§1What this business is
Plain galvanised (GP) sheet is sheared, bent on a swaging machine and folded on a trunk folding machine, then fitted with hinges, handles and locks. Trunks are a cheap, strong way to store household goods. Buyers are households, hostels, the armed forces and wholesalers in rural markets.
Capacity: The profile's capacity line is garbled; it projects sales of ₹23.10 L a year at full capacity.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A sheet-metal worker in a small town who sells to local markets and fairs.
Who it is not for
Someone expecting good profit from a few machines.
Advantages
- Low investment and simple machines
- Steady rural and hostel demand
- Can make many sizes from the same machines
- Local raw material (GP sheet)
Drawbacks
- Very thin margin in the profile
- Plastic and soft luggage replace trunks in cities
- Bulky product, costly to transport
- Steel sheet prices swing
Skills you need
- Sheet cutting and folding
- Fitting hinges and locks
- Costing per size
- Selling at rural markets
Why difficulty 2/5: Simple work, but the profit margin is small.
§3Market
Who buys
- Households
- Hostels and institutions
- Wholesalers in rural markets
How it sells
- Local markets and fairs
- Hardware and household-goods dealers
Good to know
- The KVIC profile calls trunks a cheap and reliable way to pack and store household goods.
- Equipment is listed together at ₹2.12 L without item prices.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Treadle guillotine shearing machine, 36", steel body | — | — |
| Universal swaging and bending machine | — | — |
| Trunk folding machine | — | — |
| Sheet-metal tools | — | — |
| Installation, office equipment and furniture | — | — |
From: KVIC Project Profile — Steel Trunks (PMEGP)
- Plain GP (galvanised) sheetraw material ₹13.92 L a year in the profile
- Labels and packing material₹50,000 a year
From: KVIC Project Profile — Steel Trunks (PMEGP)
In our raw material database
Hot-rolled (HR) steel coil and sheet →Cold-rolled (CR) steel coil and sheet →
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST (if turnover crosses the limit)
- Trade licence
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
PMEGP (the profile is in its library), MUDRA (Kishor) and CGTMSE fit.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: KVIC profile: equipment ₹2,12,000 (treadle guillotine shearing machine 36", universal swaging and bending machine, trunk folding machine, sheet-metal tools, installation, office equipment and furniture) + working capital ₹3,60,000 = ₹5,72,000. Land own; work shed rented.
Working capital: Working capital ₹3.60 L; raw material (GP sheet) ₹13.92 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
- Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Steel price rise
- Falling demand in cities
- Thin margin
- 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 trunk making 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 Trunk Making 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.