Pultrusion & Continuous Composite Profiles worked example

Resin Cost Per Foot at 58% resin utilization: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop resin utilization to 58%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Resin cost per foot isolates the single largest consumable in pultrusion — the polyester, vinyl-ester, or epoxy system, plus catalyst and fillers — spread across every running foot of profile.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Profile length produced: 100 ft (held at the documented default)
  • Resin system cost per foot: 45 $ / ft (held at the documented default)
  • Resin utilization (net of waste): 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed batch/setup resin cost: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Resin Cost Per Foot cost = quantity × rate × capture factor + fixed cost.
  • Weighted cost works out to 2,860 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Per piece value works out to 28.6 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Captured value works out to 2,610 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed adjustment works out to 250 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where resin utilization sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 25.71% below the baseline at 2,860 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to resin utilization, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It assumes a steady resin cost per foot; profiles with heavy fillers, changing glass content, or resin-rich flanges will consume differently than a flat rate implies.

Results at a glance

  • Weighted cost: 2,860 $ (headline result)
  • Per piece value: 28.6 $ / piece
  • Captured value: 2,610 $
  • Fixed adjustment: 250 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Resin Cost Per Foot calculator, set resin utilization to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.