Sustainability has become a pressing concern for Indian MSMEs, many of which operate with limited resources and face rising energy costs. Finding affordable, eco-friendly solutions is often the difference between growth and stagnation for these enterprises. For more than two decades, Ushma Engineers, founded by Sandiip Kaushik in 1997, has been developing heating and drying systems that help MSMEs cut costs while moving toward greener technologies.
After completing his studies at Delhi College of Engineering, Sandiip joined Thermax in 1996 as a design engineer through a campus interview. Soon after, he decided to branch out on his own, investing his personal savings into what became Ushma Engineers.
The company name “Ushma” means heat, which made sense since Sandiip decided to focus on heating and drying solutions – industries he knew well from his Thermax days. His bet paid off: over the years, Ushma grew from a bootstrapped venture into a trusted partner for MSMEs and large firms alike.
Long before policy frameworks pushed big companies to source from small enterprises, Sandiip was already doing it by instinct. Nearly 60–70% of Ushma’s clients have always been MSMEs, and that was never a matter of compliance, it was about building real, accessible solutions.
Whether it was a food processor in need of a supari or dal dryer, or a small garment unit needing a heating system to dry denim, Sandiip ensured that MSMEs had affordable technology that helped them stay competitive.
A look at Ushma’s product range makes the story clear:
- Air Heaters: Instant, Industrial, Wood-fired, Triple Pass
- Burners: Gas-fired and Diesel-fired
- Dryers: Fluid Bed Dryers, Supari & Dal Dryers
- Blowers & Fans: Centrifugal Air Blowers, Industrial Fans
- Other Solutions: Space Heaters, Coolers
These are not machines designed only for multinationals. They’re the everyday tools that help MSMEs in food, textiles, garments, and agriculture cut costs, improve quality, and scale up.
While MSMEs remain his core focus, Sandiip’s solutions also power the processes of household names like MDH, Haldiram’s, Uflex, and Pelican. Its reach extends beyond India as well, with exports to South Africa, UAE, Bangladesh, Nepal, Russia, and China. Even with a small workforce, the company maintains a relatively small scale but serves both domestic and international clients.
Sandiip’s forward thinking is also evident in his sustainability drive. Over the past few years, he has led Ushma’s push into eco-friendly energy by adopting European heat pumps and infrared technologies for greater efficiency. One example of this is Ushma Engineers’ work with heat pump dryers, designed to cut fuel use while maintaining drying efficiency. By replacing conventional heating systems with these energy-saving alternatives, MSMEs can significantly reduce operating costs and improve margins. This aligns with the company’s broader focus on sustainability, offering smaller enterprises technologies that are both practical and environmentally conscious.
Looking ahead, the company is working on systems that could reduce its dependence on coal, including the utilisation of microwaves and small-scale wind energy for heating applications. For MSMEs, this green marketing is about lower operating costs and energy security, two of their biggest challenges.
While policy support for MSMEs has gained momentum in the past decade, companies like Ushma Engineers demonstrate that private partnerships have long been important for their growth. By supplying practical and affordable heating and drying solutions since the late 1990s, Ushma has been part of the industrial ecosystem that has enabled MSMEs to survive and compete, even before government initiatives brought them to the forefront.
