Is the headline the customer's selling price?

No. The headline is your estimated manufacturing cost. The separate target sales value and per-set selling price incorporate your entered gross-margin requirement.

Should scrap be added to the finished set count?

No. Enter the sets you expect to deliver. Include expected normal scrap in converted cost per finished set, so the quote recovers it once.

How should I handle tooling already recovered?

Enter only the fixed tooling or setup charge assigned to this order. Use zero for fully recovered tooling when no new charge applies.

Why is a 30% margin different from 30% markup?

Margin divides gross profit by selling price; markup divides it by cost. The target price divides cost by 0.70 for a 30% margin.

Foam, Insulation & Cushioning Products calculator

Custom Insert Quote Cost Calculator

Estimate the manufacturing cost of a custom foam insert order and the selling price at your margin target. Enter actual finished sets and approved costs.

What this calculator does

Calculate manufacturing cost for a custom foam insert order and the selling price needed to meet your gross-margin target.

Formula used

Converted order cost = finished sets × converted cost per set
Total order cost = converted order cost + fixed tooling and setup
Manufacturing cost per set = total order cost ÷ finished sets
Target sales value = total order cost ÷ (1 − target margin ÷ 100)
Target selling price per set = target sales value ÷ finished sets

Inputs explained

Quoted Finished Sets: Actual whole finished insert sets included in the customer order.
Converted Cost per Set: Cost sheet including material, conversion, overhead and expected normal scrap.
Fixed Tooling and Setup: Order tooling, programming and sample charges excluded from per-set cost.
Target Gross Margin: Your approved gross profit target as a percentage of sales.

How to use the result

Best suited to custom case insert quote, lower order quantity review, tooling recovery comparison.
Excludes freight to the customer, sales taxes and selling expenses. Zero-cost orders leave target prices blank because zero-revenue gross margin is undefined. Input ceilings are computational safeguards, not commercial recommendations.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for plastic resins and materials stands at 280.569 (BLS, Aug 2026), up 6.6% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.

Common questions

Is the headline the customer's selling price? No. The headline is your estimated manufacturing cost. The separate target sales value and per-set selling price incorporate your entered gross-margin requirement.
Should scrap be added to the finished set count? No. Enter the sets you expect to deliver. Include expected normal scrap in converted cost per finished set, so the quote recovers it once.
How should I handle tooling already recovered? Enter only the fixed tooling or setup charge assigned to this order. Use zero for fully recovered tooling when no new charge applies.
Why is a 30% margin different from 30% markup? Margin divides gross profit by selling price; markup divides it by cost. The target price divides cost by 0.70 for a 30% margin.

Last reviewed 2026-10-01.