Kerala Minerals and Metals

Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd.
Type Public Sector
Headquarters Quilon, India
Products Titanium Pigment.
Website http://www.kmml.com

Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd is an integrated titanium dioxide manufacturing public sector undertaking in Kerala, India. Its operations comprise mining, mineral separation, synthetic rutile and pigment-production plants. Apart from producing rutile-grade titanium dioxide pigment for various types of industries, it also produces other products like ilmenite, rutile, zircon, sillimanite, synthetic rutile etc.

The company manufactures titanium dioxide through the chloride route. The different grades are produced by KMML under the brand name KEMOX.

KMML has always been responsive to social and environmental causes. Some of the initiatives taken by KMML have made a significant change to the area and its people.

History

The history of the beaches of Sankarmangalam and nearby areas is linked with the history of the KMML. In 1909 the German scientist Dr. Schomberg found traces of monazite in the sand flakes on the imported coir from Sankaramangalam. The rare earth minerals made the beach an area of scientific interest.

By 1932, a private entrepreneur established the F. X. Perira and Sons (Travancore) Pvt. Ltd, the forerunner to KMML. Ownership of the company subsequently changed hands three times, after which in 1956 it was taken over by the state government and placed under the control of the industries department. The unit was subsequently converted as a limited company in 1972 by the name of ‘The Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd.’ with the objectives of better utilisation of mineral wealth found along the sea coast of Kollam and Alappuzha Districts, generation of growth and employment in the state in general and the local area in particular.

The construction of titanium dioxide pigment using chloride technology began in 1979, and was commissioned in 1984 as the first and only integrated titanium dioxide plant in the world.

Today the company has over 1600 employees and a range of products.

Reference

http://www.kmml.com/