Get the Necessary Legal Documents You Need to Operate
These are some of the basic legal documents that you are expected to have in place if you want to legally run your own 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Company in the United States of America;
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Business License
- Business Plan
- Non – disclosure Agreement
- Employee Handbook
- Employment Agreement (offer letters)
- Operating Agreement for LLCs
- Insurance Policy
- Consulting contract documents
- Online Terms of Use
- Online Privacy Policy Document
- Apostille (for those who intend operating beyond the United States of America)
13. Raise the Needed Startup Capital
Please note that starting a 3D wallpapers manufacturing business can be capital intensive. Securing a standard production facility is part of what will consume a large chunk of your startup capital, but if you choose to start the business on a large scale, you would need to source for fund to finance the business.
When it comes to financing a business, the major factors that you should consider is to write a good business plan. If you have a good and workable business plan document in place, you may not have to labor yourself before convincing your bank, investors and your friends to invest in your business.
Here are some of the options you can explore when sourcing for startup capital for your business;
- Raising money from personal savings and sale of personal stocks and properties
- Raising money from investors and business partners
- Sell shares to interested investors
- Applying for Loan from your Bank
- Pitching your business idea and applying for business grants and seed funding from donor organizations and angel investors
- Source for soft loans from your family members and your friends.
14. Choose a Suitable Location for your Business
When it comes to choosing a location for your 3D wallpapers manufacturing business, the rule of thumb is that you should be guided by the demand for such product and easy access to labor and raw materials in the location you so desire to start the business.
It cannot be overemphasized that the location you chose to open your 3D wallpaper manufacturing business is key to the success of the business, hence entrepreneurs are willing to rent or lease a facility in a visible location; a location where the demography consists of people and businesses who will patronize them.
These are some of the key factors that you should consider before choosing a location for your 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Company;
- The demography of the location as it relates to residential construction and interior decoration activities
- The demand for 3D wallpaper in the location
- The purchasing power of the residents of the location
- Accessibility of the location
- The number of 3D wallpapers manufacturing companies and related production companies in the location that also produce 3D wallpapers and other forms of wall decoration
- The local laws and regulations in the community/state as it relates to leasing facilities for industrial productions
- Traffic, parking and security et al
15. Hire Employees for your Technical and Manpower Needs
If you are considering setting up a 3D Wallpaper Manufacturing Company, it means that you should be prepared to purchase equipment and machines such as industrial printing machines and 3D printers, industrial cutting and paint spraying machines et al.
If you don’t have enough cash, you can start with fairly used equipment/machines but if you are financially buoyant, then you should go for brand new ones since they usually have a long life span.
As regards leasing or outright purchase of a production facility or warehouse facility, the choice is dependent on your financial standings, but the truth is that to be on the safe side, it is advisable to start off with a short – term rent / lease while test running the business in the location. If things work out as planned, then you go on a long – term lease or outright purchase of the property.
When it comes to hiring employees for a standard 3D Wallpaper Manufacturing Company, you should make plans to hire a competent Chief Executive Officer (you can occupy this role), Admin and Human Resources Manager, Sales and Marketing Manager, Production Manager, Quality Control Officer, Paper Crafts Professionals, Accountant, Distribution / Delivery Van Drivers and Client Services Executive.
On the average, you will need a minimum of 5 to 20 key staff members to run a small – scale but standard 3D Wallpaper Manufacturing Company.
The Services Delivery Process of the Business
Manufacturing process of wallpapers involves using a wide variety of raw materials. Typically, wallpapers consist of a backing, applied ink, ground coat, etc. Non-woven backings are made of ground wood, wood pulp, or wood pulp combined with synthetic materials. Wallpaper manufacturing is an elaborate process and it involves various stages.
Step 1: Making the Paper
An entire tree is used for producing ground wood sheets of paper. The bark is removed from the tree, and the tree is pressed against a revolving tread. It results in grinding the wood into slurry. This is used for making a ground wood sheet, a relatively low-cost wallpaper backing.
Wood pulp sheets are obtained by debarking a tree and then chipping it into a slurry. Lignin is an element that cements the wood together.
