Kobelco

What Kobelco does

Kobelco Industrial Machinery India Private Limited (KIMI) designs and manufactures internal intensive mixers (both tangential and intermeshing types) and Twin Screw Roller Head (TSR) extruders for the tire and rubber processing industries. Established in November 2010 in Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu, KIMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kobe Steel, Ltd., Japan, and was previously branded L&T Kobelco Machinery Private Limited. Core technology rests on proprietary rotor architectures — including the 5THR Hybrid Tangential Rotor, KIR-II Intermeshing Rotor, and 6-Wing VCMT Rotor — developed for silica-rich compounding and high-dispersion rubber mixing, with chamber volumes spanning 1.6L laboratory units to 620L production-scale mixers. Complementary offerings include Hard Facing Technology for corrosion-resistant chambers, a Condition Monitoring System (IIoT) launched in April 2020 for predictive maintenance, and a remanufacturing program that retrofits installed 240L–620L mixers.

Revenue is generated through sale of custom-engineered capital equipment (industrial mixers and extruders), supplemented by an aftermarket stream comprising spare parts, preventive maintenance (71-point inspection protocol), installation and commissioning, expert support, service training, and remanufacturing/upgrades. Pricing is contract-based and not publicly disclosed, with each unit configured per customer specification (rotor type, ram configuration, hard-facing options, drive type). Go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting tire manufacturers and rubber processors, with Larsen & Toubro Limited's Rubber Processing Machinery division acting as channel partner for India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. The broader Kobe Steel group maintains manufacturing and sales/service offices in Japan, the USA (Hudson, OH), China (Qingdao), and Germany (Munich), providing KIMI indirect access to a global tire-industry customer base.

Name

Kobelco

Legal name

Kobelco Industrial Machinery India Private Limited

Website

https://kimi.co.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kobelco Industrial Machinery India (KIMI) designs and manufactures custom internal rubber mixers and twin-screw roller-head extruders, primarily serving global tire manufacturers through proprietary rotor technology and an Indian manufacturing base as a subsidiary of Kobe Steel, Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Mixing & Extrusion Machinery (Rubber and Tyre Equipment)

NAICS

Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (3332)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Chemical Processing Equipment (Reactors, Mixers, Agitators) (IMAHAEAA)

Keywords

• Internal intensive mixers
• Twin screw roller extruders
• Rubber processing machinery
• Tyre industry equipment
• Rotor technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Kanchipuram

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Industrial Equipment Sales: Sale of internal mixers (tangential and intermeshing type) and Twin Screw Roller Head Extruders to tyre and rubber industries. Equipment ranges from laboratory models (1.6L) to production models (620L).
2. Service and Maintenance: Preventive maintenance checks, health checks, installation & commissioning, and expert support services for mixer and extruder equipment.
3. Spare Parts: Supply of critical spare parts for equipment supplied by group companies. Stocks maintained at plant for faster support.
4. Remanufacturing and Upgradation: Remanufacturing of mixers from 240L to 620L capacity. Includes retrofitting hydraulic RAM, dust seal upgrades, rotor hardness upgrades, and IIoT feature integration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kobelco Industrial Machinery India Private Limited (KIMI) designs and manufactures internal intensive mixers of both tangential and intermeshing types, plus Twin Screw Roller Head Extruders (TSR), for the global tyre and rubber industries. Equipment is offered in chamber volumes from 1.6L laboratory models up to 620L production models, with proprietary rotor designs (5THR, KIR-II, VCMT), Hard Facing Technology, and an IIoT Condition Monitoring System. The company also provides remanufacturing, preventive maintenance, health checks, installation & commissioning, service training, and spare parts supply across the equipment lifecycle.

