56 year old German entrepreneur Klaus Richter is selling ready-for-use condom factories, meaning you can order a complete manufacturing facility from him, and he ships practically everywhere. What may sound as a joke at first is serious business: Richter has so far sold over 100 factories worldwide.
The factories are being put together and shipped from Penang, a port city in Malaysia. Richter says he already sold his product through his own firm, “Richter Rubber”, to places like India, Mexico and Thailand. Two containers with 26sqm. of space are enough. Once the containers are at the hands of the new owners, it takes another 10 days of work to get the factory ready to roll out the first condoms.
One factory costs about $500,000, but for that money, Richter Rubber staff will set up the factories themselves, grant various warranties and instruct the new owners on all standard operating procedures.
Richter says he produces the factories in Malaysia since labor costs are low, and high-quality natural rubber is virtually around the corner.
Via Technology Review – German Edition [GER]