1000 mug order: do it ourselves or source?

We supply paper products for retail within a bespoke travel industry sector. Our buyer has asked us to use our designs and images to extend our product range into trialling items such as mugs. As you can imagine margins are very slim.

On an order of say 1000 11oz ceramic (or polymer) mugs, would we be better investing in minimum kit and producing ourselves, or would it be just as cost-effective to source completed? (Dis-regarding time involved in production our end at this stage)

The USP of our products is our high quality full-colour / detailed photographic images. Having seen some truly horrific examples of photo images on ceramic or plastic we are very nervous about the investment and venture. I've seen some great examples of dye-sub work but more graphic logo/ motif than true photo repro.

Grateful for any observation or advice on this.
Excellent forum with generous sharing and valuable information throughout. With thanks in advance. Margaret

Margaret, I'd have a word with Listawood who can print orders such as yours http://www.listawood.com/

Thanks Ian - spoke with Listawood earlier and waiting on some prices. I liked the idea of doing it ourselves, it means we could trial small quantities of water canisters perhaps, or different designs. We've always dealt direct with (paper) printers here in Northern Ireland as quality control is paramount. All down to the bottom line of course. M

I believe Listawood is £1.59 + vat per mug, £37.50 + vat set-up and £69 + vat delivery to mainland UK. This is based on 1 design and 1008 qty.

If quality is your main aim then it would be a big learning curve to start producing from scratch and produce at the top level.

I dont think you will be able to produce 1000 mugs quickl with minimal cost equipment. Also as said abowe. I dont think you would stat producing anything without a learning curve.

Are you purchasing 1000 becuase you are used to purchasing at that level or you have advanced orders for that amount? (Sorry if I have read your initial post incorrectly) If you are trialling the new product range maybe the best step would be to buy a printer and mug press and experiment. Its not rocket science and this way you can produce samples and test items without ending up with stock that may not be required. If you make a sample and it hits the mark then you can get 1000 made if you so wish.
Worse case sceneario if you buy the equipment and you dont get on with it is you sell it on. Its always wanted on either here or Ebay and you wont lose a vast fortune.

I've turned around a couple of orders which were 500+ myself, it's a long slog unless there are 2 or 3 of you on it. Personally from an economical point of view I'd contract 1000 out.

////////////////////////////////////////////////we recon on 100 a day produced inbetween all the other jobs we do, but if doing nothing else with 3 press going then 300+
so 1000 is a couple of weeks work on 1 press while you get on with your other life.
1000 mugs at 85p, ink no more than 15p
recoh printer and a press and full setup £500 so if you do em for £2 each and work hard for nearly nothing you get £500 and the kit at the end of your fortnight.
It isn't rocket science!
take control !

I would it my self for the reason that logobear stated, once you get into a pattern it flows like really easily.

Thanks to all for responses. The generous advice in this thread already has been worth the membership fee! I have a definitive question:

Qu. Once up to speed after practice, would the quality we would be able to produce be discernable from something contracted out by eg. Listwood?
Stood side by side could anyone tell the difference?

There are a few variables I didn't mention:
1-The industry is seasonal - we don't have to fulfil this order round until Sept/Oct.
2-If successful there will certainly be periodic repeat orders of different designs, but not always x 1000 however.
3-I own an Epson 7880 which I could attempt to sell, or convert to using dye-sub inks (I may investigate another post on this topic)
Thanks
M