The Institute "Kemal Kapetanović" was founded in 1961, at a time when the intensive growth of production and new challenges in the technology of steel production at the then Zenica Steel Plant required an increasing participation of scientific research work. In the meantime, the Institute as a scientific research organization has gained a great reputation in the business world of the former common state and beyond, participating in various international projects and cooperating with numerous reputable world institutes.

In the post-war period, in difficult social and economic circumstances, the Institute launched a project to introduce a quality management system in the Institute's laboratories, according to the EN 45001 standard, later EN ISO/IEC 17025, and to build an Internet node, and its laboratories acquired the first accreditations according to European standards.

The Canton of Zenica-Doboj, as the capital owner, at the assembly held on September 25, 2006, took over the rights and obligations of the founder over the Institute, and established its status as an organizational unit of the University of Zenica, with the aim of linking science, education and business.

The activities of the Institute are: research and experimental development in natural, technical and technological sciences; architectural and engineering activities and technical consultations; technical examination and analysis; adult education; library activity; providing advice on computer equipment; consulting and offering software; data processing; creation and management of databases; and other related computer activities.

As part of the registered activity, the Institute can perform production in smaller series of products, that is, objects, which are the result of scientific research and professional work of the Institute.

The sub-organizational units of the Institute are: Department of Wire Metallurgy, Department of Metallurgical Chemistry, Department of Protection and Ecology, Department of Thermal Engineering and Measurements, Department of Welding, Department of Metal Melting and Casting, Department of Plastic Metal Processing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of electrical engineering and automation, Institute for ores and iron, and Indok-center.