Who this is for
Moulders, converters, recyclers and packaging start-ups in South Africa, and the manufacturers who want to bring their own packaging in-house. It reads across our plastics and paper price guides so you can find your row and go to the page that prices it.
The conditions that apply to every plastics and packaging line
| Condition | What it means for the line | What to have in hand |
|---|---|---|
| Power and cooling | Injection, blow moulding and extrusion are kilowatt-heavy; servo drives cut consumption by a meaningful margin, and every machine needs chilled water or cooling towers sized to the cycle | Installed load per machine, chiller sizing, backup decision with the power guide |
| Moulds and dies | The mould is the product; it often costs as much as the machine and decides cycle time and quality, and it is the item most often left out of a first budget | Mould or die quotes alongside the machine quote; a mould maintenance plan |
| Material supply | Virgin resin is imported and priced in dollars; recycled flake and bale supply is local and variable; both decide the margin more than the machine does | Resin or bale supply agreements and a working-capital line for stock |
| Packaging producer obligations | Producers of packaging carry extended producer responsibility obligations in South Africa, with registration and fees through producer responsibility organisations | Obligations checked before the first tonne is sold; recycled content targets read against the product |
| Import duty and VAT | Most plastics and paper machinery under HS 84 enters at 0% duty-free; the exceptions to plan for are refrigeration equipment, some motors and large generating sets; import VAT is 15% on the customs value plus a 10% uplift plus duty, recoverable for a VAT-registered manufacturer | Eight-digit tariff codes per machine; run the landed cost estimator |
Scenario 1: a first injection moulding shop
A 150–300 tonne machine at US$30–75k, servo control adding 10–15%, with auxiliaries, a chiller and the first moulds on top. Tonnage follows the part, not the ambition, and the mould budget is the line most often missing. Injection moulding machine prices and tonnage guide matches parts to tonnage and prices the auxiliaries.
Scenario 2: crates, pallets and large parts
Crates, pallets and large housings need 400–500 tonne machines from US$100k and above, larger moulds and heavier cooling. The tonnage guide sets out the step and what changes in the shop when the machine gets heavier.
Scenario 3: PET preforms and bottles
A preform operation is an injection machine at US$30–75k plus a preform mould set that is often the same size of investment, and a blow moulder to turn preforms into bottles. We do not publish a stand-alone preform machine band because the mould decides the number. Plastic bag, pipe and preform machine prices explains the components; the PET versus glass versus can guide covers the bottling side.
Scenario 4: a bag-making shop
Basic bag-making machines start at US$8k and reach US$40k and above with full servo control; film supply, printing and the bag specification decide the business. The bag, pipe and preform guide gives the tiers.
Scenario 5: pipe and profile extrusion
A single-screw pipe line starts at US$20k; multi-layer co-extrusion runs to US$200k and above, and the die set and the downstream haul-off and cutter decide the output as much as the extruder. Pipe carries a product standard the buyer will test against, and the line must be specified to make it.
Scenario 6: PET and film recycling
A PET recycling wash line is US$120–350k across the 300–1,000 kg per hour range, and the plant is a bale-supply business first: without collection contracts the line starves. Wash water and effluent need a permitted route. Plastic recycling machine prices sets out the wash line, pelletising and film options.
Scenario 7: toilet paper and tissue converting
A converting line, buying jumbo rolls and producing finished rolls, starts at US$10–50k for entry and manual configurations and reaches the US$1M class fully automatic; making the paper itself is a different plant and the guide draws that boundary. Toilet paper, tissue and egg tray machine prices covers both.
Scenario 8: egg trays and moulded pulp
Forming machines from US$8k in the 1,000–3,000 pieces per hour class, and a small complete plant with pulping and drying at about US$30k for roughly 20,000 trays a day. Waste paper supply and drying energy are the operating cost lines.
Scenario 9: recovering an old injection or extrusion line
Old machines with dead controllers and worn screws are often a control retrofit at US$2–8k per machine plus a screw and barrel set, and a measurement layer that shows whether the constraint is the machine or the mould change. The plastics OEE retrofit case study shows the measurement step; when to upgrade your PLC and new, used or recover cover the decision.
