Probably our Christmas Night Inc. customers do not realize or even think about what goes into making a fiberglass Santa or Toy Soldier.

Our factory in the Philippines (Heinimex) provides us with high quality detailed premium statues of Christmas Figures.  During my recent visit to our factory, I took a close look at the time consuming and painstaking process of preparing a Christmas figure for export to our warehouse in New York.

A mold is made from a master or model.  The mold consists of a rigid outer shell and a silicone rubber skin.  Ideally the mold has two halves, and it may include additional pieces for legs or ears on a Reindeer for example.   A thin layer of resin composite is applied to the inside of the rubber skin of each mold half.  If a metal or wood insert, is required, it will be laid in the mold.

Then a layer of fiberglass mat is added to the inner mold surface.  The fiberglass is saturated in resin and pounded to eliminate any air pockets or bubbles.  This fiberglass resin process is repeated until the required strength of wall is achieved.  Security/ground plates are fitted into the base of the product during this process.

Both halves of the mold are clamped together.  The mold is left for about one hour to cure, after which the rigid mold is removed, and the rubber mold is carefully pulled off.  There will be a seam where both halves of the mold were joined.  Excess resin will be trimmed off.

Now the mold passes to repair department.  Here the seam lines need to be filled and sanded and in the case of a reindeer hair will need to be drilled back in.  With a Reindeer two of the legs, one front and one back, usually diagonally opposite each other, will have to be attached to the Reindeer body.  There will also be filler, sanding and hair to complete the attachment.

If you look closely at the photo above, you will see the security/ground plates on the feet of the animal.   Below is a closer look at a security plate and an example of a stake that could be used for securing the product to a soft surface.  Bolts can be used to secure it to a hard surface.

A lot of sanding is required especially in flat surfaced products like the sleigh.

Once the product surface is perfected it passes on to the paint department.  A primer is applied.  Then in the case of a Reindeer an overall color will be applied.  Then it will get a wash of paint and wipe to give the appearance of the coat.  All the details will be painted with small brushes.  Finally, the product is put in a spray booth for the topcoat.

Once dry the product is wrapped in bubble wrap.  In the case of the reindeer, it is then placed in a wood crate and held in place with wood bars. 

Many of the other products are packed in heavy corrugated cartons with interior cardboard cutouts holding them in place.

There are a number of different ways to pack products from a simple wrap to closed in crates.  The factory has developed departments for preparing crates and cartons with inserts.

Elaborate insert and pads are prepared for each product carton.

Finally the product is complete, packed and ready to be loaded in a shipping container.