Kent Ro Systems offer first water purifier
Oil and water don’t mix. But Mahesh Gupta, 54, has blended a successful career out of the two.
By Vikas Kumar, ET Bureau |
MUMBAI: Oil and water don���t mix. But Mahesh Gupta, 54, has blended a successful career out of the two. The chairman of Kent RO Systems, Rs 100-crore company known for its water purification products, started out in the petroleum products industry. A mechanical engineer from IIT Kanpur (1975), Gupta earned his Master���s degree from the Indian Institute of Petroleum in Dehradun and worked with Indian Oil Corporation for a decade in its technical services division.
Advising companies on oil conservation techniques for their industrial units, Gupta soon moved up to the position of deputy manager of the division in Mumbai. The experience of working closely with a diverse set of industries���from cement to textiles and automotive, and even nuclear power plants���was enriching and Gupta felt it was too valuable to fritter away in a corporate job.
���I realised that I had a lot of ideas and I was not comfortable with a job that required frequent transfers. Moreover, I wanted to come back and settle down in Delhi,��� he says. With no job in hand, it was a tough call, but Gupta finally decided to put in his papers.
Working out of his New Delhi home, he eventually developed a portable gauge that could test the viscosity of lubricating oil used in industrial equipment, something that would otherwise require sending samples to a testing lab. He named it Visgage and applied for a patent immediately. That was the beginning of his first venture, SS Engineering, which continues to make industrial application products, such as oil meters and filtration units.
���This is how I started earning my living,��� says Gupta. The business is still small at Rs 5 crore but it set the tone for his next big venture. ���It helped me build capital and gave me the confidence to move ahead,��� says Gupta.
In 1998, Gupta ventured into the water purification business ���by accident��� when his two children had jaundice. It set him thinking about water purification solutions.
The new technology was apparently more effective in removing dissolved salts from the water, a step ahead of the available UV-based filters. This made even hard water fit for drinking. But there was a limitation���in the process, some essential minerals were also being flushed out.
So two-and-a-half years of R&D later, Gupta���s team launched a new version of his machine that combined the benefits of RO and UV treatments, thereby retaining the natural benefits of water. That, coupled with a new advertising campaign with actress Hema Malini as brand ambassador, and an intensive sales push, helped Kent double its revenues year-on-year for the past three years to Rs 100 crore.
Gupta claims leadership in RO-based systems, which is a fast-growing segment. The organised water purification business is estimated at Rs 1,000 crore with players like Eureka Forbes and Ion Exchange, but with just a 2% penetration, there is untapped potential. ���We aim to do Rs 200 crore in the next two years,��� says Gupta. Some of this growth will come from exports from countries such as Dubai, Kenya and Kuwait, where the brand is present, and from new markets as well.
Advising companies on oil conservation techniques for their industrial units, Gupta soon moved up to the position of deputy manager of the division in Mumbai. The experience of working closely with a diverse set of industries���from cement to textiles and automotive, and even nuclear power plants���was enriching and Gupta felt it was too valuable to fritter away in a corporate job.
���I realised that I had a lot of ideas and I was not comfortable with a job that required frequent transfers. Moreover, I wanted to come back and settle down in Delhi,��� he says. With no job in hand, it was a tough call, but Gupta finally decided to put in his papers.
Working out of his New Delhi home, he eventually developed a portable gauge that could test the viscosity of lubricating oil used in industrial equipment, something that would otherwise require sending samples to a testing lab. He named it Visgage and applied for a patent immediately. That was the beginning of his first venture, SS Engineering, which continues to make industrial application products, such as oil meters and filtration units.
���This is how I started earning my living,��� says Gupta. The business is still small at Rs 5 crore but it set the tone for his next big venture. ���It helped me build capital and gave me the confidence to move ahead,��� says Gupta.
In 1998, Gupta ventured into the water purification business ���by accident��� when his two children had jaundice. It set him thinking about water purification solutions.
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The existing technology used by leading water purifier makers was ultraviolet treatment. After studying the available purification systems across the world, Gupta chose to focus on reverse osmosis (RO), a technology that was unheard of in India. He developed a prototype of an RO water filter and priced it at Rs 20,000 apiece. With a small team, Gupta began producing and selling the contraption in 1999 mainly through word-of-mouth.The new technology was apparently more effective in removing dissolved salts from the water, a step ahead of the available UV-based filters. This made even hard water fit for drinking. But there was a limitation���in the process, some essential minerals were also being flushed out.
So two-and-a-half years of R&D later, Gupta���s team launched a new version of his machine that combined the benefits of RO and UV treatments, thereby retaining the natural benefits of water. That, coupled with a new advertising campaign with actress Hema Malini as brand ambassador, and an intensive sales push, helped Kent double its revenues year-on-year for the past three years to Rs 100 crore.
Gupta claims leadership in RO-based systems, which is a fast-growing segment. The organised water purification business is estimated at Rs 1,000 crore with players like Eureka Forbes and Ion Exchange, but with just a 2% penetration, there is untapped potential. ���We aim to do Rs 200 crore in the next two years,��� says Gupta. Some of this growth will come from exports from countries such as Dubai, Kenya and Kuwait, where the brand is present, and from new markets as well.
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For a man who bought his first Maruti 800 in 1986, the Mercedes Benz parked at the gate of his office in Noida, speaks of a journey that has been eventful, though sometimes plagued by self-doubts. ���I sometimes used to think whether it was worth it, since my former colleagues were doing better. Coming from a level of comfort where I had people coming to me for expert advice and favours, I was down to doing everything on my own. But then it was for a cause���making a difference in oil conservation and impacting society���and that has been my driving force,��� says Gupta. Start a SIP with as low as ₹500 with ET Money App!
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