What is a sodium borohydride project report?
A sodium borohydride project report is a detailed project report (DPR) for a plant that makes NaBH4, a selective reducing agent, from sodium metal, hydrogen and trimethyl borate. It sets out the process, machinery, raw materials, safety approvals, project cost, means of finance, five-year projections, DSCR and break-even that a lender reviews before funding.
Chemical entrepreneurs and API makers planning backward integration use it to size the plant and raise a term loan; banks use it to test whether the unit can repay.
Also known as: NaBH4 plant project report, sodium tetrahydroborate project report, sodium borohydride business plan, DPR for sodium borohydride manufacturing.
Sodium borohydride manufacturing plant cost and economics
Our sample report models a 340 kg per day plant running 330 days a year, which is 1,12,200 kg a year at full capacity. It starts at 60% utilisation and reaches 80% in Year 5, selling at ₹1,870 per kg ex-GST.
| Land and site development | 80.65 |
|---|---|
| Building and civil works | 212.50 |
| Plant and machinery | 368.28 |
| Other fixed assets | 52.00 |
| Contingencies | 29.04 |
| Preliminary and pre-operative | 18.56 |
| Working capital margin | 48.49 |
| Total | 809.52 |
| Promoter's contribution (25%) | 202.38 |
|---|---|
| Term loan from bank (75%) | 607.14 |
| Cash credit limit (separate) | 145.46 |
| Total project cost | 809.52 |
Term loan at 10.5% with a 6-month moratorium and 54 monthly instalments. DSCR (debt service coverage ratio) is cash available for repayment divided by loan dues. All figures are illustrative.
Sodium borohydride manufacturing process
The sample plant uses the Brown-Schlesinger route, where four molecules of sodium hydride react with one of trimethyl borate. Only one of the four sodium atoms ends up in the product; the other three leave as sodium methoxide, which is why recovery steps matter as much as the reaction.
- Trimethyl borate preparation
Boric acid is esterified with excess methanol, and the ester is split from its methanol azeotrope by distillation, since the two boil close together.
- Sodium hydride formation
Molten sodium is dispersed in mineral oil and reacted with dry hydrogen at about 250–300 °C to give a fine sodium hydride slurry.
- Borohydride reaction
Trimethyl borate is fed slowly to the hot slurry at about 250–270 °C under nitrogen, forming sodium borohydride and sodium methoxide.
- Hydrolysis and extraction
The mass is quenched in water and the borohydride is extracted into isopropylamine, leaving caustic soda and methanol in the aqueous layer.
- Crystallisation and drying
The amine is evaporated off and the crystals are dried under vacuum to a white powder of about 98% purity.
- Solvent and oil recovery
Methanol, isopropylamine and mineral oil are distilled and returned to the process; their losses decide much of the running cost.
- Inert packing
The powder is packed under nitrogen in sealed drums, because moisture slowly breaks it down and releases hydrogen.
Which route and product form should your plant use?
Four choices made early change the machinery list, the raw material bill and the buyers you can serve. The sample report takes the first option in each row.
| Brown-Schlesinger route | Sodium hydride with trimethyl borate at moderate temperature. The widely used commercial route, and the one modelled in the sample. Needs a secure supply of sodium metal and hydrogen. |
|---|---|
| Bayer route | Borax or borosilicate is reacted with sodium and hydrogen at a much higher temperature, giving sodium silicate as a by-product. Fewer producers use it, and it needs heavier reactors. |
| Make or buy trimethyl borate | Making it from boric acid and methanol adds an esterification and distillation unit (₹51.56 lakh in the sample) but avoids depending on bought-in ester. |
| Make sodium hydride on site | Sodium hydride reacts violently with moisture and is hard to ship in bulk, so plants of this kind usually make it in their own hydrogenation reactor. |
| Powder or solution | Dry powder suits pharma buyers. A stabilised solution of about 12% borohydride in caustic soda skips drying and serves pulp, textile and metal recovery users. |
Raw materials for sodium borohydride
Sodium metal drives the cost. In theory a plant needs about 2.4 kg of sodium, 1.6 kg of boric acid and 0.11 kg of hydrogen for every kg of product. In the sample, raw materials take 52.6% of sales.
| Raw material | Share of cost | Year 3 (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium metal | 62% | 479.23 |
| Boric acid | 15% | 115.94 |
| Methanol (make-up) | 8% | 61.84 |
| Hydrogen gas | 6% | 46.38 |
| Isopropylamine and mineral oil (make-up) | 6% | 46.38 |
| Nitrogen and process chemicals | 3% | 23.19 |
| Total | 100% | 772.96 |
Theoretical quantities are from the reaction balance; actual use is higher by the process losses.
