§1What this business is
Small components are blanked and pierced from stainless steel sheet scrap (cheaply available from utensil makers), assembled into a chain, ground, mat-finished, buffed and fitted with locks and spring pins. Two PMEGP reports plan 200 straps a day. Buyers are watch companies, watch assemblers and the replacement market through watch shops.
Capacity: 200 straps a day, 60,000 a year; year 1 at 60% (₹13 L report) or 50% (₹8.86 L report).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A small press-shop owner near a utensil or watch cluster who can get approved as a supplier.
Who it is not for
Someone without contacts in the watch trade.
Advantages
- Uses cheap stainless steel scrap from utensil makers
- Small machines and little power
- Metal straps last long and are replaced for fashion
- Scrap from the process also sells
Drawbacks
- Watch makers set their own designs and specifications
- Smartwatches and cheap imports change demand
- Fine finishing needs skilled hands
- The two reports differ widely on margin
Skills you need
- Small-part press tooling
- Grinding and buffing to a fine finish
- Assembly with spring pins
- Supplier approval with watch brands
Why difficulty 3/5: Low investment, but fine finishing and getting buyer approval take time.
§3Market
Who buys
- Watch companies (the reports name Titan, HMT, Maxima, Allwyn and Timex)
- Small watch assembly units
- Watch shops for replacement straps
How it sells
- Supply contracts with watch makers
- Watch-parts wholesalers
Good to know
- The reports say scrap of the right gauge is easy to get from stainless steel utensil makers, which makes this cheaper than using new sheet.
- Process scrap is about 4% and sells at ₹50 a kg (₹13 L report).
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Inclinable power press, 10 tonne, 5 HP | 1 | ₹80,000 |
| Power press, 2 HP | 2 | ₹80,000 (₹40,000 each) |
| Bench drill, 12 mm | 1 | ₹8,000 |
| Buffing lathe, 1 HP | 1 | ₹20,000 |
| Disc and belt sand grinding machine | 1 | ₹20,000 |
| Pedestal grinder, 200 mm | 1 | ₹10,000 |
| Surface grinder, 550 × 200 mm table | 1 | ₹65,000 |
| Work bench, vice, hand tools, dies, punches, measuring tools | 1 lot | ₹50,000 |
| Installation and electrification (10%) | — | ₹33,300 |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Stainless Steel Watch Strap Unit (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Stainless steel sheet scrap, 16–30 SWG36 MT a year at ₹60,000 per MT = ₹21.60 L at full capacity
- Spring bars and link bars4,320 at ₹55 = ₹2.38 L a year
- Packaging₹5 a strap
From: PMEGP sample project report — Stainless Steel Watch Strap Unit (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
Suppliers in Building Business Bazaar
Atlas Works Pvt. Ltd · Kolkata →Gurusharan Industries · Faridabad →Imperial Products of India · Chandigarh →International Machine Tools Corporation · Mumbai →Lefoot Machines Pvt. Ltd · Chennai →SARB Presses Pvt. Ltd · Faridabad →
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- Trade licence
- Factory licence if worker numbers cross the limit
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
PMEGP (both reports were made for it), MUDRA up to ₹20 L, CGTMSE for a collateral-free loan, Stand-Up India for SC/ST or women founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Two PMEGP sample reports: (1) building 2,000 sq ft ₹4.50 L, plant & machinery ₹3.66 L, furniture ₹1.01 L, pre-operative ₹0.57 L, working capital ₹3.26 L = ₹13.00 L; (2) plant & machinery ₹4.00 L, furniture ₹1.50 L, working capital ₹3.36 L = ₹8.86 L with premises own or rented.
Working capital: ₹13 L report: working capital ₹3.26 L (bank ₹2.93 L), 15 days of stock. ₹8.86 L report: ₹3.36 L (bank ₹3.03 L).
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
- Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Design changes by buyers
- Import competition
- Rejections for finish
- Dependence on a few large buyers
§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 stainless steel watch strap unit unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam, 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 Stainless Steel Watch Strap Unit?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
- PMEGP sample project report — Stainless Steel Watch Strap Unit (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- PMEGP sample project report — Steel Watch Strap (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.