According to many experienced cat owners, wood cat litter is the market leader in terms of price-quality-convenience ratio. Interesting facts Igor Stus, the owner of eight cats, shared his experience with this type of filler and his experience of using it with our website.
– I have been using wood tray fillers for a long time and I am very pleased with them, although we have tried the most different types. All shelters and overexposures known to me also prefer wood filler. I was curious how and who came up with the idea to use sawdust in such an original way.
History of sawdust, or "pellets"
A short search on the Internet brought me to Germany already in 1947. A sawmill manager named Rudolf Gunnerman came up with the idea of compressing sawdust in order to ... throw it away. The problem was that it turned out to be expensive to take sawdust to a landfill - they are very voluminous and light.
Trucks had to make many trips, and loaders had to swing a shovel for a very long time, and, in the end, the cost of removing sawdust became very high. Rudolf Gunnerman began to press them in order to fit more into the body, and such briquettes or sawdust granules were called "pellets".
A few years later, after emigrating to the United States, Gunnerman proposed using his invention as fuel. And, by the way, this method is very effective: compressed sawdust gives more heat than wood, if calculated by weight, and burns out almost completely. In the 1970s, Gunnerman filed a patent for his invention, but it is not known exactly when pellets began to be used as wood filler for cat litter.
There are more forests in Russia than in any other country in the world. Of course, we have already thought of pressing sawdust - this is not Newton's binomial, but animal lovers in our country still use an imported invention, and all because most Russian wood cat litter is made from waste or hardwood, and imported - from conifers. The latter absorb and "keep" the smell much better.
How is wood litter for cats made now?
Modern production of pellets is a high-tech process in which sawdust pressing alone is not enough. They are sorted into different categories, ground to a state of dust, special mechanical devices are used for shaping, cooled, dried. During production, temperature, humidity, composition of raw materials are taken into account.
But the ingredients of this "dish" remained the same - only natural wood, no chemical additives. That is why pellets are ideal for the hygiene needs of animals. In addition, "cat" wood filler remains one of the cheapest. The cost in pet stores, at least in Moscow, starts from 20 rubles per kilogram.
Here it is important not to confuse kilograms and liters: despite pressing and granulation, pellets remain a very light and voluminous substance. And, most importantly, for cat needs, there is no point in buying more expensive, high-quality pellets - the absorbent properties do not differ very much, and three kilograms of wood tray filler absorb up to 12 liters of liquid.
For me personally, as a very lazy cat owner, pellets have a very important quality. After a portion of pellets has been used by cats, it can simply be poured into a garbage bag completely, without sorting. The tray stays clean and dry and smells like sawdust.
Well, that's a matter of personal preference, of course. In some people, wood filler causes allergies, which may be due to essential oils contained in the sawdust of coniferous trees used for its manufacture.
But in any case, wood cat litter is a very useful invention and a great alternative for those who prefer natural and pure products for themselves and their animals.
Let's describe the production of cat litter as a business. To do this, you just need to purchase simple equipment and master simple technology. Experts estimate the profitability of such a project quite high, but much depends on competition in a particular region.
For cat lovers, it is important that the stores have a sufficient selection of such products. After all, toilet fillers are bought almost as often as food. It performs the function of absorbing liquids, eliminating unpleasant odors and must be safe for animal health. If you offer customers a high-quality and inexpensive product, then there will be a constant demand for it.
Business Benefits
Creating such a project is beneficial because:
- Organic filler is very cheap and available to almost all buyers.
- Raw materials for its manufacture are easy to find, and the cost of production is quite low.
- A relatively small start-up capital is required.
- Profitability is estimated at 100-150%, which looks very attractive.
- It does not require special knowledge and training in production.
- When opening a company and paperwork, additional certification of products is not needed, and regulatory authorities rarely check such a workshop.
