Checklist: starting an aluminium extrusion unit in India
A practical pre-capex checklist covering demand, capability, vendors, and the commercial engine — not only the press.
Starting a unit is more than ordering a press. Before heavy capex, lock clarity on who will buy, what you can make well, and how orders will be won.
Demand before dies
- Which segments can you credibly serve in the first 12–18 months?
- What profiles and alloys are table stakes vs. specialty?
- Who already owns distribution or OEM relationships in those segments?
Capability map
- Press tonnage, billet, dies, ageing, finishing — what is in-house vs. outsourced?
- Quality system expectations of your first target buyers.
- Working capital for scrap, inventory, and receivable cycles.
Commercial engine
- Brand and specification materials industrial buyers will trust.
- Named account list and partner route (direct OEM vs. distributors).
- Cadence for BD before the first full month of capacity.
A Diagnostic Sprint is designed to force these questions into a 90-day plan before spend drifts.