Home > Adhesive Coating > Top Things to Look For in a Toll Manufacturing Company

When a manufacturing company needs help with a product, where can they turn? In many cases, they can turn to a toll manufacturing firm. These companies can help enhance a product through their available machinery and a capable manufacturing process. Conversion Technologies International (CTI) is the industry leader in tolling services. Their expert team maintains state-of-the-art machinery and processing techniques. So, quality is maintained throughout the entire process. Plus, their services can play a big part in controlling cost for their clients. Check out their services below to see how they can help.

What is Toll Manufacturing Exactly?

Toll manufacturing is a type of relationship between a service provider like CTI and a manufacturing client. The service provider agrees to perform manufacturing services on behalf of the client. This can include extending the client’s manufacturing production capabilities. Or, it can include providing coating, laminating or slitting and die cutting services to the client. This arrangement is all handled as contract work for maximum flexibility. In the case of CTI, they can provide either option for clients.

For example, let’s say that Company X has a new product it wants to produce. However, they lack either the equipment, expertise, or facility for proper production. What are their options?

  1. Invest the time and money to update their facility with the latest equipment
  2. Spend months, if not longer, training current or hiring new personnel for proper operation
  3. Scrap the plans altogether since it would prove too expensive

Any manufacturer would agree that none of these options are appealing. Luckily, this exact scenario is when toll manufacturing can prove extremely beneficial. CTI can accept raw material or semi-finished goods from Company A. They can then apply a coating or finish production and return the finished product to the manufacturer. Best of all, this is all done by contract, so cost can be controlled by the manufacturer at all times. And with CTI, the entire process takes place with experts and top-quality equipment working in tandem. The end result is a product that meets all of the manufacturer’s specifications and is ready for market, or the next step in the process.

How Does it Differ from Contract Manufacturing?

Contract manufacturing differs from toll manufacturing in a few key ways. As with toll agreements, contract manufacturing outsources production processes to a third-party. However, contract manufacturers are hired to produce the goods as well as source raw materials. In essence, this creates a custom-branded, or white label, product for the client. For example, let’s use the example of a manufacturer needing an adhesive coating applied. CTI can help source the raw goods and handle the entire coating process themselves. By acting as a contract manufacturer, they can also save some valuable time and steps in the production cycle.

In addition, contract manufacturing typically involves packaging the product and shipping from that facility. CTI, however, offers some flexibility and options to best suit their valued clients. As such, they can handle delivery of the enhanced product back to the manufacturer. That way, the manufacturer can package the product or handle that part of the process. Or, CTI can act as a valuable partner by becoming a key step of the supply chain. That means that after the contract is fulfilled, CTI can forward the product on to the retail or distribution center.

Benefits of Toll Services

The benefits of this type of arrangement are numerous:

  1. It’s cost-effective. With this type of relationship, clients stand to save a lot of money. Most importantly, they can avoid investing in expensive machinery and its upkeep. This alone can save hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more. Clients can also save on hiring or training the manpower required to properly operate that machinery.
  2. It is an on-demand service. Investing in this machinery and manpower also means committing to that line of production for years to come. CTI handles this work on a contract basis. So, clients can enjoy the flexibility of using CTI’s services when they need it. But they can also drop the service if and when the production calls for it. That means saving money and getting the services they need when they need it.
  3. It saves valuable time. Let’s say a company has the capital to invest in machinery and manpower. That is still only half of the challenge. After all, proper installation, maintenance, and training all take valuable time. By utilizing CTI, clients can save months, if not longer, on a production timeline. This can beat others to market and help ensure success.
  4. It’s being handled by an expert. Last, but not least, is the expertise that CTI offers. They have decades of experience in this specific type of work. So, they know exactly how to handle any given situation. That means that when a problem comes up, they can help clients solve it. And, it means that clients can trust that they will maintain the desired quality standard every step of the way.

CTI Combines Creativity and Capability

A successful tolling company is an expert in process and has expansive capabilities. To be sure, CTI has those capabilities. But what sets them apart is their ability to use creativity to solve complex engineering challenges. Sure, other companies may have the latest machinery. Their staff might also be familiar with the latest techniques. But very few, if any, companies emphasize creativity in the process. CTI believes that this creative side is what enables them to help clients solve any challenge. They have the foundation of expertise that allows for creativity to thrive.

The experts at CTI are familiar with a wide range of materials, including:

  • Acrylic
  • Latex
  • Acetate
  • Neoprene
  • Silicone
  • Urethane
  • & many more!

