§1What this business is
Metal-complex dyes, oils, varnishes and driers are weighed and mixed in suitable proportions in a mixing machine and milled on a triple roll mill into a thick, smooth ink. Viscosity is checked with a Ford cup. The ink is sold to ball pen and refill makers.
Capacity: Mixing machine of 10 litres per 8 hours; projected sales ₹36.00 L a year at full capacity.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A chemist or someone from the pen trade with links to refill makers.
Who it is not for
Someone without chemistry knowledge or buyer contacts.
Advantages
- Ball pens are a mass-consumption item for students and offices
- Very small machinery cost
- Only three people needed
- Compact unit in a rented shed
Drawbacks
- Few buyers — mainly pen and refill makers
- Dye and chemical prices move with the chemical market
- Shade and viscosity must match each buyer
- Large pen makers often make their own ink
Skills you need
- Ink formulation and shade matching
- Viscosity testing
- Buying dyes and solvents
- Selling to pen and refill makers
Why difficulty 2/5: Small, simple set-up, but you need ink chemistry know-how and steady buyers.
§3Market
Who buys
- Ball pen and refill manufacturers
- Stationery makers
How it sells
- Direct supply to pen makers in bulk containers
Good to know
- The KVIC profile calls ball pens an essential, mass-consumption item for students, schools and offices.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mixing machine with motor, 10 litres per 8 hours | 1 | — |
| Platform weighing machine, 50 kg | 1 | — |
| Triple roll mill | 1 | — |
| Stainless steel shovel and scraper knife | — | — |
| HDPP storage tank for varnish and oil | 1 | — |
| Ford cup and rectangular glass sheet for testing | — | — |
| Exhaust fan, power connection, electrification and installation at 15% | — | — |
| Total equipment | — | ₹2,25,000 |
From: KVIC Project Profile — Ball Pen Ink (PMEGP)
- Metal-complex dyes (e.g. reflux blue)chosen to match the buyer's shade
- Castor oil or stand oil, varnishes and driersraw material total ₹24,96,000 a year at full capacity
- Labels and packing material₹75,000 a year
From: KVIC Project Profile — Ball Pen Ink (PMEGP)
Suppliers in Building Business Bazaar
Anup Engineering Ltd · Ahmedabad →APV Eng. Co. Ltd · Kolkata →Billy Engg. Enterprises · Chennai →Dausala Organics Ltd · Delhi →Ganson Ltd · Mumbai →Gujarat Quinon Pvt. Ltd · Vadodara →India Product · Ahmedabad →Indian Dye Stuff Industries Ltd · Mumbai →Kanoria Chemical and Industry Ltd · Kolkata →Richard Engg.(Bombay) Pvt Ltd · Ambernath →Sweta Bass · Bareilly →Unity Chemical · Mumbai →
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- State pollution board consent (small chemical unit)
- Fire safety clearance for storing flammable materials, as required locally
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
PMEGP (the KVIC profile was prepared for it), MUDRA up to ₹20 L and CGTMSE for a collateral-free loan.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Equipment ₹2.25 L (mixer, weighing scale, triple roll mill, storage tank, testing items, exhaust fan, power connection and 15% installation) + working capital ₹7.20 L = ₹9.45 L; work shed rented.
Working capital: Working capital ₹7.20 L — raw material is ₹24.96 L a year.
Year not printed on the KVIC profile — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Export council / board: CHEMEXCIL
- The project report prints no HS code; look up the 8-digit ITC(HS) line on the DGFT website or with a customs broker before exporting.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Losing a major buyer
- Batch quality problems (clogging, fading)
- Chemical price rise
- Safe storage of oils and solvents
§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 ball pen ink manufacturing 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 registration), 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 Ball Pen Ink Manufacturing?
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.