Home-based industrial blade supplier

Factories, print shops, packaging firms and food processors that need to replace worn blades quickly and at a fair price.

You add a margin to the supplier price on each order. Repeat orders from the same machines are the main earner, so a few steady accounts matter more than one-off sales.

• Reading machine and blade specifications
• Sales and following up with businesses
• Careful record keeping and organising orders

• Public liability and product liability insurance, check what your insurer needs for sharp industrial goods
• Getting sizes and specifications exactly right, a wrong blade is costly to return
• Import costs, GST and shipping times if you buy from overseas suppliers, check with the Australian Border Force or a customs broker
• Council approval for running a business from home, check with your local council
• Offering credit terms to customers, a late payer can wipe out your margin

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $6,000, depending on your setup and any stock you choose to hold. Also check public liability and product liability insurance requirements for sharp industrial goods.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on your customers and order sizes. Offering credit terms carries risk, as a late payer can wipe out your margin.

Check with your local council about approval to run a business from home, and with your insurer about public liability and product liability cover. If importing, check import costs, GST and shipping with the Australian Border Force or a customs broker.