§1What this business is
Sheet metal is sheared, pressed, rolled, perforated and seamed into the stove body and burner, wires are cut and bent, and the stove is painted or enamelled. A wick stove burns kerosene and is simpler to use than a pressure stove. The KVIC profile prints only the value of output, not the number of stoves.
Capacity: Printed as value only: cost of production ₹34.42 L and projected sales ₹37.00 L a year at full capacity.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A sheet-metal worker who already sells utensils or hardware in rural markets.
Who it is not for
Someone planning only on stoves in an area where LPG has replaced kerosene.
Advantages
- Small machinery budget (₹5.85 L)
- Simple pressed-metal product
- Machines can also make other sheet-metal items
Drawbacks
- Kerosene cooking is shrinking as LPG spreads
- Thin surplus: ₹2.00 L on ₹37.00 L sales at full capacity
- Working capital is about as large as the machinery cost
Skills you need
- Press and die work
- Enamelling and painting
- Rural dealer network
Why difficulty 2/5: Simple metal work, but a shrinking product.
§3Market
Who buys
- Households that still cook on kerosene
- Small eateries
How it sells
- Utensil and hardware shops
- Rural haats and wholesalers
Good to know
- The profile notes kerosene is sold in the open market and through ration shops.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Power press, 50 MT | 1 | — |
| Power press, 20 MT | 1 | — |
| Ball press no. 2 and no. 6 | 2 | — |
| Three-roll sheet rolling machine | 1 | — |
| Treadle shearing machine, 1000 mm | 1 | — |
| Cap threading machine with electricals | 1 | — |
| Perforating machine with electricals | 1 | — |
| Hand seaming machine (top and bottom), hand wire cutter, wire bending fixture | 1 set | — |
| Spray painting equipment and stove enamelling chamber | 1 set | — |
| All equipment together, incl. dies, press tools, installation and office equipment | 1 lot | ₹5,85,000 |
From: KVIC Project Profile — Wick Stove (PMEGP)
- Raw material (not itemised in the profile)₹24,00,000 a year at full capacity
- Labels and packing material₹50,000 a year
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- State Pollution Control Board consent to establish and operate, where the state requires it
- Trade licence from the local body
§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 fits (KVIC model profile); MUDRA covers the full ₹11.60 L; CGTMSE for a loan without collateral; Stand-Up India for SC/ST and women founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Equipment ₹5.85 L + working capital ₹5.75 L = ₹11.60 L. Land own; work shed not costed.
Working capital: Working capital ₹5.75 L; the profile puts the need per cycle at ₹5,73,608. Raw material ₹24.00 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 before shipping.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Falling demand for kerosene stoves
- Steel sheet price swings
- Burn and fire safety complaints
§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 wick stove manufacturing 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 Wick Stove Manufacturing?
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.