§1What this business is
A release agent and a gel coat go on the mould first; then glass-fibre mat is laid and wetted with polyester resin, left to cure, released, trimmed and painted. This hand lay-up method needs little equipment and cheap moulds. The profile makes air-cooler bodies, bathroom stools (modas) and garden chairs; CIPET centres train people in FRP work.
Capacity: 750 air-cooler bodies, 350 bathroom stools and 400 garden chairs a year; the unit starts at 50% of installed capacity.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A worker trained in FRP (for example at CIPET) with cooler assemblers or furniture dealers nearby.
Who it is not for
Anyone without a well-ventilated shed or who cannot work with resin fumes.
Advantages
- Low investment — mainly moulds
- The same skill makes many products (tanks, panels, helmets)
- Light, rust-proof products
Drawbacks
- Resin fumes and glass dust need ventilation and masks
- Hand lay-up is slow and quality depends on the worker
- Moulded plastic coolers and chairs compete on price
Skills you need
- Hand lay-up and gel coating
- Mould making
- Trimming, finishing and painting
Why difficulty 2/5: Low cost and simple tools, but needs FRP skill and fume safety.
§3Market
Who buys
- Air-cooler assemblers
- Furniture dealers
- Households
- Hotels and institutions
How it sells
- Direct supply to cooler assemblers
- Furniture and hardware shops
Good to know
- The profile names chairs, trays, helmets, pipe ducts, water-cooler bodies, water tanks and panels as common FRP products.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Moulds | 5 | ₹15,000 |
| Air compressor | 1 | ₹10,000 |
| Miscellaneous equipment | LS | ₹10,000 |
| Lab equipment | LS | ₹5,000 |
From: DC-MSME project profile — Fibre Reinforced Plastics (PMRY series)
- Polyester resin₹22,500 a month in the profile
- Glass fibre (mat)₹8,000 a month in the profile; the profile notes three large glass-fibre plants in India
- Catalyst and acceleratorsmall quantities for curing the resin
From: DC-MSME project profile — Fibre Reinforced Plastics (PMRY series)
Suppliers in Building Business Bazaar
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- State Pollution Control Board consent where the state requires it for FRP work
- Trade licence from the local body
§6Schemes & subsidies
PMEGP and MUDRA (Kishore, ₹50,000–₹5 L) fit this small project.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: 5 moulds ₹15,000 + air compressor ₹10,000 + misc. equipment ₹10,000 + lab equipment ₹5,000 + almirah, fans and misc. ₹5,500 + pre-operative ₹5,000 = fixed ₹50,500; working capital (one month) ₹39,815. Total ₹90,315. Premises rented.
Working capital: ₹39,815 a month, of which polyester resin ₹22,500 and glass fibre ₹8,000.
Year not printed. This profile is from the old PMRY scheme (replaced by PMEGP in 2008), so all prices are very old — get fresh quotes.
§8Export potential
FRP articles are classified by what they are (cooler parts, furniture, tanks); confirm the HS line with DGFT or a customs broker.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Resin price swings
- Health hazards from fumes and glass dust
- Defects such as air bubbles and weak layers
§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 frp (fibreglass) products — cooler bodies, stools, chairs 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 FRP (Fibreglass) Products — Cooler Bodies, Stools, Chairs?
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.