§1What this business is

Covers are designed as 3D models on a computer, then cut and carved from transparent or coloured acrylic (PMMA) sheet on a CNC plastic machining centre, bent, assembled and packed. Acrylic passes about 92% of light and comes in clear, tinted and opaque grades. Every vehicle needs lamp covers, and broken ones are replaced often, so a small unit can serve spare-parts dealers and garages for used vehicles.

Capacity: Not printed in pieces; sales of ₹49.95 L a year at full capacity, starting at 60% (₹29.97 L).

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

Someone with CAD/CNC skills and contacts among auto spare-parts dealers.

Who it is not for

Someone who expects to supply vehicle makers directly from day one.

Advantages

  • Every vehicle needs lamp covers and broken ones are replaced often
  • One CNC machine can make many shapes from design files
  • Acrylic is easy to cut, bend and polish
  • The same set-up can make sign boards and electrical casings

Drawbacks

  • The profile shows losses in the first two years
  • Vehicle makers buy lamps as complete sets from large suppliers
  • Thin margin — raw material and inputs take about 76% of sales
  • Acrylic cracks if machined badly

Skills you need

  • 3D design and CNC programming
  • Acrylic cutting, bending and polishing
  • Fit and size checking against vehicle models
  • Selling to spare-parts wholesalers

Why difficulty 3/5: Small set-up, but slow early sales and the need for precise CNC work.

§3Market

Who buys

  • Auto spare-parts dealers
  • Garages and body shops
  • Owners of used vehicles

How it sells

  • Spare-parts wholesalers
  • Direct supply to garages

Good to know

  • The profile suggests a small unit focus on covers for used vehicles.
  • Both new and used vehicles need lamp covers.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
CNC plastic and acrylic machining (carving) machine with equipment1₹7,00,000
Bending and assembling equipment1₹50,000
Packing machinery1₹50,000
Installation, erection and electrificationlump sum₹0.50 lakh
Computer and printer1₹50,000

From: SIDBI Stand-Up Mitra project profile — Automobile Light Enclosure (2018) — private guide — confirm locally

  • Acrylic (PMMA) sheet — clear, tinted and opaquelight transmission about 0.92 as printed in the profile
  • Fasteners and packing materialfor assembly and dispatch

From: SIDBI Stand-Up Mitra project profile — Automobile Light Enclosure (2018) — private guide — confirm locally

§5Licences & registration

  1. Udyam registration
  2. GST registration
  3. State Pollution Control Board consent where required
  4. BIS or AIS type approval if you sell complete lamps — check with a testing agency
  5. Trade licence from the local body

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

PMEGP fits a ₹35.89 L manufacturing project; MUDRA covers up to ₹20 L; CGTMSE for a loan without collateral; Stand-Up India for SC/ST and women founders.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: Land ₹5.00 L + building ₹10.00 L + plant and machinery ₹9.00 L + furniture and electrical installations ₹1.00 L + preliminary and pre-operative ₹0.90 L + working capital ₹9.99 L = ₹35.89 L.

Working capital: Working capital ₹9.99 L (stocks ₹5.00 L, receivables ₹2.50 L, overheads ₹2.50 L); margin ₹4.37 L, bank ₹5.62 L. Finance: owner ₹8.97 L, bank ₹26.92 L.

SIDBI Stand-Up Mitra profile, uploaded in 2018 (no year printed on it) — prices will be higher now; check current costs.

How to prepare a loan file

§8Export potential

Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export

8512.90Parts of electrical lighting or signalling equipment for cycles or motor vehicles

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

  • Slow sales in the first years
  • Covers not fitting a model exactly and coming back
  • Acrylic sheet price rises
  • Cheap moulded imports

§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan

A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.

  1. Days 1–30: Visit a working automotive light covers (acrylic enclosures) unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
  2. Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, GST registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
  3. Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.

§11Who to connect with

Not verified yet

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 Automotive Light Covers (Acrylic Enclosures)?

DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. SIDBI Stand-Up Mitra project profile — Automobile Light Enclosure (2018)

Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.