Our origin story
In 1939, my grandfather brought to life a vision. A vision that his future generations have inherited, owned, and grown exponentially.
In Lahore, Onkarnath Manaktala started Kumar Metal Industries, a small oil mill spare parts workshop - one that he ran until the partition of India in 1947. The devastating losses of this time could have marked the end of Kumar's short history. But my grandfather wasn't one to give up. He went where the prospect of a business and a better life led him: to the Bombay of independent India.
Starting afresh in the financial capital of new India wasn't an easy feat. But brick by brick, he rebuilt Kumar, setting a solid foundation for the long and illustrious journey that was to come.
By 1955, Kumar had grown from a supplier of spares to a manufacturer of oil mills, quickly making this our core offering and stepping beyond India's borders to access the East African market.
These early years, which boasted customers like Tata Oil Mills, Godrej Oil Mills and the Lever Brothers, set the tone for the excellence, adaptability, and grit that Kumar would come to be known for.
Kumar's generational vision
The 1970s marked the next important phase in Kumar's journey. A phase that coded the ideas of excellence in engineering and a culture of service in our DNA. Ideas that, even today, shape our thoughts, actions and attitudes.
The '70s were when the second generation of Manaktalas joined the business. My father, our Chairman Sudhir Manaktala, fresh out of college, stepped into the legacy his father had founded. Dedicating himself to the growth of the business, he pioneered Kumar's export endeavours, well ahead of other players in the Indian market.
In 1979, my uncle, the late Sunil Manaktala began his journey at Kumar. Under the unequalled leadership of these brothers, we entered new markets in Africa, South East Asia and Australia. We expanded our manufacturing facilities and product portfolio. We solidified our reputation for excellent engineering and customer-centricity - a legacy which helped Kumar build a partnership with USA's Crown Iron Works in 2004 to manufacture solvent extraction plants and refineries.
In 1995, I became the first of my generation to join the business, in 2005 my brother Rishabh was second, and in 2008, my brother Akshaya became the last. In our time, we've seen the beginning of our technology collaboration with Arisdyne Systems. In 2021, we witnessed our signing of a manufacturing license agreement with Anderson International. We've seen Kumar's incredible expansion to a 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Manor.
While it was my predecessors-my grandfather, father and uncle-who built Kumar up to earn these victories, my generation has been blessed with the opportunity to inherit them and the responsibility to carry them forward.
Over the past 86 years, we've evolved from a family-owned, family-run business to a global leader in the oilseeds process engineering industry. We've grown from selling oil mill spare parts to manufacturing oil extraction plants to serving customers across food, feed, and fuel industries.
We've inherited a global community of more than 500 happy customers across 74 countries. Customers who drive us to do better with every project we execute, regardless of scale or type. Loyal customers who highlight the power of relationships to drive progress.
We've been blessed to inherit a culture that prioritises hard work, sincerity, and long-term thinking. We've witnessed first-hand the commitment to engineering excellence and customer-centricity. And we're privileged to be able to carry that mission and vision forward - through a heightened emphasis on innovation and product design, through the inception of the OM Innovation Centre, and through the opportunities we've received to infuse creativity combined with efficiency in every project we deliver.
As I look back at our evolution as a company, this long-term view is undeniably clear. Naturally, Kumar looks radically different today than it did in 1939 or 1960 or even 2000. Some of this has been due to changing external circumstances and the maturity that has developed organically after decades in the industry. Some other changes have been more intentional.
While the generation before mine grew Kumar exponentially, I believe that it is the responsibility of my generation to uphold and enhance that legacy. Kumar is a well-known name in the industry; now, we want to become industry leaders. We want Kumar to lead the charge into a cleaner, greener future, driven consistently by incremental innovation and the principles of circular economy.
Our evolution
In the time my brothers and I-the third generation of Manaktalas-have been in the business, the evolution has continued. Our challenges are different than those the generations before us faced. But our commitment to excellence for the sake of our customers remains.
Our Leadership Team, along with our vibrant talent, has been instrumental in embedding a transformation-first mindset, ensuring that our projects and goals align with our core values and long-term vision. We are committed to building a resilient, future-ready business that prioritizes innovation, ethical leadership, and sustainable impact.
The transition of our sales and marketing teams-from a family-led structure to an independently driven force-has unlocked new opportunities, driving sustained and responsible growth. Meanwhile, our dedicated researchers at the OM Innovation Centre and our operations teams continue to deliver excellence, integrating responsible resource management, cutting-edge technology, and forward-thinking practices to create lasting value for all stakeholders.
A story of innovation, excellence and resilience
As we've professionalised and shared accountability across departments, every member of the Kumar family has risen to the occasion and contributed to our growth story. Each employee, regardless of their role and seniority, has strengthened our reputation for creating value for our customers, be it in terms of cost, time or quality. They have helped Kumar earn the highest reward any business can ask for - recognition in the industry for our products, our innovations and our belief that incremental innovation can transform how the edible oils and fats industry operates.
More than the sum of our parts
As we approach a century in business, we recognize that sustained success is built on strong values, resilience, and a shared vision, not shortcuts. Our history is a testament to the power of ingenuity, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence-qualities that have shaped us into who we are today. The cumulative impact of our innovations has been profound, proving that the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts.
What defines us is more than our achievements-it is our culture of service, integrity, and continuous progress. These foundations empower us to navigate evolving business landscapes, embrace transformation, and create meaningful impact. With a legacy of engineering excellence and a forward-looking approach, we are prepared to build a future that is responsible, inclusive, and driven by purpose.
