§1What this business is
Jumbo laminate reels are printed to the customer's artwork on a central-impression flexo machine, cured and slit to size. On the tubing line the laminate is welded into sleeves and cut, a tube-header machine forms and joins the shoulder, and caps are fitted. Tubes are checked for colour, layers, thickness, size, print peel and sealing. Buyers are toothpaste, cosmetic, pharma and food companies.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone from printing or packaging with contacts among cosmetic and pharma makers.
Who it is not for
Someone with no B2B sales network — tubes are sold only to brands.
Advantages
- Toothpaste, cosmetic and pharma makers need tubes all year
- Printing to customer artwork brings repeat orders
- Laminate protects the contents, which brands value
- Cap moulding can be added later
Drawbacks
- Buyers are few and large, and they bargain hard
- Print and seal quality must be perfect
- Big tube makers supply most toothpaste brands
- Each new artwork needs new printing plates
Skills you need
- Flexo printing and colour matching
- Setting tube-sealing and heading machines
- Quality checks (leak, peel, size)
- B2B sales to brands
Why difficulty 3/5: Standard machines, but quality demands are strict and buyers are few.
§3Market
Who buys
- Toothpaste makers
- Cosmetic and personal-care brands
- Pharma companies (ointments)
- Food and adhesive makers
How it sells
- Direct B2B supply against orders
- Contract printing for brands
Good to know
- The report says most laminate tubes go to the toothpaste market, with cosmetics and other uses growing.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Central-impression flexo printing machine | — | — |
| Slitting machine | — | — |
| Tube header machine (shuttle-type injection moulding) | — | — |
| Automatic top sealer and capper machine | — | — |
From: UP MSME 1-Connect project profile — Laminated Tube Manufacturing Unit (2024)
- Jumbo laminate rollsat least five layers including a barrier layer; can also be made in-house
- Plastic granulesHDPE for tube heads and caps
- Tube capsbought in or moulded in the same plant
- Printing inkfor flexo printing
From: UP MSME 1-Connect project profile — Laminated Tube Manufacturing Unit (2024)
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST
- NOC from the Fire Department
- NOC from the Pollution Control Board
- Trademark for your brand name if needed
- Factory licence if worker and power limits are crossed
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
PMEGP fits a ₹24.14 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 ₹16.00 L + furniture ₹2.50 L + other assets ₹1.75 L + working capital ₹3.89 L = ₹24.14 L (land and building own or rented). Finance: term loan ₹18.23 L, working-capital loan ₹3.50 L, own ₹2.41 L.
Working capital: Working capital ₹3.89 L (bank ₹3.50 L).
UP MSME 1-Connect report, 2024.
§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
- Losing one big customer
- Rise in laminate prices
- Rejected batches for print or leak faults
- Fire in inks and solvents
§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 laminated tube 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 Laminated Tube 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.