Chalk is a product that is used mostly by primary and secondary schools and also marketers. The demand for it increases due to more schools using it and you can begin this venture at home. You don’t need huge capital to begin this business and the business is profitable.
Every college and school in this country needs it and this is so if they are using blackboard. This article is here to give you details on how you can start your own chalk making business and profit effectively.
Note that there are many other categories of people that are making of it and among them are furniture makers, training and educational institutes, construction people and other industries.
Read Also: How to Produce Chalk and Sell it in Large Quantities in Nigeria
Chalk Mineral Component
Majority of people had their with chalk and this was in school using the blackboard chalk. Originally this product came from mineral chalk and this is due to the fact that it crumbles and then leaves some particles and these particles stick in a loose manner in surfaces that are tough.
The result of this is that it is now used and this is for making and writing purposes. The blackboard chalk can involve many minerals and such minerals are gypsum and calcium carbonate. They have a round shape and comes in multiple colours.
Primary education is compulsory in many countries like India and the result of this is an increasing number of enrollment in schools and spreading of literacy is also responsible for this.
Increase In Chalk Demand
You can also see that its demand continues to increase and an entrepreneur can tap from the potentials of chalk making business. However the use of markers and whiteboards are often under use by countries that are developed.
Nevertheless it is still in use in many developing countries and the use for teaching pupils and students. You can also see that the demand is very high in Nigeria and you can venture into this business.
The use of chalk is also rampant for people in construction, fabricators of machines, makers of furniture, surveyors and tailors and other categories of people.
Read Also: How To Produce Candles In Nigeria
Steps For Producing Chalk In Nigeria
It is necessary to gather appropriate and efficient information first and this is before you choose a particular business.
Nevertheless this business is profitable and this article gives you the details that you require for making chalks in Nigeria. The following steps are necessary for making chalks and the steps are below:
1. Market Feasibility Studies for your chalk making business
You first research the market for this business and check your audience. Ensure that you do your market analysis properly and ensure you have a reasonable audience for this business. Answer questions like ‘Who will consume this chalk round your locality?’ and so forth and so on.
2. Obtain business plan for your chalk making business
This step is your planning phase and this plan let’s you specify your objectives and goals including your budget, financial projections and target market etc. A business plan tends to contain more insight.
Funding for your chalk making business
You may go for loans and grants and this is dependent on some factors. I will advise you to start small and if however you have much capital, you can still run it on a large scale.
3. Get necessary information and training for your chalk making business
You are not yet very conversant with the process of making it and if you intend to begin this business then you have to get the necessary training and information.
4. Business registration of your chalk making business
You now proceed to register the business and before you do this choose a business name that is not in use elsewhere and registration can be with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
Read Also: How To Produce Insecticides In Nigeria
5. Obtain suitable location for your chalk making business
Get a location that is nearer to the target market and if it is in the urban area, locate it in a place that has many schools.
6. Obtain relevant equipment for your chalk making business
Many automatic and manual machines can do this and the automatic machine requires an efficient water supply. Mixing of the materials also happens with the mixer and other activities involve filling and taking off and this can give up to 120000 and 150000 pieces in one day. The following equipments will be needed and they are:
a. scrapers
b. moulds of chalks
c. pant brushed
d. dryer
e. gloves (hand)
f. materials for packaging like nylon bags and branded cartons
Raw Materials For Chalk Production
a. Coconut or cooking oil
This oil is one of the raw materials and it serves as the lubricant.
b. Kerosene mixture lines the interior and it does the shaping preventing the chalk from unnecessary sticking.
c. Clean water and this is for ingredient mixing.
d. Colours like blue (ultramarine) gives your chalk the necessary colour.
e. Plaster of Paris (POP) is among the main raw materials and it has another name which is calcium carbonate and it can also form a hard paste when you mix it with water. Get necessary suppliers to do the supply.
7. Getting more hands for your chalk making business
You will notice that you need to employ people and this is as time goes on in your chalk making business, so get more hands for this business.
8. Marketing systems for your chalk making business
You have to know your channel of distribution and implement some marketing strategies. Example is wholesale discounts and some extra packages.
Read Also: How To Produce Dettol In Nigeria
The Chalk Making Process
Cleaning of the moulds come first and lubricant (kerosene and groundnut oil) follows and the ratio for this is 4:1. Set the moulds in frames (wooden) and mix the POP and the China clay in a bowl of enamel and this mixing should include colouring and whitening agents.
Add water in a slow manner and this is until you get a mixture that is homogeneous. Pour the mixture inside the moulds and let them settle.
You can remove the materials that are excess and this involves slowly removing the sticks from the moulds and after this place the output inside wooden trays in order to dry initially and then put them under the sunlight. You can also test for smoothness and strength after which packing follows.
Conclusion
This article tells you how you can begin your own chalk making business and the steps. Schools in Nigeria are making use of this and you can make a lot of profits.