Machinery for a sodium borohydride plant
Most of the equipment is closed, nitrogen-blanketed process plant in stainless or carbon steel. The borohydride reactor with its hot oil system is the largest single item in the sample.
| Equipment | What it does | Sample cost (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium melting and dispersion system | Melts sodium and disperses it in mineral oil | 36.83 |
| Sodium hydride hydrogenation reactor | Reacts sodium with hydrogen | 58.92 |
| Trimethyl borate esterification and distillation unit | Makes and purifies the borate ester | 51.56 |
| Borohydride reactor with hot oil system | Runs the main reaction at 250–270 °C | 66.29 |
| Hydrolysis and isopropylamine extraction unit | Separates product from caustic and methanol | 44.19 |
| Crystalliser and vacuum dryer | Gives dry, free-flowing powder | 40.51 |
| Solvent and methanol recovery columns | Recover methanol and amine for reuse | 33.15 |
| Nitrogen blanketing and vent scrubber system | Keeps air and moisture out; treats vents | 22.10 |
| Inert-atmosphere packing station | Fills drums under nitrogen | 14.73 |
| Total plant and machinery | 368.28 | |
Costs are the sample report's estimates. Get current quotations from process equipment fabricators before you finalise.
Manpower and utilities for a sodium borohydride plant
The plant runs round the clock, because the hydride and borohydride reactors are not stopped and restarted daily. Power and fuel cost ₹77.65 lakh in Year 3 in the sample, 5.3% of sales, for the hot oil heater, vacuum pumps, chilling and nitrogen supply.
| Category | Number | Monthly wage (₹) | Annual cost (₹ lakh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management, supervision and administration | 6 | 32,500 | 23.40 |
| Skilled workers and operators | 13 | 20,500 | 31.98 |
| Semi-skilled and unskilled workers | 19 | 13,500 | 30.78 |
| Total | 38 | 86.16 |
Operators need training in sodium and hydrogen handling; budget for it before trial runs.
Licences and approvals for a sodium borohydride plant
Sodium, hydrogen and methanol make this a hazardous chemicals site, so safety approvals take longer than the business registrations. Start them as soon as the site is fixed.
| Business registration | Udyam (MSME) registration and GST registration |
|---|---|
| Pollution board consent | Consent to establish and operate from the State Pollution Control Board. State lists place basic chemical manufacture in the Red category; confirm the category with your board. |
| Hazardous chemicals | Sodium, hydrogen and methyl alcohol are listed under the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989. Holding 2 tonnes of hydrogen or more brings on-site emergency plan duties. |
| Hydrogen storage | A PESO storage licence in Form F under the Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 once hydrogen cylinders exceed the exempted quantity |
| Factory and fire | Factory licence under the state factories rules and a fire NOC, given the flammable gas and solvents on site |
Rules checked in October 2026. Thresholds and categories change; confirm with the authorities before you apply.
Market for sodium borohydride in India
Bulk drug and API makers drive demand. They use sodium borohydride to reduce aldehydes and ketones without touching esters or other groups, a step that appears in many API routes. Much of the Indian requirement is imported, so a domestic plant competes on steady purity, low moisture and shorter delivery times.
- Bulk drug and API manufacturers
- Pharmaceutical intermediate producers
- Pulp, paper and textile processors
- Precious metal and effluent recovery units
- Fine chemical makers
- Chemical traders and importers
Plan for approval time: pharma buyers test samples and audit the plant before the first order. That is why the sample report starts at 60% utilisation and builds up over five years.
Mistakes that weaken a sodium borohydride project report
- Pricing sodium from one old quote
Sodium is about 62% of raw material cost in the sample. A report should use a current landed price and test a rise in it.
