The Name India Remembers, The Legacy We Built
In India, Thermocole is more than just a material. It is a part of our industrial vocabulary, our supply chains and our daily lives.
And it all began with a decision to build, not borrow. This is the story of how two determined minds created a product that shaped industries and coined a name that the entire nation still uses.
It Began with a Refusal and Resilience
The journey started in the early 1950s when Mr Kalyan Kumar Nag and Mr Rudolf Arthur Cole were working together at R. A. Cole Ltd. At the time, cork was commonly used for insulation. When they heard of a synthetic alternative developed in Germany, they reached out to BASF to bring it to India. BASF declined. Their focus was on Brazil, not India. What seemed like a setback became the first spark of something far bigger. Refusal did not stop them. It fuelled their resolve.
A Kitchen Kettle That Reshaped Indian Manufacturing
Both men were trained scientists. Mr Cole was a chemist and Mr Nag a metallurgist. When BASF declined to bring their synthetic insulation material to India, the two partners decided to develop it on their own.
That material was called Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), a lightweight, rigid polymer known for its excellent insulation and shock-absorbing properties. They began experimenting independently, determined to replicate and manufacture Expanded Polystyrene right here in India.
The first successful batch of EPS beads was made in a kettle in Mr Cole’s kitchen on Peddar Road, Mumbai.
What was created that day was not just a material. It laid the foundation for a revolutionary packaging solution in India; one that would support fragile goods, industrial supply chains and emerging sectors for decades to come.
Securing India’s First EPS Patent Rights
After developing EPS, they turned their attention to intellectual property. A review of BASF’s patents revealed that while the product was protected in the West and Japan, there were no filings in India.
Recognising the opportunity, Mr Nag and Mr Cole filed three patents in their names. It was a bold and thoughtful move.
Why We All Say ‘Thermocole’ Today
When it came time to name their invention, Mr Kalyan Kumar Nag made a choice that would outlive both business and branding. He combined “Thermo” (for heat and insulation) with “Cole”, the name of his mentor, Mr Rudolph Arthur Cole.
A name rooted in science, respect, and long-term vision.
In the late 1950s or early 1960s, BASF acquired Mr Cole’s company, R. A. Cole & Co., along with the trademark rights to Thermocole. By that time, the name had already entered the public imagination. It has found its way into industries, textbooks, and homes across India, an everyday name for an extraordinary material.
60 Years Later…
What began as a quiet breakthrough in a small kitchen has grown into a national standard.Over the last 60 years, K. K. Nag has worked with over 1,000 B2B clients across industries, including automotive, appliances, pharmaceuticals, construction, cold chain logistics and many more!
Thermocole was just our beginning. We kept building from there.Today, we continue to lead with engineered materials like Expanded Polypropylene, and advanced rotomoulded solutions.The same spirit that drove us in the 1950s still drives us now.Thoughtfully made. Technically sound. Built for the future.
