Mr. Kumaresan Rajendran, who holds the positions of Chairman and Managing Director of SNF India Pvt. Ltd., with its headquarters located in Visakhapatnam, is renowned for his visionary leadership, goal-oriented strategy, and people-focused outlook.
Mr. Kumaresan Rajendran, a seasoned business manager, has amassed over 30 years of experience, establishing himself as a successful leader in driving business growth in many industries.
Leadership defines success differently for every leader; how did Kumaresan get there?
Mr. Kumaresan’s career path in the chemical industry was a deliberate choice driven by a passion for chemistry and its applications in various industries. He has over 30 years of experience, predominantly in the specialty chemical segment, and has established himself as a successful stalwart in many industry segments.
The pivotal moment that directed him toward his current career was likely the intersection of his educational background, industry exposure, and a deep-seated interest in marketing and people development.
His professional journey began in 1992; after graduation, he worked with many prominent chemical companies like BASF, Atul, and Clariant before joining SNF India. Mr. Kumaresan is known for his aggressive business growth and turnaround strategies, strong commercial acumen, and quick decision-making abilities.
Sparks Business Idea and Mission
The idea for SNF India Pvt. Ltd. emerged from recognizing the unmet need for innovative solutions in water science for the country. The mission is to provide high-quality and competitive products and solutions that contribute to the industry’s growth while adhering to ethical and sustainable practices. Mr. Kumaresan’s vast experience, exposure, and business competence laid the foundation for his professional journey.
Starting Phase: Hurdles and Influences
The starting phase of his SNF tenure presented unheard hurdles from the COVID situation and ever-growing competition, regulatory challenges, and establishing credibility in the company and the markets. Overcoming these obstacles required resilience, strategic planning, and a commitment to quality. Mr. Kumaresan’s most significant influence has been a combination of mentors, industry peers, and a commitment to continuous learning.
SNF India Pvt. Ltd.: A Water Science Company
SNF is the world’s largest producer of water-soluble polymers based on acrylamide monomer, which is the major component of many polyacrylamide-based flocculants. Having been a mainstay in the Indian market since 1989, SNF India, a part of the SNF Group, purchased a greenfield site near Visakhapatnam in 2007. Since 2010, this production facility has been in operation, creating products based on polyacrylamide for use in the processing and manufacturing of ceramic tiles, textiles, paper, and wastewater treatment.
SNF is a specialty chemicals group whose products contribute to treating, recycling, preserving water, saving energy, and reducing carbon footprints. Currently, the company has ventured into several new market niches, including paints, detergents, textile processing, mining, ceramics, sugar, personal and home care, and civil engineering applications. Even more specialized uses for their polymers can be found in the treatment of drinking water and municipal wastewater, industrial water and wastewater, agriculture (superabsorbents), and a host of other industries.
Imminent services and solutions
SNF is dedicated to providing customized solutions and products to various industries’ water needs. The company’s offerings are aligned with the dynamic needs of the industry and aid the country’s development at large.
SNF offers water treatment and water-saving solutions to all industries and, at the same time, helps the country’s vision of urbanization with municipal water treatment solutions and urban mobility infrastructure growth. SNF products have uses in all industrial processes, wherever water is needed.
Products meeting customer needs
Products manufactured by SNF play a crucial role in protecting the environment, saving energy, and ensuring access to essential raw materials. SNF is the only leading manufacturer, with an extensive product line that includes:
- Acrylamide, DADMAC, ADAM, and MADAM monomers
- Solution, linear emulsion, textile thickener, powder polymers
- Dispersants
- Organic coagulants such as polyDADMAC, polyAMINE, and dicyandiamide resins.
Upcoming products
The upcoming product services would focus on advanced technologies, sustainable practices, and expanding the product line to meet evolving mineral processing and metal mining industries, all contributing to SNF’s vision of sustainable water solutions.
Focusing on the company’s goals, team development, and work culture transformation
As the Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. Kumaresan Rajendran shoulders the responsibility of steering the company towards its ambitious growth and expansion goals and, at the same time, ensuring the safety of 400+ people in their manufacturing operation and meeting SNF’s ESG goals inside the plant and in nearby communities.
“Our goal is to develop and maintain long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with our customers and formulators. SNF is committed to earning that right by ensuring customers always receive the best quality and cost-competitive products and services,” says Mr. Kumaresan.
Self-management is a way to achieve balance in work and life for him. Mr. Kumaresan is highly involved in empowering his leadership team, establishing robust processes and systems for smooth and safe operations, and maintaining a supportive and performing work culture.
Global scale to meet customer needs
As the pioneer firm in India to begin producing acrylamide monomers in 2016 using an environmentally safe process, SNF India guarantees competitiveness and international quality standards for the polymers they supply from India. Within the SNF Group, SNF India has grown to be one of the major production locations through constant expansion.
A pioneer in soft chemistry, SNF has long been present on all continents, employing 7,500 people, including nearly 300 in Visakhapatnam, India. Customer-centric values, product- and application-level innovation, and thriving for competitiveness and sustainability in operations are great accelerators of SNF’s growth in India.
With a turnover of nearly $4.9 billion in 2023, SNF is the world’s leading manufacturer of poly acrylamide polymers and associated monomers. SNF has major production sites in India (Visakhapatnam, AP, and Gandhidham, Gujarat), North America (US), Europe (France, UK), Asia (China, Korea), and many smaller plants located throughout the world strategically located near end-user industries.
“My goal is to continue steering SNF India towards greater heights, fostering growth, innovation, and sustainability. As a leader, I strive to empower individuals, develop talents, and contribute to the company’s success on a global scale,” asserts Mr. Kumaresan Rajendran.
Guiding aspiring leaders: Kumaresan’s effective leadership characteristics to pursue
According to Mr. Kumaresan, leaders must have the ability to develop, direct, and coordinate with professional integrity. Transparency in decision-making and agility in market dynamics are the most crucial characteristics of a successful business leader. The ever-changing business landscape and consumer preferences demand leaders navigate or leverage these uncertainties into business opportunities.
Leading through obstacles: leadership advice
“The pressing challenges for leaders today might include global economic shifts and developments, technological disruptions, and the need for sustainable practices. But obstacles always help us become stronger and more resilient,” says Mr. Kumaresan.
Kumaresan’s Ideas and Commitment to the Future of SNF India
SNF India envisions embracing excellent product advancements, expanding market reach, and reinforcing its commitment to sustainability. SNF aims to achieve carbon neutrality (scopes 1 and 2) by 2050, reduce carbon intensity by 30%, and reduce water intensity by 20% by 2030.
Mr. Kumaresan sees himself playing a pivotal role in driving these growths and changes through strategic decision-making, fostering innovation, and maintaining a collaborative corporate culture.
“The company’s vision to be the world’s preeminent provider of sustainable water chemistry will guide these future developments, consolidating SNF’s position as an industry leader,” asserts Mr. Kumaresan.
