§1What this business is
Duplex board is a two-ply paperboard, grey on both sides or coated white on one side for printing. Cardboard rolls are mounted on feed rollers, adhesive is applied from a tank, the plies are pressed together, and the board is finished and cut into sheets. Box makers (converters) use it for rigid gift boxes, shoe and garment boxes, toy packs, liquor and medicine cartons.
Capacity: Taken at 1,000 kg on a 10-hour shift (report assumption).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone in the paper or packaging trade with box-maker customers.
Who it is not for
Someone without packaging-industry contacts.
Advantages
- One main machine (₹8.50 L) — simple set-up
- Packaging demand grows with e-commerce and pharma
- Sold in bulk to converters
- Two raw materials only — cardboard and adhesive
Drawbacks
- Thin net margin (5–7%)
- Depends on paper and board prices
- The report calls it a new product needing market effort
- Large mills make coated duplex board at scale
Skills you need
- Machine operation and adhesive control
- Board quality checks (stiffness, bonding)
- Paper buying
- Selling to box makers
Why difficulty 2/5: Simple machine; profit depends on paper prices and steady converter orders.
§3Market
Who buys
- Box makers (converters)
- Pharmaceutical packaging units
- Makers of gift, shoe, garment, toy and liquor boxes
How it sells
- Bulk sales to converters
Good to know
- The report says boards are marketed through converters who make the finished boxes.
- It cites a global duplex board market of USD 2,110 million in 2019, projected at USD 2,881 million in 2025.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Duplex board machine | 1 | ₹8.50 lakh |
| Other equipment | 1 lot | ₹1.00 lakh |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Duplex Board (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Cardboard rollsmain raw material; raw material ₹36.00 L in year 1
- Adhesivefed from an adhesive tank
From: PMEGP sample project report — Duplex Board (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- State Pollution Control Board consent
- Trade licence
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
PMEGP, MUDRA and CGTMSE fit the ₹15.79 L project.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Samadhan report: plant & machinery ₹9.50 L + furniture ₹0.60 L + working capital ₹5.69 L = ₹15.79 L; land own/rented, not costed.
Working capital: Working capital ₹5.69 L (bank ₹5.12 L) — 15 days of raw material and finished stock; 14 days' credit to buyers.
Year not printed on the sample report — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Export council / board: Not verified yet
- The HS code depends on whether the board is coated and how it is made; check with DGFT before exporting.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Paper price spikes
- Delamination complaints
- Credit to converters
- Competition from paper mills
§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 duplex 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, 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 Duplex 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.