§1What this business is
Racks are made from slotted angles and steel shelves joined with nuts and bolts, in any height and number of shelves. They cost less than wooden racks, take less space and are easy to move. Buyers are homes, offices, libraries, schools and shops.
Capacity: Not printed in numbers; projected sales ₹13.00 L a year at full capacity.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A first-time founder or fabricator who wants a small, low-risk start.
Who it is not for
Someone looking for a large or high-margin business.
Advantages
- Very low investment
- Simple assembly, little skill needed
- Racks can be made to order in any size
- Also sells as storage racks for shops and stores
Drawbacks
- Many small fabricators make the same thing
- Low profit per piece
- Steel price changes hit margins
- Bulky goods are costly to transport
Skills you need
- Measuring and cutting slotted angles
- Basic welding and pressing
- Taking orders from offices and shops
- Costing each order
Why difficulty 1/5: Small investment and a simple assembly process.
§3Market
Who buys
- Homes
- Offices, libraries and schools
- Shops and stores
How it sells
- Direct orders
- Furniture and hardware dealers
- Institutional supply
Good to know
- The KVIC profile says demand for steel book racks is good at home and there is scope for exports.
- The profile lists equipment together at ₹1 L without item prices.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Sheet folding / bracket press | — | — |
| Gas welding set | — | — |
| Bench drill machine | — | — |
| Fly press | — | — |
| Air compressor | — | — |
From: KVIC Project Profile — Steel Book Rack (PMEGP)
- Slotted angles and steel shelvesraw material ₹6.60 L a year in the profile
- Nuts and bolts
- Labels and packing material₹10,000 a year
From: KVIC Project Profile — Steel Book Rack (PMEGP)
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST (if turnover crosses the limit)
- Trade licence
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CM YUVAUPActiveUp to ₹5 lakh, interest-free
PMEGP and MUDRA (Shishu/Kishor) fit; in UP, CM-YUVA covers projects up to ₹5 L.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: KVIC profile: equipment ₹1,00,000 (sheet folding/bracket press, gas welding set, bench drill, fly press, air compressor) + working capital ₹1,80,000 = ₹2,80,000. Land own; work shed on rent.
Working capital: Working capital ₹1.80 L; raw material ₹6.60 L a year.
Year not printed on the KVIC profile — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: EEPC India
- Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Steel price rise
- Competition from local fabricators
- Small order sizes
- Indicative figures — the profile prints no year
§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 steel book rack 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 (if turnover crosses the limit)), 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 Steel Book Rack Unit?
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.