Knowledge is power Kirloskar

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Engineering conglomerate Kirloskar takes innovation and excellence very seriously. This historic company has long enjoyed a reputation for exceeding in both these fields. Emma-Jane Batey discovers just how this is achieved by speaking to director Aditya Kowshik.

Kirloskar Pneumatic Company Ltd is a key part of the Kirloskar Group of Companies, a $1.2bn engineering conglomerate based in Pune, India. Established over 100 years ago, the Group has been able to hold onto the best of its lengthy experience while still utilising the very latest in available technology and business development strategies. Consequently, the Group has grown to become a leading engineering operation, attracting the best engineering talent to work alongside excellent sales, marketing and manufacturing employees.

The company was founded by the grandfather of the present Kirloskar family and although it is a public limited company, the family retains an absolute majority, with some shares traded on the Indian stock market.

Pneumatic experts

As a provider of a range of compressed air, air conditioning, refrigeration and hydraulic power transmission products, Kirloskar Pneumatic Company Ltd is specialised in the manufacture of pumps. Director Aditya Kowshik explained to Industry Europe how the business is made up of three core divisions. “We are essentially three companies in one, with each of the three divisions running independently but with the support of the company and the Group,” he said. “We have an air compression division, a transmission division and the third division comprises air conditioning, refrigeration and processed gas all together.”

Historically, the company has centred its activities on the air compression sector. With other companies within the Group dedicated to products such as diesel engines, Kirloskar Pneumatic fulfils the role of being perfectly tuned to niche markets, with its system engineering skills adding value rather than simply ‘making’ a product.

Mr Kowshik elaborated on the specific details of the transmission division: “We don’t create off the shelf products. It’s all about using our extensive engineering skills to deliver tailor made solutions that perfectly match our customers’ requirements. Here, we also offer a mega watt range of transmission products that are engineered precisely for windmill and marine applications.”

Keeping it green

The overriding expertise at Kirloskar is its air compression systems knowledge. The company was one of the first in India to establish an ecologically-friendly refrigeration product, which continues to be an important factor in its operation. This gas compression system is traditionally ammonia-based, but the greener Kirloskar version uses hydrocarbons, which are considerably cleaner than ammonia. “We use simple hydrocarbons such as propane and butane,” Mr Kowshik continued. “Our innovative system has further positioned us as a speciality systems supplier. This is supported by the fact that many of our customers for these products are in

the petrochemicals business where they are used for cooling, so we have to guarantee extensive safety standards. There cannot be any contamination to ensure the safety of the product and we have perfected this important aspect.”

Building strong relationships

In addition to petrochemical customers, Kirloskar enjoys strong business relationships with clients in the majority of India’s refineries, as well as many of those in South East Asia and the Middle East. Mr Kowshik pointed out that this client base is a strong long term strategy for the company as it remains a growing sector in the country, especially as large, ‘grass-roots’ refineries are only thriving in India. The company also supplies some smaller systems to its clients in the Middle East and South East Asia.

Gas compression systems for upstream and pipeline applications is a focus for Kirloskar, as well as CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) systems that are rapidly increasing in popularity, cementing the company’s position as a leader in all of the power sectors in which it operates.

In order to maintain this sector leading position, Kirloskar is committed to continuous investment and extensive R&D. Mr Kowshik explained, “We’re investing heavily in our gas compression business with a particular focus on the growing windmill gearbox business. We manufacture everything in house, so we have great control over every aspect of our product portfolio which, we believe, helps to give high quality and continuity reassurance to our customers.”

Future development

Alongside the investment, Kirloskar works with a number of international research organisations to ensure that it has access to the latest in technological development information. Although bound by secrecy regarding the actual findings, Mr Kowshik was clear that the advances in gas compression and gearboxes will yield some exciting opportunities in the near future.

Kirloskar has largely been unaffected by the global economic downturn, particularly thanks to its activities in the food packaging and renewable energy sectors. Mr Kowshik pointed out, “People still have to eat! These two solid industries have given us a consistent demand, which help to balance the more variable sectors of marine industry gearboxes, for example. We have a long term, solid business due to our varied yet complimentary range of engineered systems.” It is this solid business that will take Kirloskar into a bright future, with the company committed to excelling in all sectors where its products are sold. Although cautious of the changing trends in the global economy, Kirloskar is proud to maintain an efficient business unit that delivers value and expertise. n