11 Most Profitable Manufacturing Businesses to Start

Doing the job you love is a great and satisfying thing, so you might try some of the most profitable manufacturing businesses to start. For the very beginning, you will probably be interested in small-scale businesses that will not involve many people and huge space.

Perhaps the easiest and the most satisfying businesses would be those crafts that you are familiar with. For example that could be knitting, sewing, and making plenty of other handmade products. Slowly, with unique ideas and style, the local community will get to know and buy your products, and then you can advertise your business, place your offers at fairs and street markets, and maybe end up in launching your own brand. If, on the other hand, you have a farm, for example, you can focus on manufacturing organic fertilizers that would pay off quickly. You might start a manufacturing business of that kind as an upgrade to some of the Most Profitable Agricultural Business Ideas for Young Entrepreneurs. The point is, use your skills, knowledge, space and components you already have to start a profitable manufacturing business.

There are many manufacturing ideas, both for small and big scale businesses, since manufacturing is being supported and encouraged by the government in the USA for example, or by US Small Business Administration. But for this list, we’ve been oriented towards small scale profitable manufacturing businesses to start, and searched in more specialized resources and associations like Fedima, Jewelers of America or EFCEM for manufacturing businesses supported by the government or communal associations, which make those businesses more profitable in a way that the broader community has the better insight into small businesses, and there is also a better base for developing profitable market network. To get some basic starting idea about which manufacturing businesses bring the most profit we’ve checked suggestions from sources like LinkedIn, Sandalili and Muvsi. We’ve also looked for people’s experiences with their manufacturing businesses at Quora.

Since starting a manufacturing business depends on many things, like preferences, skills, starting investment income, available space, etc. we have tried to pick some of the best ideas for most profitable manufacturing businesses to start from the suggestions we’ve found on these sources. Let’s see which one will suit you:

11. Manufactured milk products

Milk products are butter, yogurt, many cheese varieties, ice cream, dry milk, etc. While all of these can make a nice profit if you find your place in the market, probably specializing in some of the classy cheese making will probably pay off the most (if you stick to the standards, of course).

10. Jewelry production

From small street market sales to brand creation. There are countless sorts of materials used for making jewelry, combining them creatively and making your unique design might lead to great profit, for people like to own a unique and well-designed quality jewelry.

9. Leatherwork manufacturing business

There are many things you can do with leather. When starting a business, you might prefer only producing and tanning pieces of leather as a raw material, or consider making leather products like bags, clothes or shoes.

8. Brick manufacturing

Bricks are an important element for construction works, and being made in many types, sizes and different raw material, give a great opportunity to choose what kind of brick production that ranks 8th on our list of most profitable manufacturing businesses to start suits you the most. For starting brick manufacturing you will need a certain amount of space available (minimum half acre), but when all the starting investment is being done, this business becomes profitable soon enough.

7. Craft beer brewing

Craft beer production is rising. In 2012, the Brewers Association had 2,715 registered breweries in contrast to only 50 in 1980. The demand for new tastes is obviously growing, and beer brewing, being a fun and inventive thing to do, can be a great starting manufacturing business idea.

6. Catering service

Celebrations and events are happening everywhere all the time, therefore the demand for themed and quality refreshments is constant. Being creative and offering high-quality products will keep you on the top, making this solution one of the profitable manufacturing businesses to start.

5. Notebooks and other paper products

This business involves a bit of creativity, but it can definite be one the most profitable manufacturing businesses to start. The more unique your products are, the more customers it will attract. Apart from notebooks, there are plenty of other products made of paper that, with a bit of unique design can make a lot of money. Those are, for example, paper bags, envelopes, greeting cards, or even paper jewelry, why not!

4. Manufacturing bakery supplies

Bakery supplies are a thing that almost every bakery needs and they consist of: baking powder, cake mixes, icings, glazes, bread improvers, dough mixes, fillings and many more.  Starting such a business certainly pays off, and you can also join one of the organizations such as above mentioned Fedima, which would give you opportunities for expanding your business more.

3. Liquid soap manufacturing

Starting the business number three on our list of most profitable manufacturing businesses to start would need a bit more starting income, but it is put among the top on our list because of the constant demand for these products. You will, of course, have to research market first in order to see customer’s preferences and demands, then search for good ingredient suppliers. Once you have established good terms with your purchaser, you can start your business even from home.

2. Honey production

This is a great manufacturing business to start, and while the beginners would probably start with fewer hives, with time and experience they would broaden their colonies which would lead to great profit. To ease the count, one honey hive gives around $500 of profit annually.

1. Organic fertilizer production

Organic fertilizers are those made of natural “waste” primarily animal and human excreta, and plant and animal residues. For those having a farm or bigger household this would probably be the first choice among other most profitable manufacturing businesses to start on our list. There are many guides how to start organic fertilizer production, since it is a demanding and one of the most important supplies for organic production.