§1What this business is
Plastic granules are melted in a 350-tonne injection-moulding machine and shot into a cooled mould; after a few seconds the part is ejected. The two halves of each case are fitted with metal fittings, locks, handles and rexene lining. The report makes 16-inch, 18-inch and 20-inch briefcases and says the same machine can also mould other household items. Sales are through luggage dealers and stores.
Capacity: 66,000 briefcases a year: 27,000 of 16" (₹225), 21,000 of 18" (₹250), 18,000 of 20" (₹275) = ₹162.75 L; single shift.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A plastics moulder or luggage trader with a dealer network.
Who it is not for
A first-time founder without design or dealer contacts — the machine cost needs steady volume.
Advantages
- Plastic keeps replacing wood, metal and leather in luggage, as the report notes
- One machine can also mould other household items
- 16.28% margin on sales in the report
Drawbacks
- The injection-moulding machine alone is ₹44.75 L
- Branded and imported luggage dominate stores
- Each new design needs a new costly mould
Skills you need
- Injection moulding and mould upkeep
- Product design and finishing
- Dealer sales
Why difficulty 4/5: Costly machine and moulds, competing against brands.
§3Market
Who buys
- Travellers, office-goers and students
- Corporate and institutional buyers
How it sells
- Luggage dealers and stores
- Wholesalers in market towns
Good to know
- The report sees scope for luggage in the international market as well.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Injection-moulding machine, 350-tonne clamping force | 1 | ₹44,75,000 |
| Set of moulds | 1 set | ₹8,00,000 |
| Scrap grinder | 1 | ₹50,000 |
| Dry colour mixer | 1 | ₹30,000 |
| Air compressor | 1 | ₹15,000 |
| Mould lifting equipment | 1 | ₹15,000 |
From: DC-MSME project profile — Plastic Moulded Luggage (2003)
- HDPE / PP granules3,800 kg a month at ₹50 a kg in the report
- Metal fittings, locks and rexene₹125 a piece for 5,600 pieces a month incl. wastage
From: DC-MSME project profile — Plastic Moulded Luggage (2003)
Suppliers in Building Business Bazaar
Indian Petrochemicals Corpn. Ltd · Vadodara →DGP Windsor India Ltd · Thane →Ferromatik Milacron India Ltd · Ahmedabad →Gas Authority of India Ltd · Delhi →Indian Hydraulic Inds. Pvt. Ltd · Delhi →Reliance Industries Ltd · Mumbai →
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- State Pollution Control Board consent to establish and operate, where the state requires it
- Factory licence if your worker count crosses the Factories Act limit
§6Schemes & subsidies
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
The ₹96.80 L project is above PMEGP's ₹50 L limit; CGTMSE covers collateral-free loans and Stand-Up India covers SC/ST and women founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Fixed capital ₹67.70 L (land and building ₹7.50 L + machinery and equipment ₹60.10 L incl. injection-moulding machine ₹44.75 L and moulds ₹8.00 L + pre-operative) + working capital for 3 months ₹29.10 L = ₹96.80 L.
Working capital: Working capital for 3 months ₹29.10 L; locks, fittings and rexene (₹7.00 L a month) cost more than the plastic.
Prices from 2003 — machinery, material and selling prices will be much higher now.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: PLEXCONCIL (The Plastics Export Promotion Council)
- 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
- Designs going out of fashion
- Polymer price swings
- Machine breakdown stopping all output
§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 plastic moulded briefcases and luggage 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 Plastic Moulded Briefcases and Luggage?
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.