What is a chromic acid project report?
A chromic acid project report is a detailed project report (DPR) for a plant that reacts sodium dichromate with sulphuric acid to make chromium trioxide flakes. It sets out the process, machinery, raw materials, effluent treatment, approvals, project cost, means of finance, five-year projections, DSCR and break-even that a lender or investor reviews before funding.
Chemical entrepreneurs and plating-chemical distributors use it to size a plant and raise a term loan; banks and investors use it to judge whether the unit can repay.
Also known as: chromium trioxide project report, project report on chromic acid, chromic acid flakes plant DPR, chromic acid business plan.
Chromic acid manufacturing plant cost in India
Our sample report models a 2 MT per day flake plant (660 MT per year) working 330 days, starting at 60% of capacity and reaching 80% in Year 5. Flakes are priced at ₹2,50,000 per MT before GST.
| Land and site development | 40.66 |
|---|---|
| Building and civil works | 145.25 |
| Plant and machinery | 244.82 |
| Other fixed assets | 26.88 |
| Contingencies | 19.50 |
| Preliminary and pre-operative | 11.93 |
| Working capital margin | 37.54 |
| Total | 526.58 |
| Promoter's contribution (25%) | 131.64 |
|---|---|
| Term loan from bank (75%) | 394.94 |
| Cash credit limit (separate) | 112.64 |
| Total project cost | 526.58 |
Term loan at 10.5% with a 6-month moratorium and 54 monthly instalments. Debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) is cash available for loan repayment divided by the instalments due. All figures are illustrative.
Chromic acid manufacturing process
A stand-alone plant buys sodium dichromate and turns it into chromium trioxide flakes by the acid melt route. It is a batch process, and every stage handles hexavalent chromium, a strong oxidiser that causes cancer, so closed transfer and extraction run through the whole line.
- Charging the reactor
Weighed sodium dichromate and 98% sulphuric acid go into an acid-resistant vessel, with acid in slight excess so the conversion is complete.
- Reaction
Under stirring and heat, the dichromate splits into chromium trioxide and sodium bisulphate, giving off water vapour that goes to the scrubber.
- Melting and separation
The batch is taken to about 197 °C, where chromium trioxide melts and sinks below the lighter bisulphate layer. Overheating decomposes the product, so temperature control decides the yield.
- Flaking
The molten acid is tapped onto a water-cooled rotating drum and scraped off as dark red flakes.
- Bisulphate recovery
The bisulphate layer still carries chromium. It is dissolved, its chromium is recovered, and the liquor goes for reuse or sale.
- Effluent treatment
Washings are dosed with sodium metabisulphite to reduce hexavalent chromium to the trivalent form, then neutralised so chromium settles out as hydroxide sludge.
- Testing and packing
Each lot is tested for chromium trioxide and sulphate content and packed in sealed steel drums, because the flakes absorb moisture from air.
Which process route suits a new chromic acid plant?
Four routes are in use worldwide. For a plant of a few tonnes a day that buys its dichromate, the melt route is the usual choice.
| Melt route | Dichromate and acid are heated until chromium trioxide melts and separates. Simple batch equipment, suits 1–5 MT per day, and is the route our sample report costs. |
|---|---|
| Crystallisation route | Chromium trioxide crystallises from a strong dichromate and acid solution, then is centrifuged, washed and dried. Runs cooler but recycles more liquor. |
| Electrolytic route | Membrane cells convert dichromate solution, and sodium leaves as caustic soda instead of bisulphate. Less by-product, but high power use and membrane cost suit large producers. |
| From chromite ore | Roasting chromite to make dichromate first needs a large, integrated plant with kilns and residue handling, well beyond a stand-alone flake unit. |
Raw materials for chromic acid
Sodium dichromate supplies all the chromium, so it dominates the bill. In theory about 1.5 tonnes of sodium dichromate dihydrate and about one tonne of sulphuric acid give one tonne of chromium trioxide; real batches need a little more for losses.
| Raw material | Share of cost | Year 3 (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium dichromate | 91% | 526.89 |
| Sulphuric acid (98%) | 7% | 40.53 |
| Sodium metabisulphite for effluent treatment | 2% | 11.58 |
| Total | 100% | 579.00 |
Raw materials are 50.1% of sales in the sample. Dichromate comes from a few domestic producers and from imports, so get two supply quotes before you fix the price.
