§1What this business is
Sheet or plate glass (2–7 mm) is cleaned, sensitised, silvered by spraying or pouring, given a copper coat and a protective paint (red lead and varnish or cellulose enamel). Mirrors are sold to households, furniture makers, shops, showrooms, theatres and offices.
Capacity: 40 sq m a day; 12,000 sq m a year at full capacity (60% in year 1). The profile section also prints 1,200 sq m worth ₹44.02 L a year.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone with glass-trade experience and links to furniture makers or glass dealers.
Who it is not for
Someone who cannot handle silver-nitrate and paint chemicals safely.
Advantages
- Every house, shop and office uses mirrors
- Breakage and ageing silvering create replacement demand (report)
- Furniture makers buy in bulk
- Export demand in South-East Asia (report)
Drawbacks
- Large established units in Firozabad compete (report)
- Silvering chemicals need careful handling
- Glass sheets break in handling
- The report does not list individual machine prices
Skills you need
- Glass cleaning and silvering
- Coating quality control (BIS IS 3438)
- Cutting and edging
- Selling to dealers and furniture makers
Why difficulty 3/5: Chemical process and quality control need skill.
§3Market
Who buys
- Households
- Furniture makers
- Fancy shops, showrooms, theatres and offices (report)
How it sells
- Glass and hardware dealers
- Direct supply to furniture units
- Export to South-East Asia (report)
Good to know
- The report assumes 8% demand growth and 5% replacement demand.
- It notes many existing units, mostly in Firozabad (UP).
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Plant and machinery for cleaning, sensitising, silvering, coppering and painting (itemised list not printed) | 1 lot | ₹13,00,000 |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Glass Mirror Making (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Glass sheet / plate glass, 2–7 mmthe report prices raw material at an average ₹525 per sq m for 2, 3, 4 and 5.5 mm
- Silvering and sensitising chemicalsfor the reflective coat
- Copper coating and paint (red lead and varnish or cellulose enamel)protective backing
From: PMEGP sample project report — Glass Mirror Making (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
Suppliers in Building Business Bazaar
Bando Trading Co. Ltd · Jaipur →Carborandum Universal Ltd · Chennai →Haryana Sheet Glass Ltd · Delhi →Hindustan Pilkington Glass Industries · Asansol →Kilburn and Co · Chennai →Narang Glass and Frame Industries · Hyderabad →Seraikells glass works (P) Ltd · Kolkata →Triveni Sheet Glass Works Ltd · Prayagraj →
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- State Pollution Control Board consent (spray booth and waste water)
- Factory licence
- BIS IS 3438 / IS 6184 quality standards (named in the report)
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
PMEGP fits; MUDRA and CGTMSE for credit.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Samadhan report: building and civil work (5,000 sq ft) ₹5.50 L, plant & machinery ₹13.00 L, furniture ₹0.85 L, working capital ₹5.65 L = ₹25.00 L. Land rented or owned.
Working capital: Working capital ₹5.65 L (bank ₹5.09 L); 15 days' raw material and finished stock.
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: CAPEXIL
- HS codes are from the WCO HS 2022 list; 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
- Silvering defects (spots, peeling)
- Glass price rises
- Breakage
- Chemical waste-water compliance
§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 glass mirror 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 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 Glass Mirror 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.