- Anyone considering starting a keyring or acrylic goods business and wants a realistic cost breakdown
- Anyone already in the printing business and thinking about adding keyring production to their product line
- Anyone wondering whether to start with UV printer only or invest in a full equipment setup from the beginning
- Investment costs may vary depending on the region, office area, equipment choice, and production volume
- Starting a business without field experience is risky — learning the trade at a related company first is strongly recommended
- All three equipment options are based on Korean market pricing as of 2025
- Option 1 (UV Printer only): approx. $22,000 initial / Option 2 (+Laser): approx. $38,500 / Option 3 (+Bonding): approx. $44,000
- Option 3 is recommended for new starters — leading companies already have all three, and customers prefer one-stop ordering
- Don’t rush — learn the business at a related company first, then start when you have both skills and initial capital ready
I. Personal Business? — ARTJET UV Printer Application 37 _Keyring Business Required Equipment and Investment Costs
This is a conversation I had about 2 years ago.
I met my wife as a friend when she was 20, and we still call each other by name. On days when I go home early, I sometimes eat with my two sons (now in the third year of high school and middle school)… half jokingly and half seriously:
Wife: “When will I hear the sound of ‘madam’? I, too, can become prettier if I exercise and have hobbies like the madams in Gangnam…”
First son (positive): “When will you be successful? If you look at the kids in my class, there are a lot of CEOs.”
Second son (cynical): “Just do well at work, until you pay off all your debt…”
Me: “Just wait a little, it’ll be okay…”
Wife: “Dad is a late bloomer… How long are you going to just wait??? Will the bloom come?”
When I was working at Ink Tech, they worked as AS for JETRIX UV Printer. After they quit, they purchased printers and started a printing business. All three have been in business for over 5 years.
Friend 1:
Expanding his business by introducing CNC and purchasing laser cutting equipment.
Friend 2:
Running a business with two ARTJETs and one laser cutting machine. “Brother, it’s still much better than working life. I can use my time as I want.” He prioritizes personal time over work.
Friend 3:
A church elder, also doing well in business.
At my previous job, I occasionally did bulk printing orders. Although the color matching and delivery were a bit difficult, the actual work was simply repetitive — and the cost didn’t add up as much as you might think.
- Color ink consumption is minimal
- White ink is consumed more when printed in full, but it’s minimal compared to the final product unit price
- Most printing shops are run by individuals or families, so labor is not typically counted as cost
- Other costs are mainly materials, packaging, and shipping
All three friends who started a printing shop knew only how to operate the equipment and had no business foundation. They said that after three months of blogging with anxious hearts, they received one or two calls. Now, they have been in business for over five years and orders are steady.
Most people who inquired about ARTJET UV Printer equipment were already working in this field:
- Those who have a feel for how the equipment operates and the overall business works
- Those who are starting after securing a certain amount of orders
- Those who are outsourcing and purchasing equipment out of frustration
When equipment prices were high:
Those with only UV printers outsourced laser cutting or CNC processing. Those with laser/CNC equipment outsourced printing to UV printer companies.
As equipment prices became cheaper:
The cost of outsourcing vs. equipment purchase was compared. UV printer owners purchased post-processing equipment, and vice versa.
Those who have both UV printer and post-processing equipment:
- Differentiate with fast delivery
- Flexible pricing when competition is fierce
- Quick response to printing or processing defects
II. Required Equipment and Investment Costs — ARTJET UV Printer Application 37 _Keyring Business Required Equipment and Investment Costs
Initial investment: approx. $22,000 (rental deposit + equipment)
Monthly fixed cost: approx. $300
Disadvantage:
Cannot make the finished product yourself — no laser cutter or acrylic bonding. Fixed office rental cost is the same regardless.
Advantage:
Low initial investment. Can study UV Printer more deeply. Can build a blog foundation with UV-only items.
Initial investment: approx. $38,500
Monthly fixed cost: approx. $320
Disadvantage:
Higher initial investment. Learning two pieces of equipment at once can be burdensome.
Advantage:
Can immediately develop items like keyrings. Laser cutting consumable costs are almost zero, so monthly fixed cost doesn’t increase much.
Initial investment: approx. $44,000
Monthly fixed cost: approx. $390
Disadvantage:
Highest initial investment. Learning three pieces of equipment at once is demanding.
Advantage:
Ability to produce bonded acrylic keyrings — a recent trend with high demand.
III. If It Were Me — Option 1, 2, or 3? _ ARTJET UV Printer Application 37 _Keyring Business Required Equipment and Investment Costs
None of my three colleagues started a printing business right away.
Friend 1:
Invested in equipment + ran it with an acquaintance while still employed. When his personal business got busy, he quit his job.
Friend 2:
Didn’t plan on a printing business from the start — was an equipment dealer. When sales didn’t go well, he saved fixed costs by using demo equipment and a friend’s office.
Friend 3:
Joined a printing company after quitting, learned the trade, then started his own business.
If you are not in a related field, move to a company that actually produces and supplies keyrings. Learn how to make estimates, research material purchasing companies, and see how sales are done.
All leading companies doing keyring goods have had UV Printer + Laser cutting equipment for a long time, and most now also have acrylic bonding equipment.
Since it is an online competition, customers who know the market can request comparative estimates from places that do bonding keyrings. Customers prefer to order both bonding and regular keyrings from one place.
“Capitalism is a world where capital is the master — a system where one can earn more capital only if one has capital.”
As if suddenly realizing: “I’ve never invested money to accumulate capital, so now and in the future, I will never have money without working!”
- The speed, absolute amount, and sustainability of money making money
- The speed, absolute amount, and sustainability of a monthly salary from investing time in other people’s capital
- The sustainability of a decent monthly salary seems to last only until the average retirement age — 49 for men
IV. ARTJET UV Printer — Keyring Business ARTJET 2025
