What is the current tooling balance on the company's balance sheet? 
go to electric and compare it to ICE, it's a significant increase over ICE. So we plan on providing you additional detail on those breakdowns, as I said, as we go through the summer months.
As it relates to investing in this business, it's pretty much there for us. I would see engineering talent being something that as we expand across the world, we'll continue to increase our talent in this space because the demand that our customers have for us to have the know-how is clearly changing. As it relates to manufacturing product, as you know, we've gotten out of the extrusion hose business in Europe, but we maintained the PVC footprint for electric vehicles, and we continue to add a footprint here in North America, and we'll continue to add it in China as we need.
The good news is the investment is not very significant. When you think about capital, it's pretty low. The investment for us is really in the connectors in that innovation as well as the technology that we -- and the know-how that we have to route the different fluid lines that our customers view as value-add for them.
Mike Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst
Okay. Lastly, on page 18, you have a bullet there which says three current customers in footwear. Is that an additional customer? I thought you had two. Did you add 1? Or is it -- did I miss something along the way?
Jeffrey S. Edwards -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Yes. We've added one, I think, since the last time you and I talked.
Mike Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst
Okay. And it's still looking at commercialization somewhere 12 months out? Is that in China as well?
Jeffrey S. Edwards -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Yes. We haven't disclosed the where, but I guess embedded in my prepared remarks, when you think about the travel restrictions and how that's impeded a little bit, you can assume that we're not just traveling to Tennessee.
Mike Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst
Okay. Wonderful. Thank you. Really appreciate it.
Jeffrey S. Edwards -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Okay.
Operator
Our next question comes from Joseph Farricielli with Cantor Fitzgerald.
Joseph Farricielli -- Cantor Fitzgerald -- Analyst
Good morning. Thank you. Question on your capex guidance. And if you could give some color on your tooling balance. The capex number, that's your capex, that doesn't include anything for tooling. Is that correct?
Jonathan P. Banas -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Yes, Joe, this is Jon. That is correct. capex is just Cooper-Standard owned equipment that we would capitalize and use over, not only special purpose for individual customer programs, but general purpose equipment that we can use for any programs. Tooling that's specific to a customer and that they owned is categorized separately on our balance sheet, so it's not in that capex number you see because we're typically getting reimbursed for that either upfront or in some cases, in piece price over the life of the program.
Joseph Farricielli -- Cantor Fitzgerald -- Analyst
Okay. Great. Thanks. I know there was some confusion in the past. And then I'm missing, I know last quarter the tooling balance sheet item was about $88 million. Where does that stand today? And also, given the amount of launches, where does that go going forward?
Jonathan P. Banas -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Yes. Joe, just give me a minute to look up your question on the tooling receivable. Right now, at year-end, it is about $82 million still comparable to the Q3 number.
Joseph Farricielli -- Cantor Fitzgerald -- Analyst
Right, right, right. And what is that, the cadence of receiving those funds? What does that look like compared to the launches that you have this year?
Jonathan P. Banas -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Typically, the lump sum reimbursements are going to be right around the launch timing. We get the tools approved as far as test parts by the customer, and then we can invoice them for those tools. So I would say of our 157 planned launches throughout 2021, you're going to see a r
go to electric and compare it to ICE, it's a significant increase over ICE. So we plan on providing you additional detail on those breakdowns, as I said, as we go through the summer months.
As it relates to investing in this business, it's pretty much there for us. I would see engineering talent being something that as we expand across the world, we'll continue to increase our talent in this space because the demand that our customers have for us to have the know-how is clearly changing. As it relates to manufacturing product, as you know, we've gotten out of the extrusion hose business in Europe, but we maintained the PVC footprint for electric vehicles, and we continue to add a footprint here in North America, and we'll continue to add it in China as we need.
The good news is the investment is not very significant. When you think about capital, it's pretty low. The investment for us is really in the connectors in that innovation as well as the technology that we -- and the know-how that we have to route the different fluid lines that our customers view as value-add for them.
Mike Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst
Okay. Lastly, on page 18, you have a bullet there which says three current customers in footwear. Is that an additional customer? I thought you had two. Did you add 1? Or is it -- did I miss something along the way?
Jeffrey S. Edwards -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Yes. We've added one, I think, since the last time you and I talked.
Mike Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst
Okay. And it's still looking at commercialization somewhere 12 months out? Is that in China as well?
Jeffrey S. Edwards -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Yes. We haven't disclosed the where, but I guess embedded in my prepared remarks, when you think about the travel restrictions and how that's impeded a little bit, you can assume that we're not just traveling to Tennessee.
Mike Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst
Okay. Wonderful. Thank you. Really appreciate it.
Jeffrey S. Edwards -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Okay.
Operator
Our next question comes from Joseph Farricielli with Cantor Fitzgerald.
Joseph Farricielli -- Cantor Fitzgerald -- Analyst
 Good morning. Thank you. Question on your capex guidance. And if you could give some color on your tooling balance. The capex number, that's your capex, that doesn't include anything for tooling. Is that correct?
Jonathan P. Banas -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Yes, Joe, this is Jon. That is correct. capex is just Cooper-Standard owned equipment that we would capitalize and use over, not only special purpose for individual customer programs, but general purpose equipment that we can use for any programs. Tooling that's specific to a customer and that they owned is categorized separately on our balance sheet, so it's not in that capex number you see because we're typically getting reimbursed for that either upfront or in some cases, in piece price over the life of the program.
Joseph Farricielli -- Cantor Fitzgerald -- Analyst
Okay. Great. Thanks. I know there was some confusion in the past. And then I'm missing, I know last quarter the tooling balance sheet item was about $88 million. Where does that stand today? And also, given the amount of launches, where does that go going forward?
Jonathan P. Banas -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Yes. Joe, just give me a minute to look up your question on the tooling receivable. Right now, at year-end, it is about $82 million still comparable to the Q3 number.
Joseph Farricielli -- Cantor Fitzgerald -- Analyst
Right, right, right. And what is that, the cadence of receiving those funds? What does that look like compared to the launches that you have this year?
Jonathan P. Banas -- Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Typically, the lump sum reimbursements are going to be right around the launch timing. We get the tools approved as far as test parts by the customer, and then we can invoice them for those tools. So I would say of our 157 planned launches throughout 2021, you're going to see a r