Use Summer to Improve Business
Starting a Business? Brush Up on Industry Terms
If starting out a business, you will be faced with some new terms you will have to get up to speed on quickly. Some of the most common are:
BLENDED WAX
Blended wax is a wax that has all of the needed additives identified for a specific application. (In most cases with the exception of UV’s).
MELT POINT
This is the temperature at which the wax will become fully liquid. There is an important distinction between melt point and pouring temperature. Be sure to check the product data sheet to determine which one is applicable to you.
BACK FILL/TOPPING OFF
With the exception of those blended waxes that have been designed as one-pour, all waxes have some level of shrinkage. As the candle sets up it will shrink around the middle of the candle requiring additional wax to be added. The back fill/top off will be necessary to create a smooth top in containers or in the case of pillars a fairly uniform bottom to the candle.
FULLY REFINED WAX
This is a wax that has been through the maximum refined process. A fully refined wax generally has a melt point of 125 degrees F or better and has a lower oil content. The exact oil content will vary depending on the melt point of the wax. Fully refined waxes are generally used to make pillars, votives and most candles other than container candles.
STRAIGHT WAX
Straight wax is a wax that can be used for general candle making but would require the use of additives to improve the performance of the candle
Market Tests Before the Holidays
If you develop your line during the summer months and develop a production environment to your satisfaction, you will have the months of September and October to test market your candles. Use this time to work out any consumer “issues” before the holiday season starting in November.
Summer Is Useful for Existing Businesses too
If you already have your business up and running use the summer to months to continually evaluate your business. Is your pricing correct? With the price increases on many raw materials, sometimes the cost can get away from you. Spend time now to evaluate all of your costs and make sure – when things do pick up – that you currently are charging the proper price to your customers.
Use this time to start evaluating new candle fragrances. Remember, many of the technical and sales staff at candle making supplies companies are somewhat slow during the slower months and are more readily available to help answer your questions.