It is separated from rest of the wood pulp by means of running the slurry mixture through a pulp mill along with an application of chlorine dioxide and oxygen. Wood pulp sheets are mixed with fibers. For additional texture, synthetic fibers can also be mixed.
A typical roll of paper from the mill is 65 inch or 1.65 m wide and 6,707 m long. It weighs about a ton. Each paper roll is cut into six sub-rolls, each about 21 inch wide and 3,048 m long. This makes it easier for printing into different sizes of wallpapers to match different commercial and residential requirements.
Step 2: Coating
Before printing the pattern on the wallpaper, the backing needs to be coated with a ground color. Ground wood sheets are coated with PVC (vinyl). It varies in thickness depending on the strippability and durability of paper under production.
Vinyl used might also be laminated to backings for imparting an exceptional serviceability, apt for large commercial spaces.
Step 3: Printing
Wallpaper printing techniques are primarily divided into 4 types. All of them have their own sets of advantages. They are:
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Surface Printing
In surface printing, impregnated metal rollers with a rubber pattern are used. These are mounted on a single machine. Ink is applied to the surface roller. The ink lays in the rubber pattern or hills sitting above the surface of the roller. Ink is then pressed on to the paper by the roller.
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Gravure Printing
Individual roller is used for printing a single color. Large, full-size gravure-printing machines can hold as much as 12 cylinders, capable of creating the whole pattern. For durability, copper cylinders are laser-etched and chrome-plated. The paper roll under application moves to one copper cylinder.
Thereafter, a back roller picks a color and pushes it against an engraved roller. A steel doctor blade pushes against the engraved cylinder, assisting in forcing ink into the etched detail. For enabling the wallpaper to pick up the ink in the valleys, a rubber roller is used.
It presses the paper against the cylinder. In the last step, rollers carry the paper away from the cylinder and put it into a dryer.
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Silk Screen Printing
A pattern to be imprinted on a wallpaper using silk screen printing requires an individual stencil for each color present in the pattern. Stencils of different colors are used from silk mesh screen using a photographic process. First, a photographic negative is made according to the pattern to be imprinted.
This is followed by attachment of a silk screen stretched over a magnesium or wooden frame. The screen is then coated with a light-sensitive emulsion, followed by placing the photographic negative on top of the screen. When the bright light falls on the screen, the emulsion hardens in regions not covered by the photographic negative. It results in the formation of a stencil.
Each screen is placed carefully with a block, guides, etc. This ensures that the pattern is aligned in a regular fashion all over the wallpaper without any breaks or interruptions. Though there is an endless number of colors that can be used in silk screen printing, high costs limit wallpaper suppliers and manufacturers to use only a few colors.
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Rotary Printing
Rotary printing combines mechanics of gravure painting with the precision of photographically produced stencils. It starts with wrapping mesh stencils around hollow tubes mounted within a machine. For imparting color, the ink flows continuously through film-wrapped tubes onto the paper. This technique is preferred for its speed, which is about 80 yards of wallpaper per minute.
Step 4: Pre – Pasting
After successfully printing on the wallpaper, it is rolled with a wet cornstarch or wheat starch-based coating. Then it is dried thoroughly before packaging.
Step 5: Packaging
Residential-use wallpapers are cut down into rolls of 15 yards or 13.71 meters. Commercial-use rolls are packaged in 30, 45 and 60 yards rolls. A run number, printed label, and hanging instructions are placed against each roll before storing them in a warehouse, where they await the final shipment.
16. Write a Marketing Plan Packed with ideas & Strategies
Running a business requires that you should be proactive when it comes to marketing your goods or services. If you choose to launch a 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Company, then you must employ strategies that will help you attract customers or else you will likely struggle with the business.
Customers will purchase and make use of your 3D wallpapers if they know that they are going to get the best in terms of unique designs, quality and value for their money. Your marketing strategy should center on unique designs, quality and pricing, and above all excellent customer service.
The truth is that if you are able to put the above stated in place, you won’t struggle to retain your old customers and at the same time win over new customers. These are some of the marketing ideas and strategies that you can adopt for your 3D wallpapers manufacturing business;
- Introduce your products by sending introductory letters alongside your brochure to construction companies, interior decorators, home stagers and flippers, businesses in the real estate retailer industries, building materials stores and key stake holders throughout the United States.
