§1What this business is

Metal craft is the traditional work of shaping brass, copper, bell metal and other alloys into figures of deities, animals, lamps, utensils, photo frames and decor. The report's process is moulding, casting, enamelling, repoussé (hammered relief) and finishing, with a furnace, lathe, buffing machine and hand tools. It is labour-heavy and sells to gift shops, temples, tourists, exporters and online buyers.

Capacity: 110 pieces a day on a 10-hour shift; year 1 at 50%.

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

An artisan family or someone in a metal-craft cluster (Moradabad, Aligarh and similar) with design sense.

Who it is not for

Someone who cannot manage artisans or find buyers for craft goods.

Advantages

  • Machinery is cheap (₹1.62 lakh)
  • Steady demand for idols, puja items and gifts
  • Export and tourist markets value hand work
  • Low power need (4 KW)

Drawbacks

  • Depends on skilled artisans who are hard to find
  • Brass and copper prices move with metal markets
  • Labour is the biggest cost after metal
  • Fumes and heat from melting need care

Skills you need

  • Casting and engraving
  • Polishing and finishing
  • Design and new product ideas
  • Selling to shops, exporters and online

Why difficulty 3/5: Small investment, but it needs real craft skill and good design to sell.

§3Market

Who buys

  • Gift, handicraft and puja-item shops
  • Tourists and temples
  • Exporters and overseas buyers

How it sells

  • Discount, department and specialty stores
  • Online retail
  • Craft fairs and exhibitions

Good to know

  • The report names discount retailers, department stores, specialty stores, catalogue and internet retailers as the main channels.
  • It notes that tourism drives demand for souvenirs and specialty crafts.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
Furnace oven1₹22,200
Lathe machine1₹85,000
Buffing machine1₹25,500
Hand blower1₹6,300
Chisel—₹5,000
Hand-operated drill1₹4,500
Scrapers, files, hammer, tongs, pincers, crucible, malletset₹13,500

From: PMEGP sample project report — Metal Craft (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)

  • Brass and coppermain raw materials named in the report
  • Brass, zinc and borax powdersfor casting and joining

From: PMEGP sample project report — Metal Craft (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)

In our raw material database

Brass scrap →

§5Licences & registration

  1. Udyam registration
  2. GST registration
  3. Artisan card / handicraft registration with the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) (optional)
  4. IEC for exports
  5. State pollution control board consent (melting furnace)

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

PMEGP (the report is a PMEGP sample), MUDRA (cost is under ₹20 lakh) and CGTMSE.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: Report: civil work ₹8.80 lakh, plant & machinery ₹1.62 lakh, furniture ₹2.00 lakh, working capital ₹4.26 lakh = ₹16.68 lakh. Land own or rented.

Working capital: Working capital ₹4.26 lakh, of which bank finance ₹3.84 lakh; 10 days of raw material and 10 days of finished stock.

Year not printed on the report — check current machinery prices.

How to prepare a loan file

§8Export potential

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

8306.29Statuettes and other ornaments of base metal

Export council / board: EPCH (Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts)

  • 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

  • Metal price rises
  • Losing skilled artisans
  • Copies by cheaper makers
  • Slow seasonal sales

§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 metal handicraft unit 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 Metal Handicraft Unit?

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

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. PMEGP sample project report — Metal Craft (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)

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