§1What this business is
Plastic shells are injection-moulded; copper voice coils are wound and joined to diaphragms thermo-formed from polyester film and cured with UV glue to make driver units. Controller boards are built on an SMT line (solder paste printer, pick-and-place, reflow, SPI and AOI inspection). Board, Li-ion battery and drivers are fitted in the shell, cushions are attached and each set is tested for sound, frequency and Bluetooth.
Capacity: About 175 headphones a day in one shift at 90% efficiency; the report runs at 40% in year 1.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
An electronics engineer with sourcing contacts and a route to online or distributor sales.
Who it is not for
Someone without electronics skills or a brand plan.
Advantages
- Wireless audio is a fast-growing segment
- Can make headphones for other brands on contract
- The SMT line can also build other small electronics
- The report shows a profit from year 1
Drawbacks
- Cheap imports set very low prices
- Bluetooth chips and batteries are mostly imported
- Each model needs BIS registration before sale
- Designs go out of date quickly
Skills you need
- SMT electronics assembly
- Acoustic and Bluetooth testing
- Product design and parts sourcing
- Online and distributor sales
Why difficulty 4/5: Electronics skill, BIS registration and import competition.
§3Market
Who buys
- Mobile and computer accessory shops
- Online shoppers
- Accessory brands buying on contract
- Corporate gifting buyers
How it sells
- Online marketplaces
- Electronics wholesalers and distributors
- Contract manufacturing for brands
Good to know
- The report names Apple, Harman, Bose, Sennheiser and Sony among the main players and sees export as an opportunity.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Injection moulding machine | 1 | ₹4,00,000 |
| Solder paste printer | 1 | ₹1,00,000 |
| Pick and place machine | 1 | ₹1,50,000 |
| Reflow machine | 1 | ₹1,50,000 |
| Solder paste inspection (SPI) machine | 1 | ₹80,000 |
| Automated optical inspection (AOI) machine | 1 | ₹2,30,000 |
| Wire cutting and stripping machine | 1 | ₹80,000 |
| UV light emitter machine | 1 | ₹40,000 |
| Voice coil winding machine | 1 | ₹70,000 |
| Polyester film press machine | 1 | ₹3,00,000 |
| Automatic glue/epoxy dispenser | 1 | ₹25,000 |
| Laser printing machine | 1 | ₹25,000 |
From: UP MSME 1-Connect project profile — Headphone Manufacturing Unit (2024)
- Electrical componentsresistors, ICs, microphone condenser, custom circuit board, press switch, sensors, micro-USB port, memory IC, single-cell Li-ion battery
- Plastic granulesABS, PVC or PC for shells; Mylar/BoPET polyester film for diaphragms
- Copper wirefor voice-coil winding
- Other materialssolder paste, flux, rubber, artificial leather, foam, magnets, epoxy, glue, wires and screws
From: UP MSME 1-Connect project profile — Headphone Manufacturing Unit (2024)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST
- BIS registration — the report says headphones must be registered under IS 616 and IS 15596 (Part 7) as notified by MeitY
- ISO certification
- Factory licence
- NOC for fire safety
- NOC from the Pollution Control Board
- EPR registration as a producer under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
PMEGP fits a ₹22.97 L manufacturing unit; CGTMSE for collateral-free credit; Stand-Up India for SC/ST and women founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Plant & machinery ₹16.50 L + other assets ₹1.00 L + furniture ₹1.00 L + working capital ₹4.47 L = ₹22.97 L (land and building rented). Finance: term loan ₹16.65 L, working-capital loan ₹4.02 L, own ₹2.30 L.
Working capital: Working capital ₹4.47 L (bank ₹4.02 L).
UP MSME 1-Connect report, 2024.
§8Export potential
Export council / board: Not verified yet
- No HS code or export body has been checked against an official list yet.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Price war with imports
- Battery safety faults
- Returns and warranty claims
- Chip shortages
§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 wireless headphone making 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), 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 Wireless Headphone Making?
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.