ABB bags largest automation contract in agrochemical sector in India

Zurich, Switzerland headquartered engineering and technology company ABB announced on Thursday that its India arm has bagged the largest automation project in the Indian agro-chemical industry from Deccan Fine Chemicals. 

ABB will provide automation and safety system controls through its ABB Ability platform for 100 reactors of Deccan Fine Chemicals at its multi-product plant in Tuni, Andhra Pradesh. 

The plant has three manufacturing sites each consisting of automated production plants, labs, warehousing facilities and advanced effluent treatment facilities. The company has not disclosed financial details of the project.

“Although we already have all our manufacturing operations automated, this is our first project wherein we are bringing over 100 reactors on to a single connected platform to control our new manufacturing block,” Jagan Buddharaju, chief operating officer at Deccan Fine Chemicals said in a statement. 

ABB’s solutions will improve product quality, process efficiency and reduce downtime in manufacturing, he added.

Indian agrochemical market is pegged to reach $6.3 billion by 2020 and automation plays a key role in improving efficiency, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) quoted in the statement.

ABB which specialises in robotics, power, heavy electrical equipment and automation technology will control and monitor more than 50,000 components as part of the installation at the chemical company through its platform. The platform positions primary and back-up controllers and servers at two separate locations allowing flawless operation in case of irreparable failure at one of the locations.

“Adoption of digitalization technologies can help agro-chemical companies accelerate their overall business, increase profit margins, and cater to the burgeoning demand. We are excited to be part of such a ground-breaking project,” said G Balaji, local division manager, energy industries, industrial automation at ABB India in the statement.