§1What this business is

Engraved printing cylinders are fitted on a 50-inch multi-colour rotogravure machine, polythene film is fed through and the ink is adjusted; the printed rolls are then cut and sealed to size. The report's unit prints 60 tonnes a year of multi-colour polythene packaging and also takes printing job work. Buyers are packers of soap, bread, tea, edible oil, milk, snacks and other consumer goods.

Capacity: 60 tonnes a year (5 tonnes a month) of printed polythene packaging at ₹1,00,000 a tonne, plus ₹4.00 L job work; single shift.

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

A printer or packaging trader with FMCG and food-packer clients.

Who it is not for

Someone planning to make thin carry bags — they are banned.

Advantages

  • Printed packaging is used for almost every consumer product
  • Gravure gives sharp, fast, low-cost long runs, as the report notes
  • Job work adds income from spare machine time

Drawbacks

  • Each new design needs costly engraved cylinders
  • Solvent inks bring fire and air-quality risks
  • Plastic carry bags below 120 micron are banned — focus on packaging film and wrappers

Skills you need

  • Gravure printing and colour registration
  • Cylinder and ink management
  • Packaging sales

Why difficulty 3/5: Known process; cylinders, solvents and plastic rules need care.

§3Market

Who buys

  • Makers and packers of soap, bread, tea, edible oil, milk and snacks
  • Pan masala and other consumer-goods packers

How it sells

  • Direct orders from brand owners
  • Printing job work for other converters

Good to know

  • The report says printed wrappers are widely accepted for their better get-up, faster production and cost benefit.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
Multi-colour rotogravure printing machine, 50 inch, 12 HP1₹7,50,000
Automatic cutting and sealing machine, 18 inch, 5 HP1₹60,000
Rotogravure printing cylinders, 50 inch10₹4,00,000
Platform weighing scale, 250 kg1₹15,000
Workshop toolsset₹5,000
Fire extinguishersset₹10,000

From: DC-MSME project profile — Rotogravure Printing (2003)

  • Polythene film5 tonnes a month at ₹60,000 a tonne in the report
  • Printing ink300 kg a month at ₹150 a kg
  • Reducer (solvent)60 kg a month at ₹50 a kg

From: DC-MSME project profile — Rotogravure Printing (2003)

Suppliers in Building Business Bazaar

Adhesive and Chemicals · Kolkata →Coats of India Limited · Kolkata →Indo Europa Trading Co · Delhi →LAPRA and Co · Delhi →

In our raw material database

BOPP film →Flexible packaging laminates and films →Labels and self-adhesive materials →

§5Licences & registration

  1. Udyam registration
  2. GST registration
  3. State Pollution Control Board consent (listed in the report's schedule; solvent inks)
  4. Registration under the Plastic Waste Management Rules (EPR), where it applies
  5. Fire safety clearance for solvent storage

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

PMEGP fits (₹26.54 L, under the ₹50 L manufacturing limit); MUDRA up to ₹20 L; CGTMSE for a loan without collateral; Stand-Up India for SC/ST and women founders.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: Fixed capital ₹13.70 L (rotogravure machine ₹7.50 L, printing cylinders ₹4.00 L, cutting-sealing machine ₹60,000, other equipment, electrification and pre-operative) + working capital for 3 months ₹12.84 L = ₹26.54 L. Premises rented.

Working capital: Working capital for 3 months ₹12.84 L; film, ink and reducer ₹3.65 L a month.

Prices from 2003 — machinery, material and selling prices will be much higher now.

How to prepare a loan file

§8Export potential

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

3923.21Sacks and bags (including cones) of polymers of ethylene3920.10Plates, sheets, film, foil and strip of polymers of ethylene, non-cellular and not reinforced

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

  • Plastic-rule changes
  • Solvent fire
  • Client design changes leaving cylinders idle

§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 rotogravure printing on flexible packaging 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 Rotogravure Printing on Flexible Packaging?

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

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. DC-MSME project profile — Rotogravure Printing (2003)

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