§1What this business is
Speaker shells and mic covers are injection-moulded; metal driver frames are deep-drawn on a stamping press and curled; magnet, frame, coil and diaphragm are joined into driver units. Mic control boards are built on an SMT line. Wire is cut and stripped, the plug is soldered and over-moulded, drivers and board are soldered, ear tips and clips fitted, and each earphone is tested for sound and frequency before winding and packing.
Capacity: About 960 earphones a day (120 an hour) in one 8-hour shift; the report runs at 50% in year 1.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone in the mobile-accessory trade with electronics skills and wholesale buyers.
Who it is not for
Someone betting on long-term growth of wired audio.
Advantages
- Cheap to make and every phone user is a possible buyer
- The report gives a fully costed machine list
- Can supply mobile-accessory brands
- The SMT line can also build other small electronics
Drawbacks
- Many phones no longer have a 3.5 mm jack, so wired demand is shrinking
- Cheap imports
- BIS registration for each model
- Thin margins on unbranded goods
Skills you need
- SMT assembly and soldering
- Moulding and press-tool setting
- Sound testing
- Wholesale and online sales
Why difficulty 3/5: Known process, but a shrinking, price-driven market.
§3Market
Who buys
- Mobile accessory shops
- Wholesalers and distributors
- Accessory brands buying on contract
- Online shoppers
How it sells
- Wholesale electronics markets
- Online marketplaces
- Contract supply to brands
Good to know
- The report sees export as an opportunity and names raw-material prices, new technology and shopping trends as threats.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic wire cutting and stripping machine | 1 | ₹1,00,000 |
| Connector soldering machine | 1 | ₹1,50,000 |
| Semi-automatic cable winding and binding machine | 1 | ₹80,000 |
| Injection moulding machine | 1 | ₹1,75,000 |
| Precision stamping machine | 1 | ₹2,15,000 |
| Curling machine | 1 | ₹35,000 |
| Solder paste printer | 1 | ₹1,75,000 |
| Pick and place machine | 1 | ₹1,50,000 |
| Reflow machine | 1 | ₹1,00,000 |
| SPI machine | 1 | ₹1,00,000 |
| AOI machine | 1 | ₹2,00,000 |
| Laser printing machine | 1 | ₹1,50,000 |
| Earphone testing machine | 1 | ₹25,000 |
| Multimeter (graphical type) | 1 | ₹20,000 |
| Tools (cutter, tweezers, strippers, rubber hammer) | 1 | ₹25,000 |
From: UP MSME 1-Connect project profile — Earphone Manufacturing Unit (2024)
- WirePVC-covered with pure copper core
- Plug connector3.5 mm 4-pole metal plug
- Electrical componentsresistors, ICs, microphone condenser, custom circuit board, NdFeB magnets, press switch
- Plastic granulesLDPE, HDPE or PP
- Other materialssolder paste, flux, rubber ear tips, iron-alloy steel sheet, diaphragm with coil
From: UP MSME 1-Connect project profile — Earphone Manufacturing Unit (2024)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST
- BIS certification
- ISO certification
- Factory licence
- NOC from the Fire Safety Board
- EPR registration as a producer under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
PMEGP fits a ₹23.51 L manufacturing unit; CGTMSE for collateral-free credit; Stand-Up India for SC/ST and women founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Plant & machinery ₹17.00 L + other assets ₹1.50 L + working capital ₹5.01 L = ₹23.51 L (building own or leased). Finance: term loan ₹16.65 L, working-capital loan ₹4.51 L, own ₹2.35 L.
Working capital: Working capital ₹5.01 L (bank ₹4.51 L) — 15 days of raw material, 20 days of finished stock and 7 days' credit to buyers.
UP MSME 1-Connect report, 2024. Many pages are scanned images; figures were read from them, and the sales table could not be read.
§8Export potential
Export council / board: Not verified yet
- No HS code or export body has been checked against an official list yet.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Falling demand for wired earphones
- Price war with imports
- Returns for weak sound or broken cords
- Stock of outdated plug types
§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 wired earphone manufacturing 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 Wired Earphone Manufacturing?
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.