- You can simultaneously engage in the production of other goods from the same raw materials, which will significantly expand the range and increase profits.
registration
For your business to be legal, you should register an individual entrepreneur or LLC in tax service, indicate the OKVED code corresponding to your activity, and also choose a more favorable taxation system.
Conveniently, this type of product does not require mandatory certification, especially if you focus on making organic options. This raw material already implies the use of natural ingredients that are safe for animals and people.
Types of fillers
Depending on what it is made of, there are such options:
- Organic - their composition has a natural basis. The materials used can be corn waste, wood shavings, pellets, nutshells, etc. They are considered the cheapest and easiest to manufacture, and only the possibility of individual particles sticking to the paws of an animal is singled out as a drawback.
- From bentonite clay or zeolite minerals - a clumping substance is obtained, which, when wet, easily collects into a separate piece and is simply removed with a spatula. But to use it, it is better to purchase a tray with high sides so that the filler does not crumble onto the floor.
- Silica gel - high quality products that provide good absorption. But some cat owners have noticed that not all animals like the special rustling sound from touching paws with such a filler.
The easiest and most affordable is the purchase of an automated line for the production of organic goods, for example, from sawdust. The rest of the equipment, as well as the raw materials themselves, will cost much more, which will require serious costs.
As a basis, wood pellets are used, which are waste wood products. Therefore, it is beneficial to establish constant contact with such organizations and receive ready-made raw materials 6-8 mm in size from them. Their processing will be simple and fast.
In addition to cat litter, it is possible to produce similar products from the same material. Yes, without special costs it is available to expand the range of goods and produce fuel for fireplaces, barbecues, fertilizer for the earth, bedding for cattle, etc.
Premises and transport
It is quite easy to find a suitable building for arranging a workshop. In order to save money, rent a small area on the outskirts of cities or even beyond. Dimensions may not exceed 50 square meters. m. You need to divide it into working area and warehouse. It is convenient that the finished filler does not require special storage conditions.
Don't forget to take care of transport. It is most convenient to deliver raw materials and deliver goods to stores when you have your own truck. In the absence of sufficient finances, at first this can be done with the help of a rented car.
Equipment
A complete automated line consists of the following elements:
- grinder;
- Dryer;
- granulator;
- cooler;
- packing machine.
You can buy equipment as a ready-made kit, or separately. In order to save money, use used equipment or find inexpensive lines from a domestic manufacturer.
Experienced entrepreneurs advise paying special attention to granulators. It is they who provide a convenient granular form to the material. This technique can be cumbersome and occupy almost the entire workshop, or it will be compact dimensions. The second option can be installed immediately at a woodworking enterprise and receive a finished product.
Technological process
Let us briefly describe how the creation of organic filler occurs:
- Perform preliminary drying of granules, shavings, sawdust or other raw materials.
- Then additional drying is carried out in order to achieve a moisture content of the material not higher than 10%.
- Raw materials are crushed using a hammer mill.
- Steam is passed through it to moisten, due to which the substance sticks together.
- Next, you need to process it with a press.
- Cool products.
- Screened and packed in containers of 5, 10, 15 and 30 kg.
Usually, simple Zip Lock bags are purchased for packaging and a label with the company logo is printed separately.
Staff
Do I need to hire employees for such production? If you are focusing on large volumes of manufactured goods, then it is advisable to hire 2 people. Since it does not require special skills and knowledge, it is enough to find unskilled specialists and pay the minimum wage.
Separately, decide whether you need an accountant and a sales manager. Typically, such functions are performed by the entrepreneur himself. But if there is not enough necessary knowledge, then you can hire such personnel separately. Accounting is often outsourced, which significantly reduces labor costs.
Deciding what fillers are, choosing your niche and making the first batches of goods is only half the battle. The profitability of a business is directly affected by its implementation. You can start selling cat litter through the following channels:
- pet stores;
- large shopping centers;
- the Internet;
- wholesale bases;
- nurseries.
