HOW TO START A BLOCK MOLDING INDUINDUSTRY IN NIGERIA, WITH A LOCALLY MADE BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE
The block industry is one of the lucrative business today in Nigeria due to the inflation in the cost of cement most builders now prefers buying the blocks that have very little increase in price as compared to the increase in cement price.
Hence buying will cut off all the stress involved in hiring laborers to mold blocks, in many cities, there is no availability for sand fields, so the cost of buying sand coupled with the high cost of cement would discourage any individual who wishes to mold blocks in such place.
THINGS NEEDED TO START A BLOCK MOLDING INDUINDUSTRY IN NIGERIA
Starting a block molding business has to do with the following;
ESTABLISHING CONTACTS
Just as with every business you need the contacts of builders, cement dealers, sand suppliers, molding block machine makers, technicians, mechanics, etc. these are the contact that is supposed to be with you, since the business cannot be operated without those people.
The builders mean those that undertake contracts for the building of houses, and social amenities that have to do with civil works, the contact of these categories of people will enable you to market your blocks easily since they are the major clients required in the business.
GOOD LOCATION
Choose a good location for your block industry, note that it is not every business that requires public places like express roads, and busy areas, block industry is one such business.
All that it requires is a developing area where building and construction activities are taking place so that it can be easy to convey the blocks to the site and also easier to ensure you are the only supplier to the builders in that area.
A good location is where it is easier for builders to access you, a developing area where new building activities are carried out.
Some people started blocking industries in abandoned empty lands located in areas specified above without paying any fee to anyone except the permission from the landlord, if for economic reasons you see such a location then it is a good stage to start with.
SOURCE OF WATER SUPPLY
A major issue that cannot be ignored is the water supply, for you to operate a very good block industry there must be a borehole or well of water such that one can easily access water both for mixing of the sand and cement and for the watering of the molded blocks every morning as well.
You will also need water for other important purposes like washing the molders and the machine after each day of molding the blocks.
But in a case where the digging of a borehole or well would be costly, you can buy a plastic water tank with about 3000litres capacity and mount it on the site and employ the services of water suppliers who would come at a scheduled moment to refill your tank with water.
This practice is cheaper especially if the place you are to use will be on the lease and the cost of such a tank currently should be about N45, 000
MOLDING MACHINE AND MOLDERS
There are different sizes of block molding pans ranging from 5inch to 9 inches with of the pans while the length of all of them are the same.
But these molding pans can be operated with the block molding machine such that one particular molding machine can be used to produce different ranges of block widths all you need to do is just to change the pan for any given size.
The machine with its different ranges of molding pans costs about N450, 000 in Nigeria currently according to direct information from the manufacturer.
Such a machine helps the molding of a block to be faster and easy to meet target when the demand is high, as well as reducing the number labor force needed in the industry.
SUPPORT BOARDS
If you are to use the molding machine then there is a need to buy or construct sets of wood boards that would be used in laying the blocks removed from the molding machine.
The number of these boards can be up to 500 pieces for a large capacity block industry with huge demand or can be as small as 100 pieces if the capacity is low and demand is not huge.
TRUCK
There will be services of a vehicle such as a truck most times, especially during the delivering of the blocks to your clients, buying and carrying of cement from its dealers, and the conveying of the molding machine for maintenance in the event of any malfunctioning, etc. these needs make the use of trucks in that business inevitable.
As a starter, you can decide to buy a very small pick-up that carries about 50 blocks at a trip which may not cost more than N500, 000 to purchase from the fairly used car dealers in the market.
CEMENT STORING FACILITY
Following the continuous rise in the prices of cement as a result of its frequent scarcity, there is a need to have a backup especially when the business has started booming.
One of the ways to do this is by purchasing a container used in the importation of foreign goods from the dealers mainly those working with the customs officers.
The cost of a small container of about 30 feet square should be within N100, 000 which is enough to serve as the storage vessel for types of cement due to its record of helping imported goods to be under stable temperature.
Hence, the types of cement have a lower tendency of caking or solidifying when compared to keeping it in an open space.
SAFETY ACCESSORIES
Another minor thing you need to consider is the safety aspect of the laborers therefore, there is a need to make provision for some safety apparatus such as hand gloves, safety goggles, safety shoes, etc.
GOOD SPACE
Another thing to consider is the space available for the displaying of the blocks for the heat of the sun to quickly dry them up.
A good space is a major factor since the blocks have to be placed on the ground one after the other in a uniform manner for easy counting and arranging after the drying process had been completed.
Any land measuring about 50 feet by 100 feet and above is a good space for a start.
