<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-10-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000899723</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>OM GROUP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>OMG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001522796</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Mullin Patrick S.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>FLATS EAST BANK BUILDING,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>950 MAIN AVENUE, SUITE 1300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CLEVELAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>44113</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-10-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11973</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>34.00</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-10-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1293.6429</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>34.00</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1293.6429</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposed of pursuant to a merger agreement, dated May 31, 2015, by and among Duke Acquisition Holdings, LLC, Duke Acquisition, Inc., MacDermid Americas Acquisitions, Inc., and the Issuer in exchange for the right to receive $34.00 in cash per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents shares of phantom stock acquired by the reporting person (in exempt transactions) (including 624 shares otherwise payable on April 27, 2015) as deferred compensation pursuant to OM Group, Inc.'s Deferred Compensation Plan. Each share of phantom stock is the economic equivalent of one share of Issuer Common Stock, and the shares were to became payable in cash upon the reporting person's termination of service as a director of the Issuer.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Valerie Gentile Sachs, as Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-10-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
