Our group's scope of operations span across a vast spectrum of industries.
But it all began with an iron plough. India’s first iron plough, shaped by us. An iron plough that would go on to not only become an instrument of wealth for the entire nation, but to kick-start an industrial revolution. The plough was the first of many engineering innovations in India. The firsts that followed include India's first centrifugal pump, first diesel engine, first lathe and so on.
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Laxmanrao Kirloskar
“Dedication, hard work and effort are a reflection of the creation of wealth and resources. For their efficient distribution, they have to be first created.”
It all began with Laxmanrao Kashinath Kirloskar. In 1888, he set up a small bicycle repair shop at Belgaum on a road that was later named after him. What followed made history. From manufacturing India’s first iron plough, founding the township of Kirloskarwadi in a hitherto barren sect of land to advocating for the rights of untouchables, Laxmanrao Kirloskar was a remarkable man with a storied life. But at his core, he was an entrepreneur with a love for machines and a passion for making tools that made the lives of his fellow man easier. Today, that passion is still the bedrock of the Kirloskar legacy.
Shantanurao Kirloskar
“I never wanted to be an industrialist. Our goal was to start a movement to make our country a strong, industrial nation.”
SLK, as he was popularly known, was one of the first Indians to graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He built on his father’s foundations by taking, what was until then, a small company, and turning it into a giant of industry with branches across the world. Never to be swayed by anything made abroad, SLK had a unique and immense faith in the innate ability of Indians to produce world class products fit for all manner of applications. For his immense contributions to trade, industry and the Kirloskar legacy, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1965.
A third-generation visionary, who carried forward the Kirloskar legacy of his grandfather and father, Chandrakant Kirloskar had large shoes to fill. And he did so with aplomb. His belief that sustained growth was only possible through self-reliance proved to be an important cornerstone of Kirloskar as it grew to become an industrial conglomerate.
He always gave paramount importance to research and development activities which, according to him, were the backbone of all engineering. The processes and systems he set up were widely emulated across the globe. A fitting tribute to a true legend.
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Our Journey
It’s been a long and wonderful journey and the main constants have been our integrity, our innovation and our wonderful customers.
Shivaji Metal Works was incorporated. The company was subsequently merged into Kirloskar Oil Engines in 2000 and later sold to Kirloskar Ferrous (KFIL), now being the Solapur castings division at KFIL.
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1903
Laxmanrao Kirloskar "LKK" manufactured India’s first Iron Plough
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1904
First Ad
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1910
First factory
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1920
LKK incorporated Kirloskar Brothers Limited
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1927
Shantanurao Kirloskar "SLK" drew his first engine at 8 years old, and, at age 24, he manufactured India’s first diesel engine
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1946
Engines’ company established for the manufacture of diesel engines
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1954
Shantanu Kirloskar exported the first consignment of diesel engines to Germany
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1958
First engine export to the UK
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1958
Kirloskar Pneumatic Incorporated
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1962
Kirloskar Cummins Incorporated. Cummins entry into India is largely due to Robert Huthsteiner close ties with S.L. Kirloskar. Robert was the president of Cummins, USA at the time and the partnership allowed Cummins to further their global manufacturing strategy.
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1965
SLK was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest Indian civilian awards, for his immense contribution to trade and industry
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1965
Kirloskar Proprietary Ltd (KPL) incorporated
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1969
Commemorative Stamp released by the Government of India to honor Laxmanrao Kirloskar as an industrialist and social reformer on his 100th birthday
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1975
Suman Kirloskar, Shantanu Kirloskar, Yamutai Kirloskar, Xenia Simons Miller, J. Irwin Miller and Chandrakant Kirloskar pictured above, rolling out the 10,000th Kirloskar Cummins Engine.
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1978
Kirloskar Industries Incorporated
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1988
Kirloskar Centenary postal stamp
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1991
Kirloskar Ferrous Incorporated
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1996
Kirloskar Chillers, established as a joint venture with American Partners is the first company in India to manufacture Centrifugal Chillers and factory packaged Screw Chillers
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1998
Kirloskar Oil Engines largely divests its stake in Kirloskar Cummins.
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2003
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the then prime minister of India, released a commemorative
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2008
Kirloskar Chillers acquires 100% ownership of joint venture
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2009
Kirloskar Integrated Technologies established, venturing into green energy
