§1What this business is
Forged EN-9 steel blanks are shot-blasted, turned on a lathe, bored and drilled on a VMC, face-milled, fitted with bearing caps, bolts and bushes, oiled against rust and packed. A connecting rod joins the piston to the crankshaft and turns its up-down push into rotation, so every engine needs them.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A machinist or engineer with links to auto-parts dealers or engine makers.
Who it is not for
A beginner without machining experience.
Advantages
- Every engine needs connecting rods — steady replacement demand
- Machining skills carry over to other auto parts
- Gross margin about 21–22% in the report
Drawbacks
- Needs precise machining and gauges; rejects are costly
- Big buyers demand quality audits and long credit
- CNC and VMC machines need trained operators
Skills you need
- Lathe, VMC and milling work
- Measuring with bore gauges and micrometres
- Selling to spare-parts dealers and OEM vendors
Why difficulty 4/5: Precision machining and demanding buyers.
§3Market
Who buys
- Automobile and engine spare-parts dealers
- Engine repair and rebuilding workshops
- Vendors to engine and vehicle makers
How it sells
- Auto-parts wholesalers
- Direct supply to manufacturers
Good to know
- The report gives no unit prices or market size; check rates with local auto-parts dealers before investing.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Shot blasting machine | — | — |
| Lathe machine | — | — |
| CNC machine | — | — |
| VMC machine | — | — |
| Drilling machine | — | — |
| Milling machine | — | — |
| Tool and cutter grinder | — | — |
| Hydraulic press | — | — |
| Dot peen marking machine | — | — |
| Profile dies, tool set, jigs and fixtures, vernier calliper, dial bore gauge, micrometre, bins, conveyor | — | — |
| Plant & machinery (all items above) | — | ₹12.50 lakh |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Connecting Rod (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Steel forged blanks (EN-9 grade)
- Bearing cap bolts
- Bushings
- Oil and lubricants
From: PMEGP sample project report — Connecting Rod (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST
- Fire NOC
- State Pollution Control Board NOC
- Trademark for your brand (optional)
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
PMEGP (the report is a PMEGP sample), MUDRA for loans up to ₹20 L and CGTMSE for collateral-free cover fit.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Plant & machinery ₹12.50 L, other misc assets ₹1.50 L, furniture ₹0.50 L, working capital ₹7.36 L = ₹21.86 L. Building on rent (₹20,000–30,000 a month assumed).
Working capital: Working capital ₹7.36 L, of which bank finance ₹6.62 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) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Quality rejection by buyers
- Steel price rise
- Electric vehicles reducing engine-part demand
§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 connecting rod machining 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), 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 Connecting Rod Machining?
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.