§1What this business is
Tile companies decorate their own tiles, but there is a niche market for tiles decorated to the wishes of a single customer or building contractor. The unit decorates ceramic wall tiles in two ways. In the transfer method a ceramic transfer label — pictures of gods, flowers, borders — is soaked in water, placed on the clean tile, the release paper is removed and air bubbles are pressed out with a soft rubber squeegee. In the screen-printing method a design stencil is made on a nylon screen and ceramic colours mixed with printing oil are printed on the tile. Either way the tiles are stacked on heat-resistant metal stands and heated slowly to 750–800°C in an electric resistance furnace lined with ceramic fibre, then cooled slowly so they do not crack. The design becomes a permanent, smooth part of the tile. The tiles are bought by the unit, or supplied by the contractor for decorating.
Capacity: Installed capacity 48,000 sq ft of decorated tiles a year; at 75% use, 36,000 sq ft a year valued at ₹45 lakh (₹125 per sq ft).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A screen printer, ceramic artist or tile dealer who already meets builders, architects and temple or home customers.
Who it is not for
Someone expecting bulk factory orders; this is custom work in small lots.
Advantages
- Only four workers and one furnace
- Custom designs earn more than plain tiles — ₹125 against ₹40 per sq ft in the profile
- Contractors can supply the tiles, which cuts your stock
- No Indian Standard to certify against; the customer's taste decides
Drawbacks
- A niche market — tile companies already sell decorated tiles
- The furnace is ₹8 lakh and uses a 25 kW connection
- Tiles crack if heated or cooled too fast
- Orders depend on building activity in your town
Skills you need
- Making screens and stencils
- Applying ceramic transfers without bubbles
- Running the furnace heating and cooling cycle
- Design sense and dealing with contractors
Why difficulty 2/5: Simple process and a small team; the work is in finding custom orders.
§3Market
Who buys
- Home owners who want custom wall tiles
- Building contractors for homes and commercial buildings
- Tile dealers and showrooms
How it sells
- Direct orders from customers and contractors
- Job work on tiles supplied by the contractor
- Display and orders through tile shops
Good to know
- The profile values decorated tiles at ₹125 per sq ft.
- It calls this a niche market, because tile makers also decorate their own tiles.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance-heating electric furnace with 1 cubic metre heating space | 1 | ₹8,00,000 |
| Electrical work and charges for a 25 kW power connection | — | ₹1,00,000 |
| Screen-printing frames, tools and accessories | — | ₹25,000 |
| Heat-resistant metal stands for stacking tiles | — | ₹75,000 |
| Office equipment | — | ₹60,000 |
From: DC-MSME project profile — Decoration of Ceramic Tiles (2010)
- Ceramic wall tiles3,200 sq ft a month at ₹40 per sq ft
- Ceramic colours4 kg a month at ₹6,000 a kg
- Printing oils4 kg a month at ₹1,500 a kg
- Ceramic transfer labels₹50,000 a month
- Packing materials₹12,000 a month
From: DC-MSME project profile — Decoration of Ceramic Tiles (2010)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- Trade licence from the local body
- Sanctioned 25 kW industrial power connection
Start it in your state
Pick your state: today’s cost, central + state subsidy, raw material, land and help, on one page.
§6Schemes & subsidies
At ₹20.30 lakh the project fits PMEGP (manufacturing ceiling ₹50 lakh); CGTMSE can cover the bank loan without collateral.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Fixed capital ₹12,00,000 (machinery and equipment ₹11,40,000 as printed — electric furnace ₹8,00,000, 25 kW power connection ₹1,00,000, erection ₹90,000, screen frames and tools ₹25,000, metal stands ₹75,000, office equipment ₹60,000 — plus pre-operative ₹60,000; premises are rented) + working capital for 3 months ₹8,30,100 = ₹20,30,100.
Working capital: Recurring cost ₹2,76,700 a month, of which tiles, colours, transfers and packing are ₹2,20,000; working capital for 3 months ₹8,30,100.
Prices from November 2010 — furnace, tile, colour and power costs will be much higher now.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: CAPEXIL
- The profile plans only local custom sales, not exports.
- Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker before shipping.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Digitally printed factory tiles taking the custom market
- Breakage in firing and handling
- Rising power tariff
- Slow payment by contractors
§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 decoration of ceramic tiles (screen printing and transfers) 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
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Decoration of Ceramic Tiles (Screen Printing and Transfers)?
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.