For first-time buyers
Never bought a moulded part before? Start here.
Silicone, polyurethane, cast, compression, LSR, HTV, platinum, tin — moulded parts come with a vocabulary that no-one is born knowing. Our first conversation with a first-time buyer is about making the language make sense, before we start talking money.
Situations we see
Four patterns that come up often.
Product designer moving into manufacturing
You've drawn the part. You've never had one moulded. We'll help you understand what your drawing means for a tool.
A start-up with a prototype
You've had samples printed. You want to know how to make them in dozens, then hundreds. We'll plot the routes.
A single-item order for a personal project
Yes, we take those. A one-off silicone mould is a real job.
Buying for your team, not your business
R&D, tooling replacement, workshop consumables. Small orders welcome.
How it works
The path from first call to a running relationship.
- 01
Ring or email
No form to fill in. Just describe what you have in mind.
- 02
Vocabulary walk-through
First call is often about the words. What does 'draft' mean, why does volume matter, what does 'material spec' involve.
- 03
Route recommendation
Which of the five moulding routes fits your job.
- 04
First quote
Written, itemised, no surprises.
What we need from you
So the first conversation is useful.
A picture. Sketch, photo, printout, screenshot. Words are fine too.
A rough volume. One, ten, a hundred, a thousand — even the band is helpful.
A deadline, if there is one. Trade show, gift date, birthday — anything. Or none.
At a glance
The ideas in pictures.
Which route suits your quantity
Swipe to see the whole diagram
One enquiry, the right team
- 01One enquiryTell us what you need
- 02Right divisionWe bring in the specialists
- 03One quoteCovering every part of the job
- 04Named contactOne person keeps it moving
- 05DeliveredMoulds, parts or both
Swipe to see the whole diagram
FAQs
Common questions.
Is there a minimum order?
For tooling, no. For finished parts, it depends on the process — hand-cast has no minimum, injection tooling only makes sense above a few thousand parts a year.
Will you talk to me if I don't know the terminology?
Yes. That's most first calls. Nothing to apologise for.
Can I visit?
Yes, ring first. Bidford-on-Avon, ten minutes off the M40.
Related
Where to read next.
One tool this month. A hundred a week by summer. Same team throughout.
Start-ups don't want to change supplier every time volume steps up. Start with a hand-cast prototype, take it through…
Your bench, extended.
If you have engineers on your side who already know moulding, we're the workshop that speaks their language. Send…
An engineering conversation before you commit to a route.
You have a part in mind. You're not sure whether it wants silicone or polyurethane, cast or compression, prototype or…
The group
Where this fits in the group
Four specialist teams share our workshop, our engineering bench and a single quality system. Pick a doorway, or ring us and we'll route you.
Get in touch
Not sure which division? Tell us what you're making.
Send us a sketch, a photograph, or a paragraph. We'll come back with the right division, the right route, and an honest sense of what it will take.
Real people, a real workshop
You deal with the people who make it.
No call centre and no middlemen. When you contact TCI Group, you speak to the team who design, build and check your mould.
- A real Warwickshire workshopUnit 15, Waterloo Park, Bidford-on-Avon, Alcester B50 4JG.
- Real people on the phoneCall the team on 01789 224228, Monday to Friday.
- The same team on every jobDesign, production and aftercare come from the people you see here.
- Five brands, one teamMoulds, culinary, construction and contract products, all run from Bidford-on-Avon. See the divisions.
Thomas LaneManaging Director
George PrestonDesign & Project Manager
Kelly BallingerHead of Partnerships
Jim AndertonProduction Manager
TheodoreEmployee Welfare