§1What this business is

Cold-rolled MS sheet and MS wire are cut to size, polished and zinc plated; the wire is rolled, grooves are cut, and the strip is blanked and bent on presses. The finished fasteners are nickel plated, inspected and packed. Buyers are file and folder makers, stationery wholesalers, government offices and schools.

Capacity: 3,00,000 units a year.

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

A stationery trader or file maker who already sells to offices and wholesalers.

Who it is not for

Someone who cannot handle plating effluent or find stationery buyers.

Advantages

  • Every office file uses a fastener, so demand is steady
  • Small space and a short list of press machines
  • Government and office stationery orders repeat every year

Drawbacks

  • Low price per piece — profit depends on volume
  • Two plating steps bring pollution rules
  • Plastic fasteners compete in cheaper files

Skills you need

  • Press tool setting
  • Zinc and nickel plating
  • Checking spring and grip of the fastener
  • Bidding for office and government stationery supply

Why difficulty 2/5: Simple press work and a known market; plating is the main hurdle.

§3Market

Who buys

  • File and folder makers
  • Stationery wholesalers and shops
  • Government offices, banks and schools

How it sells

  • Stationery wholesalers
  • Direct supply to file makers
  • Government purchase through GeM

Good to know

  • Fasteners are sold in boxes of fixed count.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
Sheet shearing machine——
Power press——
Zinc plating unit——
Fly press——
Drilling machine——
Tools and fixtures——

From: NSIC project profile — File Fasteners — private guide — confirm locally

  • MS sheet (cold rolled)
  • MS wire

From: NSIC project profile — File Fasteners — private guide — confirm locally

§5Licences & registration

  1. Udyam registration
  2. GST registration
  3. Consent to establish and operate from the State Pollution Control Board — electroplating is usually a red-category activity, so check your state's list early
  4. Trade licence from the local body
  5. Registration on GeM (Government e-Marketplace) to sell to government offices (optional)

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

PMEGP fits (₹13.8 lakh, under the ₹50 lakh manufacturing limit); MUDRA can cover the loan; CGTMSE for a loan without collateral; Stand-Up India for SC/ST and women founders.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: The NSIC profile prints one figure for machinery and equipment plus 3 months' working capital (raw material, utilities and salary): ₹13.8 lakh. It gives no split between the two, and land and building are not included.

Working capital: Working capital for 3 months (raw material, utilities and salary) is inside the ₹13.8 lakh total; the profile prints no separate figure.

Year not printed on the NSIC profile (an older NSIC Training-cum-Incubation Centre sheet) — check current machinery and material prices.

How to prepare a loan file

§8Export potential

Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export

8305.10Fittings for loose-leaf binders or files

Export council / board: EEPC India

  • Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker before shipping.
  • You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.

§9Risks — where people fail

  • Steel price rises on a low-price item
  • Rust or poor plating returns
  • Tender-based buying with delayed payment

§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan

A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.

  1. Days 1–30: Visit a working file fasteners unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
  2. Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, GST registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
  3. Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.

§11Who to connect with

Not verified yet

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 File Fasteners?

DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. NSIC project profile — File Fasteners

Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.