IoT or what we call Pharma 4.0 is the way of the future
Published on : Wednesday 09-12-2020
Anuvrat Singal, Managing Director, Glatt (India) Engineering Pvt Ltd.
Glatt has seven decades of rich experience in process industries. What are the main business units of the company?
The Glatt group has 14 companies spread across the globe with 3000+ team members in our international network. The group is primarily divided into 4 business units:
1. Pharmaceutical Services – Glatt Pharmaceutical Services develops and produces solid pharmaceutical dosage forms. Their focus is on multi-particulate systems such as pellets, micropellets and granules. Glatt Pharmaceutical Services brings together fundamentals, experience and innovative technology expertise with their comprehensive services which can support our clients from product idea to market launch.
2. Process Technology Pharma – Glatt Process Technology Pharma offers solutions for innovative process technology. This division focuses on systems for process technology, production and processing of solid dosage forms. From the laboratory to production scale and with a broad offering of engineering to qualification.
3. Process Technology Food, Feed & Fine Chemicals – Glatt Process Technology Food, Feed & Fine Chemicals provides product, technology, and system expertise for the entire value chain, from particle design to industrial production. The division focuses on powder synthesis and fluidised bed processes for developing, manufacturing, optimising, and refining powders and bulk materials such as granulates and pellets.
With the introduction of the new technology of Glatt Powder Synthesis in a pulsed gas stream, Glatt took another step forward as pioneers for ground-breaking technologies. This technology marks a first, enabling one to use high-temperature processes for creating extremely homogeneous powder materials that offers an unparalleled level of potential for high-performance applications – as well as allowing one to develop particles with new combinations of properties.
4. Process & Plant Engineering – Glatt Process & Plant Engineering plans, designs, consults and implements international projects, from the expansion or modernisation of existing production sites to the new construction of an entire plant. In such activities, we combine professional engineering with in-depth technology expertise. No matter how large and specialized your project might be, we develop the best-fit plan for your needs and implement it in a reliable manner.
This consultancy division focuses on processes for the manufacture of solid, semi-sold, liquid and sterile drug dosages. Our spectrum encompasses pharmaceutical products, biotechnology, cosmetics, food, animal feed, ceramics, chemicals, fine chemicals. Our division, Glatt India Engineering, was established in year 2008 and has its South East Asia office at New Delhi | India.
The company has moved from being a machinery manufacturer to an integrated solutions provider. In a crowded field of pharma machinery giants, what is USP of Glatt?
‘Satisfied customers’ is the motto of our company founder, Werner Glatt. This requires a high degree of flexibility and mutual appreciation – characterised by openness and honesty in all business relationships. Our independent family company has remained true to these values. Service and communication are the anchors for long-term, trusting customer relations and partnerships. That's why the client and their specific needs are always the focus of our philosophy. We see ourselves as your partner in technology and want to get things moving side-by-side with you, for our joint success.
How are emerging technologies like IoT, connected plants, digital twins, etc., impacting the development of machinery today?
IoT or what we call Pharma 4.0 is the 'way of the future'. We believe that this unfortunate pandemic situation has accelerated and induced a 'behavioural change' in everyone. Manufacturers have stepped up their plans and are pushing for automation, digitisation, AI (artificial intelligence), MI (machine learning) and the need for interconnecting all process steps, i.e., implement a holistic control strategy. Our government, as well, is giving a digital push to the 'atmanirbhar' initiative.
There is a demand push from the industry to innovate...automate...digitise and the machine manufacturers are responding...some like Glatt faster than the others.
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected business and all other aspects of life. What is the impact on the pharma industry in general, and at Glatt in particular?
Everyone saw a couple of tough months when we were unable to manufacture...deploy teams to sites, i.e., 'lockdown' status. We believe the Indian Pharma as well as the global pharma industry has picked up pace and will cover lost time. Our industry has been able to weather the tough time and is on a growth path.
For Glatt Engineering Consultancy, we have some key global projects that slowed down for a few months, however, they have picked up pace now. We see growth to return by the end of this calendar year.
The Indian Pharma industry is a great success story but there have also been issues with compliance, etc. What is the way forward?
Train the worker better and equip them with better tools in order to be compliant. The weakest link is the 'human' only. Machines follow what you programme them for. One way to build compliance in your organisation is to automate. However, this takes time and resources, i.e., a paradigm shift in the manufacturing process. If we can train the worker better and put the necessary checks 'top-down', I believe results can be seen in shorter times. Trust needs to be built-in.
What, in your experience, are the main reasons enterprises do not take compliance seriously?
I strongly believe that all good organisations do. It is the deployed tools and the worker that needs to be strengthened in order to have better success rates in compliance. Those who do not or will not comply will unfortunately wither away in time.
Today more than at any time in history, globalisation is forcing stricter compliance. Is automation making things easier to this end?
Yes, automation will make it easier however, more resources upfront would need to be invested in order to ensure that is followed. Due to cost and process constraints, a fully automated facility maybe some years away. We at Glatt Engineering would therefore recommend a 'Hybrid Model'.
What is the scope of services offered by Glatt in India?
Glatt (India) Engineering Private Limited, a 100% subsidiary of Glatt Ingenieurtechnik Germany, provides Design Consultancy and Engineering Services to the Bio-pharma, Pharmaceutical, Healthcare and Chemical Industries.
The team is proud to have successfully completed several challenging projects worldwide including USA, Russia, CIS, South East Asia, Middle East region, Bangladesh and India.
Services at a glance include: Technical Feasibility Studies; Concept Designs; Basic & Detailed Engineering; cGMP Consulting; Qualification & Validation Services; and Revamping and Modernisation of existing Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plants.
(Anuvrat Singal is an Electronics & Communication Engineer with a Masters' with Honours in Management from the UK. He has nearly 18+ years of work experience {India & UK} and is with Glatt India since its inception in the year 2008. He along with team Glatt Engineering has handled pharma/biotech/food/chemical projects in USA, EU, Middle East, CIS, Africa, South East Asia & India. He likes to travel for work, however, is thankful that is able to spend time with his family due to the unfortunate Pandemic Situation worldwide. He is an avid reader and enjoys entering his kitchen on the weekends to cook for his family. An optimist by nature, who believes that 'the glass is always half-full' and has miles to go before he rests...)
