More efficient than the existing manual bamboo splint-making devices, this innovation is portable, inexpensive and easy to operate
“How many people have you heard about who have made it big by selling bamboo products?
I guess none, because bamboo is a means of earning livelihood for the poor and not for the rich,” says 55-year-old innovator Usman Shekhani of Chhattisgarh. Deeply moved by the plight of a poor bamboo craftsman, the serial innovator created a unique manual bamboo splint-making device for incense sticks that won him a national award in 2005.
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The demand for incense sticks in India is huge not only in the domestic market, but also internationally. However, the major part of the market is dominated by unorganized small-scale players, who still use traditional manufacturing methods. The splints device made by Shekhani could as well be a boon for them. According to the inventor, this device is inexpensive and produces better quality sticks than those made manually. Moreover, being hand-driven, the machine is easy to operate and repair and can be used even in remote areas that have power shortages.
The genesis
The idea came about when a friend of Shekhani’s asked him to find out more about an incense stick making machine that was advertised in a local daily. “The power-driven machine was being manufactured by a company in Bhopal for around Rs 70,000 to 80,000,” he says. “Most of the incense sticks are produced in Assam and Tripura. As our region also produces a lot of bamboo, I thought why can’t we manufacture incense sticks here, which will also be a solution to the existing unemployment and poverty.” With this, the innovator set out to Bhopal and when he approached the incense stick-making company, he was given the address of a bamboo craftsman, Gulab Rao, in whose premises one such machine was installed.
| Agarbatti Industry: Exports | ||
| Year | Exports (million tons) | Growth rate (%) |
| 2005-6 | 2,056 | 22.00 |
| 2006-7 | 2,924 | 17.00 |
| 2007-8 | 3,509 | 20.00 |
| Source: Gujarat Agarbatti Manufacturers and Dealers Association | ||
“When I visited the place I was appalled to see the condition of Gulab Rao,” says Shekhani. “He had taken a bank loan to buy the machine, and took me for a bank executive.” To Shekhani’s surprise, he found the machine in one corner of the room covered with rubbish. “The machine had broken down within 15 days and because of the loan that he had taken to purchase the machine, he was immersed in deep debt.” Moved by the plight of Gulab Rao, Shekhani decided to create a machine that was hand-driven and affordable for the poor.
How it works
In 2001, two years after the idea was conceived, Shekhani was successful in producing the first prototype. The device was first tested in Raipur, but it did not meet with much success. He says, “At first I had only the handy cutter device. So the bamboo had to be first sliced into chips using a knife
and then fed into the machine. However, people found the slicing part to be too time consuming. This was when I decided to create another simple
device for slicing the bamboo into chips.” Six versions and several combinations later, he was ready with an innovative low-cost handy cutter device that was portable, hand-driven and simple to operate.
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| Fact Sheet | |
| Innovator | Usman Shekhani |
| Innovation | Bamboo splint-making device for incense sticks |
| Material of construction | Wood and carbon steel |
| Dimensions | 4” x 2” x 3” (splint maker) |
| Weight | 100 gm (splint maker) |
| Output per day | 5 kg of splints for incense sticks |
| Advantages | More efficient than existing manual devices Easy to operate and repair Hand-driven, hence can be used by anyone, anywhere |
| Cost | Single pack: Rs. 550, Family pack: Rs 750 |
At present, the device consists of two parts—the bamboo slicer and the splint maker. The bamboo is first passed through a slicer that cuts the bamboo into thin strips. The strips are then fed into the cutter that cuts it into five equal pieces. The cutter consists of a wooden bracket, high-speed steel blades, adjustable screws, and a spring-loaded pushing roller. Moreover, the device can also be set to make sticks of different diameters. According to the inventor, “In a minute it can make nearly 100 sticks.”
A bamboo stick, which is generally 5 to 6 m in length, has several knots. The knotted part, which is 20 to 22 cm long, cannot be used to make aggarbattis, and is therefore generally cut out and thrown away. According to Shekhani, “This part, instead of being wasted or burned, can be used to make thin ice-cream (gola, chuski, kulfi) sticks, buds, and toothpicks by traditionally cutting it using a knife. These sticks generally sell for Rs 10 per kg in the market.” He makes a rough calculation and says, “Therefore, if you have 10 kg of bamboo, then you can easily make 4.5 kg of splints for incense sticks and approximately 5 kg of ice-cream sticks.” In a day, a bamboo worker can easily produce 5 kg incense sticks.