Product overview

Kobelco Industrial Machinery India Private Limited (KIMI) offers a comprehensive portfolio of internal mixers and related equipment for the tyre and rubber industries. The core product lineup consists of Tangential Mixers (MIXTRON BB Tangential series) and Intermeshing Mixers (KIR-II rotor type), both available in laboratory and production-scale models ranging from 1.6L to 620L chamber volumes. Complementing the mixers are Twin Screw Roller Head Extruders (TSR) for continuous discharge and sheet production. The company also provides value-added services including Remanufacturing Mixers (upgrading existing equipment to new specifications), Hard Facing Technology (chamber protection for silica applications), and advanced Rotor Technology solutions. A full suite of service offerings covers preventive maintenance, health checks, spare parts, training, and installation support. KIMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOBE STEEL, LTD., Japan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tangential Mixers (MIXTRON BB Tangential) High-performance internal intensive mixers using tangential rotor designs for rubber and tyre compound production. Available in chamber volumes from 1.6L to 620L, with multiple rotor configurations, ram options, and drive choices for laboratory and production-scale mixing. Used by tyre and rubber goods manufacturers to reduce batch times and improve compound quality.
• Intermeshing Mixers (KIR-II) Internal mixers featuring Kobelco's KIR-II intermeshing rotor, providing better rubber intake and improved dispersion than standard intermeshing rotors, particularly for high silica compounds. Available in laboratory models (BB-L1600IM, BB-L3200IM, BB-14IM) and production models from BB-60IM to BB-430IM. Designed for tyre and rubber manufacturers needing superior batch-to-batch uniformity.
• Twin Screw Roller Head Extruders (TSR) Continuous-discharge twin screw roller head extruders with a unique non-contact twin screw design requiring no pushers, reducing energy consumption and manpower. Output ranges from 2,300 kg/hr to 26,000 kg/hr. Models include TSR-240 through TSR-600N, compatible with mixers from BB-76L to BB-620L. For tyre and rubber manufacturers producing sheet stock and continuous extrudate.
• Remanufacturing Mixers Remanufacturing service for mixers from 240L to 620L capacity, restoring all clearances to original factory values. Includes retrofit options for hydraulic RAM, dust seal assembly upgrades, rotor/chamber hardness upgrades for silica mixing, and integration of latest IIoT condition monitoring features. Helps tyre and rubber manufacturers extend asset life and upgrade legacy equipment.
• Hard Facing Technology Proprietary hard-facing material applied to mixing chambers, providing high anti-corrosion and high anti-wearing performance. Designed specifically for silica compound mixing where chemical reactions generate corrosive substances. Features include high corrosion and wear resistance, crack-free application, compatibility with hard chrome plating, and ability to perform weld repairs.
• Service Offerings (Preventive Maintenance, Service Training, Health Check, Spare Parts, Expert Support, Installation & Commissioning) Full lifecycle service suite covering Preventive Maintenance Check (71 check points across safety, performance, and consistency), Service Training (2-day intensive residential training), Health Check (physical measurement of factory-set parameters), Spare Parts Support, Expert Support, and Installation & Commissioning. Targeted at owners of Kobelco mixers and extruders in the tyre and rubber industries.
• Digitalization IIoT Condition Monitoring System (CMS) Condition Monitoring System offering automatic, real-time, and remote monitoring of critical parameters of the mixer and auxiliary systems. Enables early anomaly detection, predictive and planned maintenance, systematic troubleshooting support, and exploitation of component service life. Sold as a standalone digitalization add-on for Kobelco mixers used by tyre and rubber manufacturers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Batch times reduced with improved compound quality
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kobe Steel, Ltd. (Japan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2010Kobelco Industrial Machinery India Private Limited (KIMI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kobe Steel, Ltd., Japan. Established in November 2010. The subsidiary has access to parent company's technology, manufacturing expertise, and global brand. Products include internal mixers of both tangential and intermeshing type and Twin-screw roller head extruders.
• Larsen & Toubro LimitedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRubber Processing Machinery, Larsen & Toubro Limited markets Kobelco equipment in India, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh. Contact: [email protected]. L&T handles sales and distribution of equipment to end customers in these regions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• MESNAC: China-based provider of comprehensive tire and rubber manufacturing equipment, including internal mixers. An emerging global competitor rapidly gaining share in emerging markets through cost-competitive offerings, putting pressure on KIMI's standard mixer lines.

Broad incumbents

• VMI Group: Netherlands-based supplier of tire building machines and rubber processing equipment. A broad incumbent in the tire manufacturing value chain that competes with KIMI on the mixing/preparation side while offering adjacent equipment categories KIMI does not cover.
• Kobe Steel Mixer Division (Japan): Parent company's own mixer and extruder business in Japan. Functions as a sister entity rather than a direct competitor, but represents the same product line at a different geography and is a relevant comparable for the KIMI business model and asset base.

Direct peers

• HF Mixing Group: Germany-based global leader in internal mixers, kneaders, and tire compounding equipment. Direct competitor to KIMI in tangential and intermeshing mixers for the tire industry, with established relationships at the world's largest tire manufacturers.
• Buzuluk: Czech Republic-based manufacturer of rubber processing machinery including internal mixers and calenders. Direct competitor in the rubber compounding equipment market with established European customer base and similar product focus to KIMI.
• Farrel Pomini: USA-based manufacturer of internal mixers and continuous mixers for the rubber, tire, and plastics industries (part of HF Mixing Group). Direct competitor with similar product range and customer base to KIMI's tangential and intermeshing mixers.
• Berstorff (KraussMaffei): German rubber processing equipment manufacturer (now part of KraussMaffei Group). Direct competitor in twin-screw extruders and continuous mixing systems for tire and rubber customers, with overlapping technology and customer set.

Others

• Kobelco Stewart Bolling: USA-based group company of Kobe Steel providing mixers and tire/rubber processing equipment in North America. Functions as a sister entity and distribution channel rather than a direct competitor, but represents a relevant comparable for the technology and service model.

Regional players

• Double Elephant (Double Coin) Rubber & Plastics Equipment: China-based rubber machinery manufacturer with a regional focus on the domestic Chinese market. Relevant comparable for cost-competitive standard mixer offerings that increasingly reach into South and Southeast Asian tire plants.
• Yiyang Rubber & Plastics Machinery Group: China-based regional manufacturer of rubber and plastics processing machinery including internal mixers. Primarily serves the Chinese market but increasingly exports to emerging markets, representing low-cost competitive pressure on KIMI's standard mixer offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kobelco