Candles & wax melts
Pillar, vessel and shaped candle moulds
Choose from free-standing pillars, ribbed pots, novelty shapes, snap-bar wax melts, wickable inserts and press-tool solutions for larger production runs.
See candle mouldingPart of TCI Group · UK design, UK manufacturing capability, since 2019
Custom silicone moulds for candles, wax melts, soap, resin and small-batch production.
We are a mould shop based in Bidford-on-Avon, making hand-made silicone moulds, cast and vacuum-cast tooling, with compression and injection routes available. Whether you are a chandler with a kitchen-table brand or a manufacturer running thousands of parts, we design the mould around the part you are pouring.
Who we are
The mould is not the product. It is what makes the product work.
TCI Mouldings is the founding division of TCI Group and its general mould shop. We make custom silicone moulds and polyurethane tooling for casting wax, resin, plaster, chocolate, soap and technical polymers. Whether you need one mould or more, we're here to help.
Most enquiries start with a problem rather than a purchase order. Perhaps a shape will not release, a mould tears after forty pulls or a vessel candle sinks in the middle. We start with the finished part and work backwards through the cast material, release method and run length. Then we choose the mould material and moulding route that suit your requirements.
About our Warwickshire mould shopWhat we mould
Candles, wax melts, soap, resin, bakery and small-batch parts.
One moulding capability for many kinds of maker. Send us your part and we'll keep the answer simple: we'll tell you the route.
Soap & bath
Cold-process soap and bath-bomb moulds
Loaf and slab moulds, individual cavity moulds, bath melts, shower steamer forms and packaging inserts.
Made for soapmakersResin & homeware
Resin, plaster and concrete homeware moulds
Coasters, trinket trays, sculptural pieces, jewellery masters, low-volume production moulds designed to release without a fight.
See homeware moulding
Bakery & culinary
Food-contact silicone moulds
Chocolate bar and praline moulds, patisserie inserts, ice-cream forms and freezer-safe production tooling. Food-contact grade materials.
TCI Culinary
Technical & industrial
Prototype and low-volume production tooling
Vacuum casting, polyurethane tools, compression and injection moulding for parts you would normally send to a large factory.
Our moulding processes
Small business
Starting up or scaling from kitchen to unit
No minimum order value. If you are a chandler, soapmaker or homeware brand ready to standardise your output, we will take the enquiry as seriously as a large order.
Made for chandlersHow we work
Six commitments with every order, from a single mould upwards.
01
No minimum order value
We take every enquiry seriously, whether you need one mould for a kitchen-table brand or a rolling annual programme for a manufacturer.
02
NDA as standard
Your drawings, samples and photographs are held under a mutual NDA. We will sign yours or send you ours before you share anything sensitive.
03
Named engineer per account
The person who quotes your job stays with it through the first pull, signing it off themselves. You will not be passed around a queue between conversations.
04
Warranty-backed tooling
Production moulds are warranted against premature failure caused by a fault in the tool. Wear from correct use is expected, while damage caused by misuse is not covered.
05
Food-contact and skin-contact grades available
Our platinum-cure silicones are for chocolate, patisserie and bath products. Certificates of compliance are available on request.
06
UK design, UK manufacturing capability
Every mould is designed in Warwickshire. We manufacture in the UK, while selectively outsourcing when the volume or route justifies it. We are transparent about which is which.
Where our moulds end up
You will have burnt a candle, eaten a chocolate or used a bar of soap made using one of our moulds.
We work behind the scenes for household brands, small chandlers, patisserie chefs and homeware designers. If you would like to know more, we can share named clients on request under NDA.
- UK candle brands
- Artisan soapmakers
- Patisserie chefs
- Homeware designers
- Resin jewellery brands
- Fashion houses
- Aerospace & medical suppliers
- Confectionery makers
How we work
Five steps from your idea to a mould you can run.
Brief and feasibility
Send us a drawing, photograph or physical sample. We will ask what you are pouring, how many you need and how the finish should look.
Route and material
We'll recommend the most suitable moulding route for your job: hand-made, cast, vacuum cast, compression or injection, along with the right silicone hardness.
Quote and NDA
You will receive a fixed quote covering the tooling cost, cost per part and lead time. We put a mutual NDA in place before your drawings change hands.
Tool build and first pull
We build the tool in Warwickshire. We pull the first part and share photographs with you before invoicing for anything beyond the deposit.
Handover or production run
You can collect the tool, or we can run the parts here and ship the finished items. Repeat schedules are welcome.
Silicone selection
We select the Shore hardness, cure system and food-contact status to suit your job.
If the silicone is too soft, your mould can distort under the weight of the material. Too hard, and the mould may not release the part. There is no universal answer, so we choose the silicone family, hardness and cure system to suit the part you are pouring.
- Shore 10 to 40 A for candles, wax melts and soft resin work
- Shore 40 to 60 A for detailed homeware, plaster and jewellery
- Shore 60 to 80 A for high-pressure and injection tooling
- Platinum-cure for food, skin and inhibition-sensitive resins
- Tin-cure for larger, cost-sensitive display and homeware moulds
Job size
One mould for a kitchen brand, or a rolling programme for a manufacturer.