Cost involved
The product is available in two packs and is priced quite nominally. The single pack, which consists of one single stick cutter, costs Rs 550, and the family pack, which consists of two stick cutters, is for Rs 750. Shekhani says, “With a meager amount of Rs 1,000, a family can start using this machine. The investment would include the cost of the device and the bamboo required for making the stick.” The innovator also trains and gives demonstrations to people who want to use the machine.
Shekhani continues, “I do not tell people that by investing in my machine you will make big profits, but all that I can guarantee is that it will make them self-sufficient. As this is a manual device rather than an electrical one, we haven’t made it big and cumbersome. Moreover, electric devices, which cost around Rs 1 to 1.5 lakh, have not been very successful.” He goes on to add that people who wanted to set up a small unit with his device have now bought several more and started off successfully. Till date Shekhani has managed to sell more than 3,000 units of his device.
Current status and future plans
Usman Shekhani received a patent for the product in 2005 with help from the National Innovation Foundation (NIF). The foundation also helped him with a funding of Rs 45,000. With the aid of the NIF and local NGOs, he has managd to sell his products in 10 states, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Uttranchal and Madhya Pradesh.
Discussing the future, he says, “I plan to set up small agencies in several states to facilitate my work, because I have not found any substantial support in the form of commercial centers.” Besides, he is also working on an advanced bamboo splint-making device that can be used for producing sticks at a commercial level.

written by bhagaban panda, September 07, 2011
written by surndhranath h, August 18, 2011
Yours
Surendhra
written by Iraqi ahtesham, August 16, 2011
plz provide the contact no n address of the dealer in ahmedabad gujarat for purchasing the low cost incense sticks machine immediately with regards ahtesham 09099907325
written by mansur ahmed, June 20, 2011
regards
mansur ahmed
written by ratan agarwal, June 19, 2011
Please,can you send me complete project detail & basic requirement and a video
written by rajan g pillai, June 17, 2011
written by rinku kumar, June 13, 2011
written by rinku kumar, June 13, 2011
written by zoramthanga, May 22, 2011
written by ummehani, April 26, 2011
i want to buy a lowesst price agarbatti manufacturing electronic machine , can i see the working condition of machine (video recording) via email?
written by Megh Bahadur Bhattarai, April 18, 2011
It is reeally great helpful to us cos we are a small scale manufacturer of agarbatti in nepal. whether we can buy your machine? and pls forward your machine details with delivery terms and condiion.we want to buy immediately.
written by Yusufmohmed Sindhi, April 11, 2011
written by sudhanshu kedia, March 31, 2011
written by Deepak Mishra, March 29, 2011
Please,can you send me complete project detail & basic requirement.
Deepak Mishhra
written by N.Suneel Kumar, March 26, 2011
I am really surprised and want to say thanks for ur innovative product with which many people with a petty investment can earn their bdaily bread. Sir i want to start a small unit at my village wherein i want to place a min of 30 members employed to manufacture the incense sticks and Dhoop sticks. i have reasonable expereince in marketing which i feel a good advantage 4 me. i request you to kindly send me the deatils of machine and also a project reoprt in this feild. pls send a brocheure so that i can contact you and purchase your valuable product.
anticipating 4 ur reply as soon as possible.
thanking you sir,
N.Suneel Kumar
5/502, Munirao street , KADAPA - 516001.
Andhra Pradesh.
91 89783 03888
91 73961 47677
written by mo javed shekhani, March 15, 2011
plz contanct me 09424123811
written by N Srinivasan, March 14, 2011
We are in the manufacturing of mosquito coils, we wanted to start the bathi manufacturing and we wanted to try your machine. Need quotation for the same and total project details
written by Bidhu Bhusan Jena, March 11, 2011
With thanks & regards.
