§1What this business is
Waste coir fibre from coir units and waste corrugated paper are shredded, beaten into pulp with water and sizing, formed into sheets on a cylinder mould machine, pressed in a hydraulic press, sun-dried, calendered between rollers for polish and cut to size.
Capacity: 1 ton a day; 300 tons a year. Sale ₹22,600 and raw material ₹17,500 a ton.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone near coir units and a waste-paper market, selling to stationery makers.
Who it is not for
Someone without water, drying space or stationery buyers.
Advantages
- Both raw materials are waste
- Steady demand for covers and boards
- Recycling story appeals to buyers
Drawbacks
- Needs 60 HP and lots of water
- Sun drying slows work in the monsoon
- Machinery is most of the investment
Skills you need
- Pulp preparation
- Sheet forming and pressing
- Machine maintenance
- Selling to binders and printers
Why difficulty 3/5: Pulp-and-press process with water and effluent needs, but proven machinery.
§3Market
Who buys
- Calendar printers
- Book binders and notebook makers
- File and folder makers
How it sells
- Direct supply to printers and stationery units
- Paper traders
Good to know
- The profile names calendars, binding covers and notebook covers as uses.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Coir fibre shredder, 10 HP | 1 | — |
| Hollander beater, 10 HP | 1 | — |
| Hydro pulper, 15 HP | 1 | — |
| TDR refiner, 5 HP | 1 | — |
| Cylinder mould board machine, 3 HP (one ton per 8 hours) | 1 | — |
| Hydraulic power press, 5 HP | 1 | — |
| Pulp agitator, 2 HP | 2 | — |
| Pulp pumps | 3 | — |
| Calendering machine, 5 HP | 1 | — |
| Cutting machine, 3 HP | 1 | — |
| Trolley, balance and tools (total machinery ₹19,97,000) | — | — |
From: PMEGP project profile — Coir Paper/Paper Products Making Unit (prepared by Coir Board, Ministry of MSME) (2018)
- Coir waste fibre0.5 ton per ton of board, from coir processing units
- Waste paper (corrugated board waste)0.5 ton per ton of board; raw material ₹17,500 a ton of output
From: PMEGP project profile — Coir Paper/Paper Products Making Unit (prepared by Coir Board, Ministry of MSME) (2018)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- State Pollution Control Board consent (check the category for your process)
- Factory licence if 10 or more workers use power
- Registration with the Coir Board (needed to export; also opens Coir Board schemes)
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
PMEGP (this profile was made for it), MUDRA loans up to ₹20 lakh and CGTMSE cover fit; Stand-Up India suits women and SC/ST founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Coir Board profile: building leased or owned + machinery ₹19.97 lakh + working capital ₹5.03 lakh = ₹25.00 lakh.
Working capital: Working capital ₹5.03 lakh (bank ₹4.78 lakh).
Prices from June 2018 — machinery costs will be higher now.
§8Export potential
Export council / board: CAPEXIL
- Paper products exporters usually join CAPEXIL; coir-based items can also register with the Coir Board.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Waste paper price rise
- Effluent from pulping
- Monsoon drying delays
- Power cost
§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 coir paper and board making 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 Coir Paper and Board Making?
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.