As part of the third generation at the helm of Kumar Metal Industries, my professional journey has been eventful, to say the least. What my grandfather started pre-independence in 1939 has flourished into a vibrant ecosystem with fulfilled employees and happy customers globally. But rest on old laurels we must not. Evolution is key, so developing and executing an effective innovation strategy has always been at the heart of my work at Kumar.
In its 85 years, Kumar has seen some transformations. We've morphed from oil mills spare parts suppliers to turnkey solutions providers to the oils and fats industry. With innovation ideas brimming in our leadership's minds through the years, we've expanded product offerings, entered many new geographies, and developed custom solutions for our customers' niche requirements. All this while, however, the oils and fats industry as a whole hasn't seen any significant transformation. To a large extent, the processes and technologies underlying plant-based oil extraction and refining have remained unchanged for decades.
I've only been directly involved in Kumar for about 15 of those 85 years. As Executive Director of Innovation and Product Development, however, I've had the chance to be at the very frontlines of the action. I've had the unparalleled opportunity to engage with every innovation plan, every innovation roadmap that Kumar has developed over the past decade and a half. And most importantly, I've had the chance to witness and learn from the consequences - both good and bad - of every innovation strategy implemented.
Today, I truly believe that Kumar Metal Industries and the oils and fats industry at large are on the brink of a technological transformation. I'm certain that my generation will lead Kumar to become a technological powerhouse, and I couldn't be prouder.
The way forward: Kumar's innovation roadmap
I am an engineer. My brain is primed for problem-solving. And I am obsessed with innovation. To my process-obsessed mind, Kumar's innovation strategy for continued success must be built on three pillars: technology, sustainability, and people.
Technology
Process improvement is the most effective way to eliminate redundancies, enhance customer joy, and improve bottom lines. But such improvement need not be limited to supply chains or assembly lines; it must pervade every aspect of production. In a process-oriented innovation roadmap, we cannot afford to overlook processing technologies and their development.
As I mentioned earlier, the oil extraction industry hasn't seen major shifts in the past decades. Mechanical extraction and solvent extraction have remained the mainstays of the industry globally. But the science has been moving alongside at a steady pace. We are ready to have technologies like enzymatic processes and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction brought from small-scale laboratories to commercial-scale extraction operations. Additionally, in our very own OM Innovation Centre, our R&D team is consistently experimenting with new process optimisations. Our work has involved optimising the fractionation process for shea butter and building our capability to optimise rice bran oil and sunflower oil processing, dewaxing or winterisation, and cold fractionation.
As such new technologies begin to be explored in industrial processes, it is crucial to ensure that we make the most of their potential. They have the power to address niche extraction needs, streamline oil processing, and change the scale of extraction and refining operations. But only if implemented right.
My Six Sigma approach to the business means that I insist on measurable innovation ideas. My technological innovation roadmap for Kumar is founded on first defining, measuring, and analysing the potential impact of new technologies before implementing them. Only then can our technological outcomes be improved and standardised. After all, minimising variation in the implementation of a process or technology can reduce the chances of errors, optimise process costs and, ultimately, enhance our customers' satisfaction.
Sustainability
Due to my concern about the environment and my honed business perspective, I believe that no organisation can exclude sustainability as a central priority in its innovation strategy.
For years now, Kumar's innovation roadmap has considered sustainability a strategic priority. In the oils and fats industry, sustainability manifests in several ways - energy efficiency, wastewater management, responsible sourcing, and downstream processes that help extract the maximum value from limited raw materials. In its own way, Kumar contributes to all these factors.
In recent years, our product portfolio has thrown its doors open to include equipment to produce biodiesel, renewable diesel, oleochemicals, lecithin, and other value-added processes that treat "waste" as a resource. This has not only helped our customers derive the maximum functional value from limited natural resources, but it has also helped them add new revenue streams to their business. What's more, products like our biodiesel plant give our customers room to be more responsible sourcers of raw materials - as it is a multi-feedstock biodiesel plant, biodiesel manufacturers who use our equipment can easily change the feedstock they use with no significant infrastructural changes.
People
People make a place. This is as much true for Kumar as for any other organisation. We've had the honour of having extremely skilled and talented people work with us. Their contributions to Kumar's growth cannot be overstated. So, for our part, every aspect of our innovation strategy takes a people-first approach. I place particular emphasis on upskilling and internal mobility to encourage and motivate our teams.
Given the culture of curiosity and learning at Kumar, I have tried to democratise innovation across the organisation since I joined. Every employee - whether they work in product, sales, marketing, or any other function - is empowered to voice their innovation ideas and concerns. This has created an environment where improvement has become second nature. Thanks to our people, we are always learning and moving forward. So, this people-first approach is an indispensable part of Kumar's innovation strategy.
As a leader at Kumar Metal Industries in 2024, I have the privilege of being witness to several changes happening in the industry - in process technology, management approaches, marketing strategies, and beyond. I am beyond excited to steer Kumar on this new path - I cannot wait to see Kumar develop into the technological powerhouse that I envision it will be. However, on this journey, I realise that I also have a responsibility - to make ethical and sustainable decisions on the environmental, social, and governance fronts. This awareness underlies every innovation plan we chart; it shapes every decision we make, big or small. This awareness of the responsibility we have towards our planet and its people forms the basis of my personal innovation philosophy, in work and in life.
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