- No plan for sodium methoxide
Each kg of product leaves about 4.3 kg of sodium methoxide in theory. Its conversion to caustic and methanol, and where the caustic goes, must be costed.
- Assuming full solvent recovery
Methanol and isopropylamine are lost through vents and residues. Make-up quantities belong in the raw material bill.
- Ignoring moisture control
The product breaks down in humid air. Nitrogen, dry rooms and sealed drums are real costs that a thin report leaves out.
- Full sales from the first month
Pharma approval takes months. Projections that skip the ramp-up overstate early cash flow and DSCR.
How NPCS helps you set up a sodium borohydride plant
- Route and capacityChoose the route, product form and daily output for your buyers and budget.
- Raw material and recovery balanceSodium, borate and solvent balances, with by-product handling costed.
- Bank-ready project reportProjections, DSCR and working capital in the format your lender expects.
- Safety approvals and layoutPlant layout and the hazardous chemical, PESO and pollution approvals for your state.
NPCS's client list records 269 project assignments in specialty chemicals, including 2 for sodium borohydride. The NPCS project team, led by founder Ajay Kumar Gupta, has prepared project reports since 1994.
What's inside the sodium borohydride 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 |
Real NPCS sodium borohydride project reports
These are sodium borohydride project reports NPCS has prepared, with the plant capacity, total capital investment, rate of return and break-even worked out in each. Costs have moved since some were written, so we bring any of them up to date for your capacity and location.
| Project report | Plant capacity | Total investment | Rate of return | Break-even | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium Borohydride usingTrimethyl Borate | Sodium Borohydride : 3,000 Kgs / day | ₹7.11 crore | 32% | 61% | Get this report |
Figures as worked out in each NPCS report. Total investment includes plant and machinery, land and building, and working capital.
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Sodium Borohydride project report: frequently asked questions
What is the sodium borohydride manufacturing plant cost in India?
A plant of 300–500 kg per day typically needs about ₹7–11 crore, including land, building, machinery and working capital margin. Our sample report models a 340 kg per day plant at ₹809.52 lakh, with plant and machinery at ₹368.28 lakh. These ranges are indicative; the cost for your plant depends on capacity, location and whether you make trimethyl borate on site.
How is sodium borohydride manufactured?
Most plants use the Brown-Schlesinger route. Sodium metal is reacted with hydrogen to form sodium hydride, which is then reacted with trimethyl borate at about 250–270 °C under nitrogen. The product is extracted with isopropylamine, crystallised and dried under vacuum, while methanol, solvent and mineral oil are recovered and reused.
What raw materials are needed to make sodium borohydride?
Sodium metal, boric acid, methanol and hydrogen are the main inputs, with isopropylamine, mineral oil and nitrogen as process materials. Sodium is the biggest cost: about 2.4 kg is needed per kg of product in theory. In our sample report sodium metal makes up 62% of raw material cost.
Is a sodium borohydride plant profitable?
In our illustrative sample, a 340 kg per day plant earns a net profit of ₹188.99 lakh on sales of ₹1,468.70 lakh in Year 3, with a 23% return on investment and break-even at 36% of capacity. Real results depend on the sodium price, recovery of solvents and by-products, and how quickly pharma buyers approve your product.
Which licences does a sodium borohydride plant need?
Beyond Udyam, GST and a factory licence, you need consent to establish and operate from the State Pollution Control Board, compliance with the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules for hydrogen, sodium and methanol, and a PESO licence to store hydrogen cylinders above the exempted quantity. Check your state board for the category.
Who buys sodium borohydride in India?
Bulk drug and API makers are the main buyers, because sodium borohydride reduces aldehydes and ketones selectively. Pulp and textile processors, precious metal recovery units, fine chemical makers and chemical traders also buy it. Pharma customers approve a supplier only after sample trials and an audit, so the first orders often take several months.
Is the sodium borohydride project report PDF free, and can I use it for a bank loan?
The sample 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 and not based on a real project, so it should not be submitted to a bank. For a loan, NPCS prepares a report for your own capacity, location and lender.
Sources and references
- The Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989Punjab Pollution Control Board, checked Oct 2026
- Standard operating procedure under the Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), checked Oct 2026
- List of Red category industriesState Pollution Control Board, Odisha, 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.