Regardless of the situation, small businesses are always on the sidelines, fighting for their place under the sun. Whether there’s a crisis or even a global pandemic, startups seem to have the most difficulties staying afloat. So, what should they do when there’s a new and innovative trend in their industry? Should they embrace it or fall to the sidelines again?
This is what we’ll discuss in this article — whether small businesses in the competitive cannabis industry should accept ongoing trends? One of those tendencies includes automated pre-roll cannabis machines, our main topic for today.
Automated Pre-Roll Machines 101
If you’re not familiar with pre-roll packaging machines, here’s what you need to know. They are purely automatic, meaning you do not need to do anything manually but let the machine do all of the hard work for you. Your entire job might consist of pushing a few buttons and filling up the empty slots.
You’ll notice that these machines have two empty slots — one for the pre-made cones and the other for your herb mix. Since they differ in design, you can choose one that uses gravity or those that rely on vibrations to fill up cones. No matter what you pick, you won’t make a mistake.
The technology is so good that it can fill up a few thousand cones in an hour. Imagine doing all of that by hand! It seems impossible.
How Do These Machines Work?
If you’re still not clear on the process, you can rely on this Hefestus video to show you the ropes. Since the machines are automated, you only need to set up your preferences before the first trial, and you’re good to go. There’s no need to oversee them — you can dedicate your time to other important tasks you have on your roster.
Note that not all machines operate the same way, as some use vibration and others gravity to fill up the pre-rolled cones. The product that comes out is not only visually perfect, but each joint weighs about the same as if it were made manually. Looking at the bigger picture, this ensures steady products and a good reputation.
Should Small Businesses Risk It?
Any new investment is a potential risk, regardless of the industry we’re talking about. This is especially true for small businesses that are yet to establish themselves in the competitive market. One should consider many factors, including the availability of the market, possible competition, and financial aspects of investing.
Since pre-roll machines are pretty expensive, a business should develop a financial plan before committing to such a serious investment. Once you start devising a plan, consider that this hefty investment will probably lead to a positive financial outcome over time if the demand is high. After all, such automated machines produce a much higher product count than any hand.
You can learn about planning by reading this article.
Advantages of Pre-Roll Packaging Machines
All in all, there are more pros than cons to purchasing a pre-roll machine, even when you consider a small business. So, let’s tip the scales with a list of its advantages.
- Consistent products — As we mentioned, you also get product consistency with automated pre-roll machines. That means all your joints will appear identical and symmetrical. This goes for the product’s inner and outer layers, as the weight would not vary more than a mere 10%.
- Invested labor — Small business owners understand the difficulties of finding a good and steady job, so they will try to avoid letting anyone go in these challenging times. That’s why it’s better to engage their employees in other spheres and utilize their knowledge otherwise.
- Smaller costs — Lastly, reduced costs are what every business owner is looking to achieve. With a hefty first investment, you can count on lower costs over time as your product output increases.