Machinery for a chromic acid plant
Most of the equipment is acid-resistant process plant rather than standard machines. The reaction vessel is the largest item in our sample, and effluent treatment comes next.
| Equipment | What it does | Sample cost (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| Dichromate dissolving and storage tanks | Store and prepare the main raw material | 19.59 |
| Sulphuric acid storage and dosing | Holds 98% acid and meters it to the reactor | 14.69 |
| Acid-resistant reaction vessel with agitator | Carries out the dichromate and acid reaction | 44.07 |
| Thermic fluid heater | Supplies controlled heat to the reactor and kettle | 29.38 |
| Melting and separation kettle | Melts and separates chromium trioxide from bisulphate | 34.27 |
| Water-cooled drum flaker | Turns the melt into flakes | 29.38 |
| Fume scrubber | Captures acid mist and chromium-bearing fumes | 19.58 |
| Effluent treatment with chromium reduction | Converts hexavalent chromium and settles sludge | 39.17 |
| Drum filling and weighing | Packs flakes in sealed drums | 14.69 |
| Total plant and machinery | 244.82 | |
Costs are the sample report's estimates for a 2 MT per day plant. Get current quotations before you finalise.
Approvals and standards for a chromic acid plant
Hexavalent chromium puts this plant under closer watch than most chemical units. These are the approvals to plan for, as checked in October 2026.
| Business registration | Udyam (MSME) and GST registration, and factory registration under your state's labour law |
|---|---|
| Pollution board consent | Consent to establish and to operate from the State Pollution Control Board. The CPCB Red list covers basic chemicals including acid manufacturing, so expect Red category and confirm it for your site |
| Hazardous chemicals | Chromic acid is entry 139 in Schedule 1 of the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, so storage, labelling and safety records fall under those rules |
| Hazardous waste | Authorisation under the Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules, 2016 for chromium sludge from effluent treatment and the scrubber. Schedule I has no entry for chromium chemical production, so the Board decides the categories |
| Product standard | IS 330:2023, Chromium trioxide (third revision). BIS issued the first licence under it in November 2025. We found no Quality Control Order for the product as of October 2026 |
| Environmental clearance | Check with the state environment authority whether your capacity and site need it before you buy land |
Who buys chromic acid in India
Electroplating takes most of the flakes. Hard chrome shops coat hydraulic piston rods, printing and steel mill rolls, moulds and dies, while decorative platers finish taps, fittings and two-wheeler parts. Orders are small and frequent, often in 25 or 50 kg drums, so a distributor network matters as much as the plant.
- Hard chrome and decorative electroplating units
- Hydraulic cylinder and auto component makers with in-house plating
- Aluminium anodising and surface treatment units
- Wood preservative formulators
- Chemical distributors serving plating clusters
- Chromium chemical and catalyst makers
What plating buyers check: a chrome bath runs on a tight ratio of chromic acid to sulphate, so flakes with variable sulphate upset the bath. A new plant that proves steady low-sulphate lots can hold buyers who rarely change supplier.
Mistakes that weaken a chromic acid project report
- One dichromate price for five years
Dichromate is 91% of raw material cost in our sample. A report that does not test a price rise overstates DSCR.
- No plan for the bisulphate
Each tonne of flakes leaves about 1.2 tonnes of sodium bisulphate carrying chromium. The report must show where it goes and what that costs or earns.
- Thin effluent and sludge budget
Chromium reduction, sludge storage and disposal to an authorised facility are running costs every month, not only an equipment line.
- Leaving out worker protection
Fume extraction, protective gear and periodic medical checks for chromium exposure belong in both capital and running costs.
- Ignoring moisture in packing
Flakes pick up water and cake in poorly sealed drums, which leads to rejected lots. Packing cost should allow for sealed steel drums.
How NPCS helps you plan a chromic acid plant
- Route and capacityCompare the melt and crystallisation routes and size the plant to your dichromate supply and buyers.
- Effluent and by-product planChromium reduction, sludge handling and a use for the bisulphate, costed in the report.
- Bank-ready project reportProjections, DSCR, sensitivity to dichromate price and working capital in your lender's format.
- Approvals and layoutPlant layout, Red category consent papers and the hazardous chemical and waste filings for your state.
NPCS's client list includes 269 assignments in specialty chemicals, and the NPCS project team has prepared chemical plant reports since 1994 for entrepreneurs, banks and companies in India and abroad.
What's inside the chromic acid sample report
- Introduction
- Uses and applications
- Market potential
- Manufacturing process
- Raw materials
- Plant and machinery
- Land, building and utilities
- Manpower
- Licences and approvals
- Project cost and means of finance
- Working capital
- Projected profitability
- Cash flow statement
- Projected balance sheet
- Depreciation
- Term loan repayment
- Debt service coverage
- Break-even analysis
- Financial ratios
- Key assumptions
- Conclusion
- Monthly loan repayment schedule
19 pages, five-year projections, illustrative figures.
