Our Purpose
Kumar exists to create real-world impact for a sustainable future.
Our solutions drive progress in Food, Feed, Fuel and Circular Economy (3FCE) applications. Our deep expertise, advanced technologies and commitment to sustainability help our customers achieve their goals, optimise operations and shape a better future — every day.
Our Promise
Our customers’ success is at the heart of everything we do at Kumar. For more than eight decades, we have delivered robust and sustainable process solutions, built on trust, integrity, transparency, and a commitment to excellence. We remain dedicated to being your long-term partner in progress.
Sudhir Manaktala
Chairman
Our values
Our Leadership
Our leadership brings together deep expertise and strategic foresight to turn complex challenges into lasting opportunities in Food, Feed, Fuel and Circular Economy applications. Meet our leadership.
The Kumar Story
Kumar has been proudly family-owned and professionally managed since 1939. We're powered by technology and innovation and the desire to contribute to the evolution of the oils and fats industry. This is how we got here.
1939
Kumar Metal Industries is born as a small workshop in Lahore, erstwhile Punjab, making spare parts for machinery used in oil mills.
1939
Our customers include Tata Oil Mills, Godrej Oil Mills and the Lever Brothers.
1947
In the aftermath of the Partition, our founder, Onkarnath Manaktala, leaves behind everything he painstakingly built and comes to India with his family.
1947
OM rents a small workshop in central Mumbai and starts over, supplying spare parts for oil mill machinery.
1955
The company begins manufacturing oil expellers.
1960s
Screw presses become the company’s core offering. We take the first steps that define Kumar as an exporter into East African markets
1970s
In 1973, Chairman Sudhir Manaktala joins the company at a time of heavy debt left by previous partners.
1970s
Sudhir builds on our Africa footprint, opening up East, West and Central Africa, putting in place systems to stabilise the company. Within four eventful years of great struggle, and several export orders, the company is debt free and looking to the future.
1970s
Sudhir is followed by our Managing Director, late Sunil Manaktala in 1977.
1970s
Sudhir continues our Africa expansion whilst Sunil expands Kumar’s footprint in Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, Australia and takes over West Africa. His vast contributions continue.
1970s
In India, we sell our machines to Marico and VVD.
1970s
Kumar becomes known for the robust build and precision engineering of our machines and our deep understanding of the extraction process.
1980s
The company grows exponentially and makes substantial investments in machinery and factory space. We add new verticals and products to the Kumar roster.
1980s
Our company headquarters move to a new factory in Mira Road on the outskirts of Mumbai to accommodate our growing operations with over 100 employees.
1980s
Aditya, the first of the third-gen Manaktalas, joins the company.
2000s
Kumar is one of the largest oil mill machinery manufacturers worldwide, with an expansive global footprint and premium offerings at an affordable price.
2000s
We relocate our manufacturing operations to a sprawling new factory in Palghar outside Mumbai to meet increasing demand.
2000s
Rishabh, the second of the third-gen Manaktalas, joins the company.
2000s
We enter a technology collaboration with Crown Iron Works, USA, to manufacture and sell solvent extraction plants and edible oil refineries in the Indian, African and Asian markets.
2000s
We manufacture and install the largest solvent extraction plant made by an Indian company (4000 TPD) for a Crown customer in Brazil.
2010s
Akshaya Manaktala, the last of the third-gen to join the business, comes aboard.
2010s
We enter into a technology collaboration with Arisdyne Systems, inventors of CFC™ Systems, a novel, yet proven technology for increased oil yield in refining systems.
2010s
We begin laying the foundation for our entry into the biofuel and oleochemical sectors, expanding our portfolio beyond food to serve new industry needs.
2020s
We partner with Anderson International Corp, USA, a 130-year-old leader in vegetable oilseed extraction and pioneers of Expeller® press technology.
2020s
Under an exclusive manufacturing license manufacture and sell Anderson Dox™ Extruders and Solvex™ Expanders in the Indian market.
2020s
Professional leadership at all levels join Kumar to spur the next phase of our evolution
2020s
We set up the Onkarnath Manaktala Innovation Centre to collaborate with customers seeking answers to the critical questions our industry faces today and in the future.
2020s
We launch our in-house innovation, the FiltoKx® Filter, designed specifically for high-efficiency winterisation and dewaxing.
2020s
Our plant solutions now span edible oils, biodiesel, HVO pre-treatment, biomass pelleting, feed milling and oleochemicals.
2020s
We formally adopt the 3FCE framework - Food, Feed, Fuel & Circular Economy - as the lens through which we engineer every project.
2020s
Our commitment to sustainable engineering is reflected in every solution we deliver: secure food systems, better outcomes, waste-to-value and smarter resource use.
2020s
From a tiny workshop in South Mumbai to sprawling, technologically advanced factories and a global footprint across the expanse of process engineering for oils and fats industries, Kumar defines success at every step. And we’re only just getting started.
In remembrance
Our future is built on the legacy of our founder, Onkarnath Manaktala, who believed that greatness comes not from wealth or power, but from strength of character and acts of goodness.
Our beloved Managing Director, Sunil Manaktala contributed to Kumar’s global growth with vision and integrity. His legacy of leadership, philanthropy, and care for the planet continues to inspire us.
We’re here for you.
With representation in six continents and a team of service engineers on call 24/7/365 we are an extension of your business operation. Together, we can not only meet the challenges of today but also shape a future where sustainability is integral to everything we do. Let's thrive together.