In order not to spend too much money at the start and quickly achieve full payback, you can try to do the following:
- Find a permanent supplier of raw materials closer to your workshop. Yes, shipping will be cheaper.
- Working in several shifts and maximizing the range of manufactured goods, you can achieve high profits.
- Try to sell fillers not only through large networks and stores, but also find a way out directly to consumers.
- By purchasing used equipment, you will significantly reduce costs and only acquire newer equipment over time.
Financial part
We will provide average numbers, although depending on the model of equipment chosen, the final calculations will vary greatly.
Raw materials for organic filler cost no more than 4 rubles per kg. You can sell finished goods for 100-200 rubles. Thus, your initial investment will pay off fairly quickly. Profitability is estimated at 100-150% and in six months you can get a net profit from production.
Video: how is cat litter made?
The most favorite and popular among cats and their owners is wood filler. The demand for this product is due to its affordable cost, ease of use and effective characteristics. The filler perfectly absorbs odors, and therefore in the house in which fluffy pets live, no bad odor will be felt. Cats are so arranged that they like to have some kind of substance in their tray in which they could easily dig a hole. In addition, the contents of the toilet must please the little pet. As a rule, such a filler is loved by all animals without exception. Their owners are also delighted with the woody variety.
Types of wood fillers
Woody comes in two varieties: absorbent and clumping. The first option is granules made from crushed and compressed wood dust, which perfectly retains odor and absorbs moisture. High-quality filler is made from spruce and pine wood without the use of any additives. Such compounds have antiseptic qualities. Some companies use walnut shells instead of wood. Thanks to the introduction innovative technologies in the production of filler granules, they are cheap in cost, environmentally friendly and do not cause allergies.
The second type of filler (clumping) differs significantly from the absorbent option. If the previous option absorbs moisture with all the poured granules, then when using this type of filler, a lump forms. It is obtained in the place where moisture has got. This lump should be removed from the tray.
How to use the filler
Wood litter is usually poured about a three-centimeter layer into the cat's tray. This amount is needed for an ordinary deep toilet. If the accessory is equipped with a mesh, then you can reduce the layer to one centimeter. When solid excrement appears, they should be removed with a special spatula. If you begin to feel the appearance of an unpleasant odor, it is recommended to replace the filler completely. To make it more comfortable for a cat or a cat to go to the tray, it is worth every time, after you have completely thrown away the filler, rinse the toilet under running water with soap.
Advantages of wood filler
Wood cat litters have only one drawback: they stick to the paws and fur of the animal. The pet further spreads these sawdust throughout the apartment. The rest of the tool consists of some advantages. Namely:
In addition, used litter from a completely healthy pet can be used as fertilizer after pre-composting. Such a tool can also be used for rodents that eat it with great pleasure.
Filler "Clean paws"
The modern domestic market offers a diverse selection of wood fillers made by many brands. The clean paws brand was the most successful. "Clean paws" is a wood filler that is produced to make life easier for people who have settled cats and cats in their homes. Thanks to special studies, it was found that the product of this label can be used all year round. In this case, there is no need to regularly replace the contents of the tray. It is only important to remove contaminants.
This is an incredibly beneficial filler. One package of it completely replaces four packages of a product of another brand. Due to the fact that excrement does not come into contact with air, this filler eliminates the smell in the best way.
Features of choice
The filler you have purchased may not please not only the cat, but also, in fact, its owner. If this happens, then this indicates that you bought low-quality products. Cheap filler will not retain odor, does not absorb moisture well and quickly disintegrates.
Therefore, when buying this or that filler, it is necessary to pay attention to the strength of the package and analyze well the information on the composition of the product. If the product is produced by a self-respecting brand, then the label will indicate what components the composition is made of, what rate of moisture it absorbs, and for which animals it is designed. If the package contains all these data, then you can safely purchase the filler.
