§1What this business is
CRCA sheet is sheared and deep-drawn into top and bottom covers, which are drilled, welded and painted. Bought-out parts (contactor, 24-hour timer, MCBs, selector switch, push buttons, indicator lamps, terminal block) are fitted and wired to the circuit diagram, with rubber gaskets to keep out weather. Each unit is tested to IS 13947 (Part 2) and packed with a manual. It stops lights, fans and ACs in conference and seminar halls being left on.
Capacity: 1,800 panels a year, worth ₹1.71 crore (₹9,500 each).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
An electrical engineer or panel maker who can sell to government offices, institutions and electrical contractors.
Who it is not for
Someone without electrical training or without access to institutional buyers.
Advantages
- Saves power in halls, offices and institutions
- Assembly from bought-out parts; little machining
- Small fixed capital (₹3.73 L)
- Same skills make other control panels
Drawbacks
- Working capital is ten times the fixed capital
- Smart switches and building automation compete
- Orders come in lots from institutions; sales are lumpy
- Margin depends on the price of bought-out timers and contactors
Skills you need
- Reading circuit diagrams and panel wiring
- Sheet-metal work
- Testing to IS 13947
- Selling to contractors and institutions
Why difficulty 3/5: Simple assembly, but heavy working capital and institutional selling.
§3Market
Who buys
- Government and private offices
- Conference and seminar halls
- Institutions and hotels
How it sells
- Electrical contractors
- Direct supply and tenders
Good to know
- The profile sells the product as an energy saver for halls where lights and fans are left on.
- Testing can be done at government test centres (ETDC, ERTL, RTC).
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Deep drawing press, 20 tonne, 2 HP | 1 | ₹75,000 |
| Heating chamber | 1 | ₹52,000 |
| Spot welding machine, 3 kVA | 1 | ₹30,000 |
| Treadle guillotine shearing machine, 1200 mm | 1 | ₹22,000 |
| Pneumatic riveting machine with compressor | 1 | ₹21,000 |
| Air compressor with spray-painting unit | 1 | ₹14,000 |
| Pickling plant, bench drill, bench grinder, hand shear | 1 each | ₹21,000 |
| Testing: megger, HV tester 2.5 kV, earth-leakage tester, clamp meter, wattmeter, auto-transformers, multimeters, test benches | 1 lot | ₹40,000 |
From: DC-MSME project profile — Automatic Switches for Electrical Gadgets (2003)
- 24-hour timers150 a month at ₹2,900 = ₹4.35 L
- Contactors450 a month at ₹800 = ₹3.60 L
- MCBs, 32 A and 16 A300 a month at ₹600 = ₹1.80 L
- Push buttons, selector switches, terminal blocks, indicator lamps₹1.05 L a month
- CRCA sheet 18/20 SWG500 kg a month at ₹21/kg = ₹10,500
- Rubber beading, knockouts, hardware, rivets, paint, packing₹25,000 a month
From: DC-MSME project profile — Automatic Switches for Electrical Gadgets (2003)
Suppliers in Building Business Bazaar
Turner and Tools · Kolkata →Beekay Hardware Tadong Gangtok · Sikkim →Bengal Trading Co · Siliguri →Cherry. Pvt. Ltd · Gangtok →Goliya Electricals Pvt. Ltd · Vapi →Goliya Instrument Pvt. Ltd · Mumbai →H.K. Agarwal and Co · Siliguri →Nandy and Co · Howrah →Pathak Machine Tools Pvt. Ltd · Howarh →Turnwell Machine Tools · Kolkata →Vinod Enterprise · Gangtok →
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST
- Trade licence from the local body
- State Pollution Control Board consent (painting and pickling)
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
The ₹40.45 L project fits PMEGP (up to ₹50 L), CGTMSE and Stand-Up India; MUDRA covers a smaller start.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: DC-MSME profile: plant and machinery ₹2.35 L (20-tonne deep drawing press ₹75,000, heating chamber ₹52,000, spot welder ₹30,000, guillotine shear ₹22,000, pneumatic riveter ₹21,000 and more) + testing equipment ₹40,000 + electrification ₹27,500 + furniture ₹25,000 + tools and dies ₹30,000 + pre-operative ₹15,000 = fixed capital ₹3.73 L; working capital for 3 months ₹36.73 L; total ₹40.45 L as printed. Shed rented.
Working capital: Working capital for 3 months ₹36.73 L; bought-out parts are most of it (₹11.16 L a month, of which 24-hour timers ₹4.35 L and contactors ₹3.60 L).
Prices from 2002–03 — machinery, material and wage costs will be much higher now.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: EEPC India
- Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker before shipping.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Price rise of contactors and timers
- Shift to smart and sensor-based controls
- Slow payment from government buyers
- Warranty returns from faulty parts
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working automatic timer switch panels for lights and fans unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, GST), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Automatic Timer Switch Panels for Lights and Fans?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.