( Bidhu Bhusan Jena)
written by John, March 08, 2011
written by navneet agrawal, March 08, 2011
good evening,sir at fst i read abt ur starting work to take loan for a machine after that whatevet happened this was god wish for you,sir in this my situation just like of u,when u was,sir i want to establish a aggarbati uddyog with a loan i dont have a finacial support,and i dont have any knowladge of bussiness deside of it i want to do self and give to employment to villagers,sir from birth i have been facing sturgle,sir i do have a big thought bt i ....................................sir plz give me urs bless and support time to time................this is my hearty request 4 u plz regular contact with me if this is possible 4 u,
thanks
your faithfully
NAVNEET AGRAWAL
958444298
written by arif hussain, March 07, 2011
written by Afaq, February 27, 2011
Thank U
written by niranjan gupta, February 19, 2011
written by vijay namdev , February 13, 2011
Please give contact details; wherefrom the machine may be purchased.
Regards
Vijay namdev
Nagda (Ujjain)
written by vijay namdev, February 13, 2011
Please write contact details; wherefrom the machine may be purchased.
Regards
vijay namdev
written by Sathyanarayanan, February 12, 2011
Mobile :9447685865
written by Sathyanarayanan, February 12, 2011
Please advise in detail, How to to start small scale Agharbhathy production unit in kerala.
Mobile: 9447685865
written by vimal jain, February 10, 2011
written by sreyansh baid, February 04, 2011
written by sreyansh baid, February 04, 2011
written by Anup Ghoshal, February 01, 2011
written by Jack Liu, January 23, 2011
Good day.
We refer from website information that your company esteemed company
is reputable of incense products, we sincerely wish your company a prosperous business.
We take the liberty of introducing ourselves as the company which is specialized manufacturing
various incenss making machine,and bamboo processing machine.
Our different various incense making machine we explain as follows:
*INCENSE STICK MACHINE.
*INCENSE COIL MAKING MACHINE
*CONE INCENSE MACHINE
*BAMBOOLESS INCENSE STICKS MACHINE(WITHOUT BAMBOO STICK)
(Japan incense machine)
*Jumbo INCENSE MAKING MACHINE
This machine not only can replace traditional manual manufacturing but also can increase the production capacity and make products have a good looking,
Your inquiry is welcome, we are glad to serve you at any time.
For any further information feel free to contact us.
Best regards,
For Chen Yang Liu's Co.,Ltd.
http://www.incense.com.tw
written by manoj modi, January 23, 2011
I want to have a manufacturing unit for manufacturing bamboo sticks used in agarbati.
please help what is the procedure
I want to know how to proceed
written by binaykumar, January 15, 2011
binay
written by girish radke, January 12, 2011
written by swaroopa rani , December 27, 2010
written by bikash kumar, December 18, 2010
written by bikash kumar, December 18, 2010
written by aalvar, December 15, 2010
written by parul gupta, December 05, 2010
Kindly mail me the details
written by Payel Chatterjee, December 04, 2010
Best wishes,
written by naresh kabra, December 02, 2010
i kindly request you to show your inscence making machine .how it works,&what expense it will require.please take into consideration .
thanks!
mob no:9822564367
written by Ashok Rathore, December 01, 2010
written by surajit maikap, November 18, 2010
written by Anil Gomez, November 11, 2010
I am Anil from Kerala, interested stcks making machine for incense agarbatti. I would like to know its price , its warranty (if any), its production capacity in one hour.
Kindly mail me the details.r
written by VIVEKANANDA ROUTRAY, November 11, 2010
written by Pushpa Dethe, November 09, 2010
I am Pushpa from Mumbai, interested stcks making machine for incense agarbatti. I would like to know its price , its warranty (if any), its production capacity in one hour.
