Blog Overview

Production update and packaging preview

Originally posted on: Kickstarter Update #9

September 13, 2024

Dear Backers,

 

We are making very significant progress with production, but we are unfortunately still not ready to ship.

Where do we stand?

As mentioned things like tripod heads and the like are completed and awaiting assembly at our main manufacturer's factory. All the custom parts are completed or in production.

 

So it comes down mainly to packaging at this point. The carton boxes are ordered, but we need batch/machine-made samples to verify our inner foam packaging materials truly fit and that product packages perfectly fit into outer shipping boxes - we are talking millimeters. This should happen within days. Then it's about 2 weeks for inner-foams to be mass produced and up to a week of placing finished goods into our packaging. Logistics needs “days” to inbound and prep each customer shipment. 

 

In theory that means an end-of-September ship-out with the promised 10-15 days shipping time bringing delivery to mid-October.

 

But, there is one more thing on the horizon: National Day holiday in mainland China blocking the first week of October, so missing logistics inbound by a day… we will spare you the elaboration and assume end of October delivery. 

 

We hope you can see the progress we are making and the silver lining is that we believe this is all but a delay and you will receive a truly special product. Once again a huge sorry for the further delay.

Packaging

For those of you who would like to know the details of why packaging has been so difficult, please read on. 

 

It is the variability of measurements that carton boxes bring, paired with our relatively large number of launch SKUs (a full 15 individual products that had been ordered in literally 99 combinations) that required us to design a highly space-optimized packaging system. 

 

Shipping prices are based on either actual weight or volume (whatever is more expensive). That means: Volume matters and SKU variability risks bringing volume up substantially. Let’s elaborate on this with some packaging renders.

 

Three Product Boxes

We have three different main box sizes to package our 15 different products. Starter and Double-Rod Kits take larger boxes and single rod and rod extension kits need less space.

Box stacking

These then need to stack neatly to be placed in larger shipping boxes to minimize volume creep, as, you guessed it, that would cost us dearly on the shipping front. 

SKU Combinations and their shipping cartons

Given how many order combinations can arise from 15 products our stacking plan really got complex fast and the below render just shows up to three layers…some of you ordered quite a bit more add-on than fit on three layers! 

Golden samples in the factory

After several itterations we now have boxes that fit well on top of each other. Here are some pics from the last prototypes straight from the factory's offices. 

These are handmade samples, hence not as precise as machine cut boxes - the final ones should be even nicer and are already in production!

 

Now inside of these boxes go foam inlays to hold and protect your Monitor Rigs and they are shut with beautiful label stickers. 

 

That means three manufacturers that need coordination, everything having to match by the millimeter, everything is another dieline, photoshop design or CAD model (for the foams)... 

 

Again we are very aware that you are all keenly waiting for your Monitor Rigs. And we are working on getting them to you as fast as we can. Once again thank you for your patience. 

 

The Monoblocc Team