Glossary · Business & Sourcing
What Is Tooling & Mould Cost?
Tooling cost is the one-off investment required to create the custom manufacturing tools a product needs — most visibly injection moulds for bespoke packaging components, and also custom filling fixtures and decoration plates. Tooling is quoted separately from unit price because it is paid once rather than per unit.
Why it matters when you source
Custom packaging moves cost from unit price to upfront tooling, which changes your break-even calculation entirely. Ask for tooling cost and mould life together: a cheap mould with a short service life is expensive across three production runs.
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