Scenario 10: in-house packaging for a manufacturer, or a tender-driven project
A food or chemical manufacturer bringing bottles or bags in-house is scenario 3 or 4 with a captive customer, and the decision turns on volume and mould ownership. Where the buyer scores local content, mould making and frame fabrication are the elements that can be done locally; see local content scoring and China versus local fabrication. Packaging lines also carry inspection requirements that machine vision answers at a known cost.
The map on one table
| Scenario | Realistic tier | 2026 band (USD) | Site must have | Prices it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First injection shop | 150–300 t machine | 30–75k; servo +10–15%; moulds extra | Three-phase, chiller, mould budget | Injection tonnage guide |
| Crates and pallets | 400–500 t machine | From 100k | Heavier cooling, larger moulds | Injection tonnage guide |
| PET preforms and bottles | Injection machine + preform mould + blow moulder | 30–75k machine; mould often equal | Resin supply, bottle spec | Bag, pipe, preform prices |
| Bag-making shop | Basic to servo bag machine | 8k to 40k+ | Film supply, printing | Bag, pipe, preform prices |
| Pipe and profile extrusion | Single-screw to multi-layer | 20k to 200k+ | Die set, downstream equipment, product standard | Bag, pipe, preform prices |
| PET and film recycling | Wash line 300–1,000 kg/h | 120–350k | Bale supply, wash water and effluent route | Recycling machine prices |
| Toilet paper converting | Entry converting line | 10–50k; automatic to the 1M class | Jumbo roll supply, storage | Paper machine prices |
| Egg trays | Forming machine to small plant | From 8k; small plant ≈30k | Waste paper, drying energy | Paper machine prices |
| Recover an old line | Retrofit and measurement first | 2–8k per machine | Drawings and PLC access, screw and barrel condition | New, used or recover |
| In-house packaging / tender-driven | Captive scenario 3 or 4; local fabrication of scored elements | Per scope split | Volume commitment, mould ownership, scoring rules | Local content scoring |
Bands are indicative USD, 2026, on the basis stated in each row; they are the same bands our price guides publish, so the row and the guide always agree. Machinery is priced in US dollars and the rand cost moves with the exchange rate.
What CISH does with your row
The feasibility call starts from the part or the pack, confirms tonnage or line class, prices the whole project including moulds, cooling and material stock, and hands you a written scope. Delivery is the same for every row: turnkey lines commissioned to an agreed output on your material and moulds, operators trained during run-up, documentation handed over.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start an injection moulding business in South Africa?
A 150–300 tonne machine is US$30–75k; add a chiller, a dryer and the first moulds, which can equal the machine, and a first shop lands at roughly double the machine price before the building. The tonnage guide prices the machine classes and the auxiliaries.
Why is there no price for a preform machine?
Because a preform operation is an injection machine plus a preform mould set, and the mould decides the number: a high-cavity preform mould is often as expensive as the machine. We price the pair for your bottle rather than publish a band that would mislead.
Is plastic recycling a good business in South Africa?
The line is affordable at US$120–350k; the business is bale supply. Recyclers who succeed have collection contracts before they order the wash line, and a buyer for flake or pellet. Producer responsibility obligations on packaging have raised demand for recycled content, which helps the flake price but does not replace supply contracts.
Can I make toilet paper from scratch on a small budget?
No. The affordable business is converting: buying jumbo rolls and producing finished rolls on a line from US$10–50k. Making the paper is a mill investment. The paper machine price guide draws that boundary clearly.
How much power does an injection machine need?
It scales with tonnage and cycle; a 150–300 tonne machine is a three-phase industrial load and a shop of several machines with chillers needs a supply designed for it. Servo drives cut consumption by a meaningful margin, which is why the 10–15% premium usually pays.
Should I retrofit my old machines before buying new?
Usually the first question. A control retrofit at US$2–8k per machine, a new screw and barrel set and a measurement layer often recover a shop's real constraint, which is more often mould change and downtime than machine capacity. The plastics OEE retrofit case study shows how the measurement step works.