Open sample reportFree sample or a report for your project?
| What you get | Free sample | NPCS report for your project |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and location | Typical unit | Your capacity, site and state |
| Figures | Illustrative | Built on current prices and quotations |
| Machinery suppliers and quotations | No | Yes |
| Market survey for your region | No | Yes |
| Bank or scheme format (PMEGP, term loan) | No | Yes |
| Use for a loan application | No | Yes |
Find NPCS project reports in your budget
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Chromic Acid project report: frequently asked questions
What is the cost of a chromic acid manufacturing plant in India?
Our sample report models a 2 MT per day flake plant at ₹526.58 lakh, including land, building, machinery and working capital margin. As an indicative guide, plants of 1–3 MT per day usually fall in the ₹3.5–8 crore range. The final cost depends on land, the effluent treatment you need and whether you buy or make sodium dichromate.
What raw materials are used to make chromic acid?
Sodium dichromate and concentrated sulphuric acid. In theory about 1.5 tonnes of sodium dichromate dihydrate and about one tonne of sulphuric acid give one tonne of chromium trioxide. In our sample report dichromate is 91% of raw material cost, so its price and assured supply decide most of the plant's margin.
Is chromic acid the same as chromium trioxide?
In trade, yes. The dark red flakes sold as chromic acid are chromium trioxide (CrO3), which forms chromic acid when dissolved in water. Plating shops buy the flakes and make up their own baths. The Indian standard for the product, IS 330:2023, is titled Chromium Trioxide, so a project report should use both names.
What is chromic acid used for?
Its largest use is hard and decorative chrome plating, for hydraulic rods, rolls, dies, auto parts and fittings. It is also used in chromate conversion coatings, anodising of aluminium, etching plastics before plating, wood preservative formulations and the manufacture of other chromium chemicals and catalysts. Plating demand moves with engineering and automotive output.
Is chromic acid manufacturing profitable?
In our illustrative sample, a 2 MT per day plant earns a 28% return on investment in Year 3. It breaks even at about 36% of capacity and pays back in about 3.1 years. Real profit depends mainly on the gap between dichromate cost and flake price, the value of the bisulphate by-product and the cost of effluent treatment.
Which approvals does a chromic acid plant need?
Consent to establish and operate from the State Pollution Control Board, where acid manufacturing falls in the Red category. Chromic acid is listed under the hazardous chemical rules, and chromium-bearing sludge needs a hazardous waste authorisation. Add factory registration, fire NOC and Udyam and GST registration. IS 330:2023 is the product standard buyers refer to.
Is the chromic acid project report PDF free, and can I use it for a loan?
The sample PDF is free to view and download. It is an illustrative report that shows the format and depth of an NPCS report. Its figures are representative, not taken from a real project, so do not submit it to a bank. For a loan, NPCS prepares a report for your capacity, site and lender.
Sources and references
- IS 330:2023 Chromium trioxide, specification (third revision)Bureau of Indian Standards, checked Oct 2026
- Grant of all India first licence for chromium trioxide as per IS 330:2023Bureau of Indian Standards, Central Marks Department-2, checked Oct 2026
- Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical (Amendment) Rules, 2000, Schedule 1Ministry of Environment and Forests (FAOLEX copy), checked Oct 2026
- List of Red category industriesPunjab Pollution Control Board, checked Oct 2026
- Schedule I, list of hazardous wastesPunjab Pollution Control Board, checked Oct 2026
- Pre-feasibility report for a chromic acid, basic chromium sulphate and saccharin unit, BilaspurEnvironmental clearance portal, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, checked Oct 2026
The NPCS project team, led by Ajay Kumar Gupta
This page and its sample report are prepared and reviewed by the NPCS project team, which has written techno-economic feasibility studies and detailed project reports since 1994.
Ajay Kumar Gupta founded Niir Project Consultancy Services (NPCS) and leads the organisation. With 40 years of experience in MSME project consulting, he has built the team that has delivered more than 28,000 project reports for clients worldwide, helping entrepreneurs plan and finance profitable manufacturing businesses.
- Published
- Last updated
- Next review
- Oct 2027
- Reviewed by
- NPCS project team
This page is reviewed every 12 months, or sooner when scheme limits, GST rates, BIS rules or pollution categories change. The sample report is illustrative: its figures are generated from industry-typical ratios for a unit of this size, checked so every statement balances, and are not taken from any client project.