§1What this business is
Clay is dug and stored, broken and screened, mixed with water in a pug mill, formed into bricks by machine, dried for 24–48 hours and fired in a kiln, then cooled, sorted and stacked for sale. Coal is the main fuel. The report says about 65% of bricks go into houses and 35% into commercial, industrial and institutional buildings.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone in a growing town or village belt with access to brick earth and buyers among builders and contractors.
Who it is not for
Someone who cannot handle pollution and mining paperwork or a large seasonal labour force.
Advantages
- Bricks are the most used walling material in houses
- Raw material (clay) is local
- Simple, well-known process
- Steady demand wherever building goes on
Drawbacks
- Rain stops drying and firing for part of the year
- Coal price and kiln pollution rules hit cost
- Fly-ash bricks and concrete blocks compete
- Digging clay needs permission and uses up land
Skills you need
- Judging clay quality
- Kiln firing and fuel control
- Labour management
- Selling to contractors and builders
Why difficulty 3/5: Simple product, but kiln pollution rules, clay permits and seasonal work make it hard.
§3Market
Who buys
- House builders and owners
- Building contractors
- Commercial, industrial and institutional projects
How it sells
- Direct sale from the kiln yard
- Supply to contractors' sites by truck or tractor
Good to know
- The report says about 65% of bricks go into houses and 35% into commercial, industrial and institutional buildings.
- Most bricks are used in walls.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Clay brick making machine (automatic) | 1 | — |
| JCB loader for digging and loading clay | 1 | — |
| Brick kiln | 1 | — |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Clay Bricks Manufacturing Unit (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Clay (brick earth)dug from open pits and stored for several days of work
- Coalfuel for firing the kiln
From: PMEGP sample project report — Clay Bricks Manufacturing Unit (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- Consent to establish and operate from the state pollution board (brick kiln)
- Fire NOC
- Labour licence
- Permission to dig brick earth (minor mineral) from the district office
§6Schemes & subsidies
PMEGP (the report was made for it) and CGTMSE fit.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Plant & machinery ₹13.00 L + other assets ₹1.00 L + a further ₹0.50 L line + working capital ₹8.38 L = ₹22.88 L. Land and building owned or leased, not costed. Finance: term loan ₹13.05 L, working capital loan ₹7.54 L, own ₹2.29 L.
Working capital: Working capital ₹8.38 L (bank ₹7.54 L) for clay, coal and brick stock.
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: CAPEXIL
- HS codes are from the WCO HS 2022 list; confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
- Bricks are heavy and cheap, so export is rare beyond neighbouring countries.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Pollution-board action against kilns
- Coal price jumps
- Unsold stock in the rains
§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 clay brick manufacturing unit 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 Clay Brick Manufacturing Unit?
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.