On top of that, CTI can handle a wide variety of classes of coatings. They maintain innovative equipment to allow for this. So, they can handle everything from hot melts to water-based, and thermoplastic to water-repellent or fire-retardant. CTI’s state-of-the-art facility includes hot air drying and room temperature curing to handle all adhesive processes. But that’s not all. CTI can accommodate the largest projects. That’s because their machinery can handle widths up to 120 inches and rolls up to 2,000 pounds. So, CTI can help virtually any client with any product. Their expert staff can help with everything from design and product enhancement to coating and full production.

They Are Hands-On, So Clients Can Be Hands-Off

Nobody understands the challenges of manufacturing firms better than CTI. They understand that when a manufacturer needs help, they need a problem to be solved efficiently and at a reasonable cost. That company doesn’t have the time or resources to handhold and walk a partner through every little step. So, CTI has designed their services to be what clients need most: self-sufficient. It’s one of the ways CTI builds in convenience to their combination of creativity and capability. All a partner has to do is take time during initial stages to explain their needs. Once specifications and timelines are mutually established, CTI’s experts can take it from there.

This, of course, not only saves their clients from investing in new capabilities themselves. It also saves them valuable time that not even money can buy. CTI strives to take a hands-on approach so that clients can be largely hands-off. But what about when the production is complete? This is another area that CTI offers tremendous value for clients. CTI can act as a vital component of the supply chain for clients. For each project, they can take delivery of a client’s semi-finished goods. They can then perform the agreed-upon services for the clients. From there, they can return the goods back to the client so they can take care of distribution. Or, for clients that need it, CTI can also save a step by acting as that forward distribution step. They can ship finished products on to the next step in the supply chain, such as a retail store or warehouse.

A Process That Delivers Results

CTI can ensure success for clients because they are process-oriented. In fact, they use a unique, five-step process for repeatable success. This process includes:

  1. Initial Consultation—every project begins with an initial consultation. During this step, CTI aligns customer goals with their capabilities. They also work to fully understand the project and what goals the client has. This way, they can start helping the client immediately. Think of this step as the solid foundation for every successful project.
  2. Research & Development—sometimes, a new material or technique would greatly enhance a product. Usually, this kind of research would be a huge, expensive undertaking. But CTI offers this step to clients so that the product can turn out even better than originally planned.
  3. Lab Testing/Sample—nothing beats holding something in your own hands. Close-up inspection can be the only way to truly gauge a product and its merits. CTI can produce a sample at any stage of this process, often at little to no cost.
  4. Pilot Run—some other toll manufacturers might not bother with a pilot run. But CTI has the experience to understand how a test run can save tons of time and money. After all, any potential problems that may come up during production can be exposed in a pilot run. Plus, they can be solved quickly and cheaply at this stage. It’s one of the main ways that CTI helps clients succeed.
  5. Production—once all other steps are complete, a full production run can begin. And since things have been optimized for success, this can be the smoothest, easiest part of the entire process. So, clients can rest assured knowing that their product will turn out as expected.

Helping Customers Succeed

CTI’s services are designed to help clients of all sizes. Their range of services are a perfect fit for some of the largest companies in the world, including:

  • Ford
  • Clorox
  • Dupont
  • Firestone
  • Hanesbrands
  • Kimberly-Clark
  • Valspar
  • and many more

But what sets CTI apart is their ability to help smaller firms as well. After all, big companies often have the resources to handle every aspect of manufacturing themselves. Smaller ones might need a little more guidance or help in some way. This is where CTI’s value proposition truly shines. They can offer industry-leading capabilities but also the guidance that only comes from their experience as a toll manufacturer.

In fact, they pride themselves on their track record. They know that nothing they could do or say could speak louder than how they’ve helped other clients. That’s why they have set up a section on their website for customer success stories. New or prospective clients can see how CTI has solved real-world challenges faced by other firms. They have helped clients in a wide range of industries, including:

The Partner You Can Trust

In many ways, toll manufacturing is no different than any other types of service. In essence, a customer needs that service done with quality, on time and on budget. CTI has built its reputation on providing this exact combination. But they don’t believe it’s enough just to have the capabilities. Their mission is to be a true, consultative partner for clients. No job is too big or too small to warrant their full attention and full capabilities.

So how much do their services cost? As you can imagine, it can be difficult to give a flat cost for projects with so many variables. After all, so many different factors come into play. Everything from company size to expected volume to services being performed to materials plays a part in cost. Luckily, CTI makes it easy to get more information. Just fill out their easy-to-use quote form for a free, no-obligation quote.

Or, give the experts a call today at 419-924-5566 to see how they can help with your next project.