- Advertise on the internet on blogs and forums, and also on social media like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn to get your message across.
- Creating a basic website for your business, so as to give your business an online presence
- Directly market your products.
- Advertise our business in community based newspapers, local TV and radio stations
- List your business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
- Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)
17. Work Out a Reasonable Pricing for your Services & Products
One key factor that will help you produce and retail your 3D wallpapers at rock bottom prices is to own your paper mill or at least purchase your raw materials and supplies directly from wholesalers in pretty large quantities. The truth is the higher the quantities of items that you purchase directly from wholesalers, the cheaper you tend to get them.
Another strategy that will help you retail your 3D wallpapers at the right price is to ensure that you cut operational cost to the barest minimum, channel your efforts towards marketing and promoting your brand name. Aside from the fact that this strategy will help you save cost, it will also help you get the right pricing for your products.
You can also try as much as possible to work with independent contractors and marketers; it will help you save cost for paying sales and marketing executives.
18. Develop Iron-clad Competitive Strategies to Help You Win
The quality and uniqueness of your 3D wallpaper designs, your business process and of course your pricing model et al is part of what you need to stay competitive in the industry. If wholesale distributors are making profits from selling your products, they will be more than willing to go the extra mile to help you push your products.
Another possible competitive strategy for winning your competitors in this particular industry is to build a robust distribution cum business network. Over and above, ensure that your organization is well positioned, key members of your team are highly qualified and your 3D wallpapers favorably compete with the some of the best in the industry.
19. Brainstorm Possible Ways to Retain Clients & Customers
When it comes to business, no matter the industry that you choose to pitch your tent in, one of the easiest ways to increase customer retention and perhaps to attract new customers is to produce results and satisfy your customers always. If your customers are satisfied with your services delivery, they can hardly source for alternative service provider or products.
If you can continue to improve on the designs and quality of your 3D wallpapers and your customer service delivery, then you won’t struggle to maintain loyal customers.
Part of what you need to do to achieve this is to track progress, results or outputs with the aim of improving on them quickly as the case demands. When it comes to managing your customers, and building loyal clientele base, you should purchase a customized CRM software.
With a customized CRM system, you can easily stay in touch with your clients (you can carry out quick surveys, you can introduce new products and prices to them without any hitch, you can felicitate with them on their birthdays and other anniversaries, you can keep track of their progress, you can send bulk sms and customized emails and above all, you can easily receive complaints and feedback from them).
20. Develop Strategies to Boost Brand Awareness and Create a Corporate Identity
If you are in business and you are not deliberate about boosting you brand awareness and communicating your corporate identity, then you should be ready to take on whatever the society portrays your business to be. One of the secrets of larger corporations is that they are willing to spend fortunes to boost their brand awareness and to continue to communicate their corporate identity the way they want people to perceive.
If your intention of starting a 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Company is to grow the business beyond the city where you are going to be operating from to become a national and international brand, then you must be ready to spend money on promotion and advertisement of your brand.
Here are the platforms you can leverage on to boost your brand awareness and create corporate identity for your 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Company;
- Place adverts on both print (newspapers and related building materials and interior decoration magazines) and electronic media platforms
- Sponsor relevant community based events/programs
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote your business
- Install your BillBoards on strategic locations all around your city or state
- Distribute your fliers and handbills in target areas
- List your 3D wallpapers production company in local directories / yellow pages
- Advertise your 3D Wallpapers Manufacturing Company in your official website and employ strategies that will help you pull traffic to the site.
- Ensure that all your staff members wear your branded shirts and all your vehicles and distribution trucks are well branded with your company logo et al.
21. Create a Suppliers/Distribution Network
In order to successfully run a 3D Wallpaper Manufacturing Company, you must establish good business relationship with wholesalers of the required raw materials and accessories within the city where your Company is located.
So also, you are expected to create business networks with distributors of 3D wallpapers and other related products that you manufacture. They are your major clients and can help you distribute your products throughout the nooks and crannies of the United States.