We're set up for long production programmes with a repeat schedule, and we also welcome a single mould if you're a maker just starting to standardise your output.
For small businesses and start-ups
Whether you're running a kitchen-table brand or moving into a unit, you want a mould that won't tear on the fortieth pull and looks the same as it did on the first. We take your enquiry seriously and quote it properly.
- No minimum order value
- Fixed tooling cost, quoted up front
- You can book an optional one-hour design consult before you commit
- Payment terms designed around your small brand's cash flow
Manufacturing and B2B
You want a supplier who can hold a repeat schedule, sign your NDA and quote per part in a way your finance team recognises. That is the work we were set up to do.
- Warranted production tooling
- Named engineer per account, single point of contact
- Rolling schedule with agreed lead times
- Supplier documentation, material certificates and CoC are available on request
Inside the mould shop
See what the work actually looks like.
These are real workshop photographs from candle, soap and resin makers we have supplied. When you visit the unit at Waterloo Park, it looks the same.
One group, four specialisms
TCI Mouldings is part of TCI Group.
Shared engineering, one workshop and four brands, each speaking to buyers in language they recognise.
Frequently asked
Questions we hear before your first order
What is the minimum order for a custom silicone mould?
There is no minimum order value. Whether you're a small maker needing a single mould or a manufacturer planning a rolling programme, we'll quote for your project with the same care.
How long does a bespoke silicone mould take?
As a guide, simple hand-made moulds typically take two to three weeks. Vacuum-cast tools take four to six weeks, while compression and injection tooling takes eight to twelve weeks. If your schedule allows, we may be able to work faster for a rush charge.
Do you sign an NDA before we send drawings?
Yes. We can sign your NDA, or send you ours. Either way, your drawings, samples and photographs are kept confidential.
Are your silicones food safe?
We stock platinum-cure food-contact silicones for chocolate, patisserie and confectionery moulds. If you need confirmation of compliance, certificates are available on request.
Do you handle the whole run, or just the mould?
Both options are available. Some customers collect the tool and cast in-house. Others ask us to run the parts here and ship the finished pieces. We quote each approach.
What if my mould fails prematurely?
Your production tooling is covered by a warranty against manufacturing defects. Wear from correct use is expected over time and is not covered. Damage caused by misuse, including using the wrong release, wrong cure system or heat cycling outside spec, is not covered.
Do you work with candle brands that are just starting out?
A significant part of our work is creating custom moulds for chandlers who have outgrown catalogue moulds. We designed our small-business route around this, making it easier to move beyond catalogue options.
Can I get a proper quote from just a photograph?
Usually, yes. A photograph, rough dimensions and details of what you are pouring are enough for a starting quote. A drawing helps us refine the figure.
One-stop shop
Bring us the whole job. We make the mould, we source what sits around it, and we manage the rest.
UK design and manufacturing at the centre. Vetted UK partners for jobs larger than we can carry alone. And the ancillary work — packaging, artwork, photography, electrical, plastics, machining and web — sourced and project-managed alongside, so you brief one team and receive one delivery.
In-house
Manufacturing
Managed
UK partners
Sourced
Packaging & artwork
Sourced
Electrical & plastics
Sourced
Photography & web
One team
Brief to delivery
At a glance
The idea in a picture.
Which route suits your quantity
Swipe to see the whole diagram
Ready to start?
Tell us what you need to make, and we'll explain how to mould it.
Send us a drawing, photograph or sample. We'll come back to you with a suitable route, hardness and a clear quote.
More services
More than moulds: design, make and source.
Alongside our moulding, we can design your product, packaging and brand, make parts by CNC machining, 3D printing and other methods, and source anything else you need.
CNC machining
Metal and plastic parts, master patterns and tooling.
Find out more3D printing
FDM, SLA, SLS, MJF, PolyJet and metal printing.
Find out morePlastics and metal
Injection moulding, casting, sheet metal and die casting.
Find out moreSourcing
The right maker for every part, managed by one team.
Find out moreProduct design
From sketch to a product that can be made.
Find out morePackaging and packing
Retail packs, inserts and transit packing.
Find out moreBrand design
Names, logos and brand guidelines.
Find out moreWebsite design
Fast websites that turn visitors into enquiries.
Find out moreReal people, a real workshop
You deal with the people who make it.
No call centre and no middlemen. When you contact TCI Mouldings, you speak to the team who design, build and check your mould.
- A real Warwickshire workshopUnit 15, Waterloo Park, Bidford-on-Avon, Alcester B50 4JG.
- Real people on the phoneCall the team on 01789 224228, Monday to Friday.
- The same team on every jobDesign, production and aftercare come from the people you see here.
- Part of TCI GroupFive specialist brands, one engineering team. Visit TCI Group.
Thomas LaneManaging Director
George PrestonDesign & Project Manager
Kelly BallingerHead of Partnerships
Jim AndertonProduction Manager
TheodoreEmployee Welfare