§1What this business is
Copper and brass sheet is made into tubes, fins and header plates, tinned, assembled on jigs, soldered in an oven and leak-tested. Radiators sell mainly as replacement parts through spare-parts dealers and garages, and are also used in tractors, generators and locomotives.
Capacity: 40 radiators a day at full capacity (10-hour shift); year 1 at 30%.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A mechanic or engineer from the auto-parts trade with garage and dealer contacts.
Who it is not for
Someone with no metal-working or auto-market knowledge.
Advantages
- Every engine vehicle needs a radiator, so replacement demand is steady
- Also used in tractors, generators and locomotives
- Repair and re-coring work adds income
- Machines are standard and made in India
Drawbacks
- Copper and brass prices swing
- Many new vehicles use aluminium radiators
- Vehicle makers demand certified suppliers
- Net margin under 10% in the early years
Skills you need
- Sheet-metal work and soldering
- Leak testing
- Selling to dealers and garages
- Buying copper at the right time
Why difficulty 3/5: Needs metal-working skill and a dealer network; the machines are standard.
§3Market
Who buys
- Spare-parts dealers and repair garages
- Owners of cars, tractors and generator sets
- Vehicle and engine makers (with certification)
How it sells
- Auto spare-parts wholesalers
- Direct supply to garages and service centres
Good to know
- The report expects demand to grow as emission rules tighten and hybrid vehicles need extra low-temperature radiators.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tinning machine | 1 | ₹1,50,000 |
| Automatic tube bending machine | 1 | ₹4,00,000 |
| Flat fin machine | 1 | ₹2,50,000 |
| Hydraulic press | 1 | ₹2,00,000 |
| Assembly jig | 5 | ₹1,00,000 (₹20,000 each) |
| Special soldering oven | 1 | ₹1,80,000 |
| Guillotine shearing machine | 1 | ₹5,00,000 |
| Other equipment and tools | — | ₹50,000 |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Car Radiator (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Copper sheet and brass sheet
- Tin and lead (for tinning and soldering)
- Other chemicals and packing material
From: PMEGP sample project report — Car Radiator (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- Pollution Control Board consent (soldering fumes)
- Factory licence once the worker count crosses the limit
- Trade licence
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
PMEGP and CGTMSE fit the ₹23.44 L project; Stand-Up India for SC/ST or women founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Plant & machinery ₹18.30 L, furniture ₹0.70 L, working capital ₹4.44 L = ₹23.44 L. Land own or rented. The PMEGP list also shows ₹17.58 L for the same file, but the report itself prints ₹23.44 L.
Working capital: Working capital ₹4.44 L; bank finance ₹4.00 L.
Year not printed on the report — check current machinery prices.
§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 code on the DGFT site.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Copper price rise
- Shift to aluminium radiators
- Late payment from dealers
- Leaks and rejected pieces
§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 car radiator 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, 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 Car Radiator 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.