People's opinions regarding the filler
Wood cat litter has long received excellent reviews. The owners who tried to use it once, no longer want to buy any other options. Moreover, the composition of wood is suitable not only for adult cats and cats, but also for small kittens. Therefore, there is no need to rack your brains over how to fill the animal's tray every time.
There are several types of commercial litters for cat litter and rodent cages: organic, silica gel, clumping.
Organic fillers are made from sawdust, shavings, nutshells, corn cobs. Such fillers have good absorbency and low price (compared to other types of such products). They are environmentally friendly and absolutely harmless to animals.
For start-up entrepreneurs, it is most profitable to produce wood filler, which is wood pellets with a diameter of approximately 6-8 mm.
This material is made from environmentally friendly wood (usually pine) without the addition of any binding impurities and substances.
Porous granules actively absorb moisture and smell and are popular among pet owners. In pet stores, wood fillers, among all other types of similar products, occupy a leading position in terms of sales.
The production of wood fillers is one of the most promising areas for small businesses, characterized by high profitability and does not require large start-up capital.
The retail price of organic filler starts from 15-20 rubles/kg. Usually, the filler is packaged in packages from 5 kg (from 100-150 rubles / package).
In most cases, as part of such a filler - wood pellets. As a rule, wholesalers buy pellets in bulk at a price of 4-5 thousand rubles. per ton (4 rubles / kg), they are packed in bags and sold to retail chains.
Thus, only when purchasing pellets from the manufacturer and packaging them, you can achieve 100-150% profitability. Organization of own production will increase the volume of products sold and further reduce costs.
This will require the appropriate equipment. Line production capacity 700 kg/hour costs from $70 to 90 thousand. A mini-line that produces about 100-150 kg of granulate per hour will cost $5 thousand. However, every three months it is necessary to replace some spare parts with a total cost of $600.
Sawdust of a certain moisture content (up to 16%) and fractions are used as raw materials. As a rule, for the production of pellets, it is preferable to take light coniferous wood, since hardwood retains moisture and smell worse.
As a bedding in cages for rodents, pellets from corn raw materials (stumps) are used. If the moisture content of the sawdust used in the production is higher than 16%, you will also need a $25,000 dryer, a crusher if the fraction of the purchased raw materials does not meet the requirements, as well as equipment for cooling and screening the granules.
Finished products will need to be packed (preferably in packages weighing 2, 5, 10 and 36 kg), which will also require additional equipment costing from 150 thousand rubles. Branded packages (with a logo) will cost more than usual ones due to the payment for the designer's work, the manufacture of matrices and the use of paint.
Many manufacturers and wholesalers use simple transparent Zip Lock bags for packaging (from 1-1.5 rubles/piece) with stickers (cost from 30 kopecks/piece).
The main advantage of this type of production is the possibility of its placement in a small area. The production line requires an area of about 50 square meters. m. There is also no need to rent large storage facilities - finished pellets are quite compact and bulky.
This type of product is not subject to mandatory certification. But if you plan to produce pellets not only for use as fillers, it is better to take care of obtaining the necessary certificates of conformity, which will take some time and require additional costs.
The main sales channels are pet stores, retail chains (super- and hypermarkets), nurseries. The wholesale price when purchasing directly from the manufacturer is on average 15 rubles/kg.
A small retail outlet (a stall in the market selling pet products) buys from 100 kg of fillers per month.
In addition, pellets can be used for other purposes. Since this material was originally intended for heating stoves, wood semi-finished products are used in everyday life as a cheap combustible material (in particular, for frying shish kebabs).
In addition, wood pellets can be sold through specialized gardening stores, as they often replace sawdust and are used to loosen and fertilize the soil.
If there is high competition among manufacturers of similar products in your city or region, it is better to think over the possibility of delivery to other regions from the very beginning.
Most often, manufacturers send pellets in batches of 20 thousand tons. Delivery of smaller lots is generally not profitable. The cost of delivery of the minimum lot is from 18 thousand rubles, depending on the region.
Profitability calculator for this business
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