§1What this business is
Waste planks from packing cases are cleaned with a hand grinder to show the grain, a design is drawn and carved, liquor ammonia is brushed on and burnt with a blow torch, and the surface is buffed. Relevant standards are IS 799 (liquor ammonia) and IS 5666 (etch primer). Buyers are interior decorators, architects, hotels, restaurants, shops, offices and homes.
Capacity: 2,100 pieces a year (as printed in the profile's capacity table).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A carpenter or wood artisan with an eye for design who can reach decorators and shops.
Who it is not for
Someone who dislikes selling face to face or at exhibitions.
Advantages
- Tiny investment — ₹90,000
- Raw material is waste wood from packing cases
- Carpenters can add it to their regular work
- Good margin — net surplus about 30% of sales
Drawbacks
- A purely decorative item — demand must be created
- Selling needs exhibitions and contacts with decorators
- The profile says the craft is mostly confined to parts of South India
- Handling ammonia and a blow torch needs care
Skills you need
- Wood carving
- Chemical etching with ammonia and torch
- Design sense
- Exhibition and decorator sales
Why difficulty 2/5: Simple tools; the skill is artistic and the selling is personal.
§3Market
Who buys
- Hotels, restaurants, shops and offices
- Homes
- Interior decorators, architects and furniture designers
How it sells
- Exhibitions, showrooms and art galleries
- Direct contact with decorators and painting contractors
Good to know
- The profile says the product must be marketed intensively.
- It can be set up in semi-urban areas where wood artisans live.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Wood-carving tool kit | — | — |
| Mechanical vice | — | — |
| Chemical etching kit | — | — |
| All equipment with preliminary and pre-operative expenses | — | ₹40,000 |
From: KVIC Project Profile — Chemical Etching on Wood (PMEGP)
- Waste wooden planksfrom waste packing; raw material ₹65,000 a year in the profile
- Liquor ammonia and other chemicalsbrushed on and burnt to bring out the grain
- Labels and packing material₹5,000 a year in the profile
From: KVIC Project Profile — Chemical Etching on Wood (PMEGP)
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST if turnover crosses the limit
- Trade licence from the local body
§6Schemes & subsidies
KVIC/PMEGP model project; MUDRA Shishu covers this size.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: KVIC profile: equipment ₹40,000 (wood-carving tool kit, mechanical vice, chemical etching kit, preliminary and pre-operative expenses) + working capital ₹50,000 = ₹90,000. Land own, no work-shed cost.
Working capital: Working capital ₹50,000; the profile works out ₹62,517 per cycle.
Year not printed on the KVIC profile — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: EPCH
- Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Slow sales of decorative items
- Burns or fumes from ammonia work
- Copying by others
- Irregular orders
§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 chemical etching on wood (decorative panels) 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 if turnover crosses the limit), 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 Chemical Etching on Wood (Decorative Panels)?
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.