Kindly mail me the details.
thanks
written by D.K.DUBEY, November 01, 2010
written by pulak bhuyan, October 30, 2010
written by john veigas, October 28, 2010
details where i can find or get machines to manufacture incense sticks.
written by kamlesh singh, October 16, 2010
written by PULAK DAS, October 08, 2010
written by Subrata Mukherjee, September 30, 2010
written by Subrata Mukherjee, September 30, 2010
written by Venkatesh Naik, September 21, 2010
Thank you.
written by Divya Shah, September 13, 2010
I would be interested in buying this Incense making machine
Pls let me know the contact details
My number is 09769952018
written by shalinder saxena, September 03, 2010
written by Aurobindo Prasad Dash, September 01, 2010
Please mail your details to purchase hand made machine.
regards
Aurobindo
written by suman ku ray, August 20, 2010
i am very much impressed with ur project, i am planning to start a industry of agarbathi, so i want to purchase the machine,and raw material i request you to kindly give ur address how to approach. my mobile no 0 9359929070 my name suman ray
written by JJ, August 11, 2010
Please provide Contact Details Of Shri Usman Shekhani who invented and got Patent Right too for the Family Pack Incense Stick Manual M/C.
Thanking you
written by Diganta Baishya, August 10, 2010
please give a idea about the prices of instance stick machine. how many machine will be required a agarbati indestary.
written by Anand Mishra, August 09, 2010
09314166617
written by toolika, August 09, 2010
Where could I buy this machine?
Please send me the details.
Thanks.
written by Nikunj Jain, August 01, 2010
written by Neeraj Roy,patory, samastipur, Bihar, July 29, 2010
Neeraj roy
patory, samastipur , bihar.
written by kiran, July 29, 2010
written by tabish, July 27, 2010
thanking in anticipate.
yours sincerly
tabish parkar
written by imtiaz, July 27, 2010
wanted to have a meeting with you as soon as possible.
give your contacts details @ imtiaz_bls@yahoo.in
written by P.Venkatesan, July 11, 2010
Please forarwd the details about how can i make the agarpathi through hand machine in my home.i want to start this busuness in low budget because i am poor man.So please sent me the it's required raw material & making method to my e-mail id np.venkatesan@yahoo.com
written by matheshwaran.v, July 07, 2010
written by hari babu naidu, June 25, 2010
i am very much impressed with ur project, i am planning to start a industry of agarbathi, so i want to purchase the machine, i request you to kindly give ur address how to approach. my mobile no 0 9177713344 my name hari babu
written by Pralay Chatterjee, June 25, 2010
written by prathmesh kusurkar, June 17, 2010
written by Rabin Bose, April 24, 2010
written by Rabin Bose, April 24, 2010
written by gautamjain, April 23, 2010
written by Ayush, April 23, 2010
Pl let me know how to order the machine.
Rgds.
written by Meena Manral, April 19, 2010
I am working in the field of agarbatti making. Need to know your device. Where I can see and order for this device.
Best regards
Meena
written by samar das, April 06, 2010
written by Puneet, March 31, 2010
written by NIRUPAM SARKAR, March 10, 2010
written by ghan shyam saraf, March 04, 2010
ghan shyam saraf
ghansays@yahoo.com
ghansays@hotmail.com
written by Pradeesh, January 28, 2010
written by Ansar Ali, January 25, 2010
i want to buy your stick making machine. can you supply me.please inform me as soon as possible.
Thank s
Ansar Ali
written by manoj kumar rao, December 27, 2009
written by Nilkamal Borah, November 27, 2009
written by Vinaykumar G, November 20, 2009
written by abhinaw, November 08, 2009
has any one got a response from dare ?
i also want to buy it.
if dare people are replying to us then please email or call me 09911625696
i also want to buy sevral units.
written by Vishal, November 05, 2009
M.no.99134 91409.
written by s.k.prdhan, October 19, 2009
written by Sunit Kumar Sinha, September 19, 2009
written by Sunit Kumar Sinha, September 19, 2009
I know a few people who are engaged in agarbatti making
I would like to gift them this machine and also if available machine to make rolled sticks
Please guide me
written by balaji, August 16, 2009
written by Ashoke, July 11, 2009
written by Shishir Somani, July 09, 2009
written by harish, July 07, 2009
anyone manufacturing incense sticks or machinary or perfumary
can contact me
ramesh agarbatti works
15 new cavandaspura madar gate ajmer
305001
mob no 9829159222, 9829619988
written by aruna, June 18, 2009
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