IoT and digital technologies are changing the game.

The digital transformation is happening and companies and their processes have to adapt to this rapid change if they need to be competitive and relevant.

– V Senthilkumar, Managing director, Propel Industries.

In today’s context, most of the OEMs’ businesses is being refocused as delivering products-as-a-service; and sensor-equipped, IoT-connected products are expected to be the norm. What is the impact of this shift in philosophy in the manufacturing process and design of products in your company?

We have reset the goal of our manufacturing processes and our design team is ensuring that we stay updated and relevant. We started implementing digitalisation to efficiently manage our operations even before the pressing need of the pandemic arrived. Internet of Things (IoT) and digital technologies are changing the game altogether and we are equipped to win the same. The transition from preventive to predictive maintenance is happening.

At Propel, we use IoT to get information about an impending failure so that predictive maintenance can be done.  A system of auto-SMS warns the client of an approaching problem. It also helps us determine the life of the wear apart from helping us improve productivity.

Our philosophy is being driven by IoT and digital technologies. Our design department is constantly working towards presenting ‘smart’ machines to our customers.

How have you been able to leverage the benefits of flexible, scalable technology, a key accelerator and enabler to selling products-as-a-service? What are the challenges here? 

We have always been future-ready. So, flexible and scalable technologies have been incorporated into our processes. We, as a team are aware of the value provided by our existing services. We look at service initiatives as being part of a strategy to capture best practices and we roll them out across the organisation. We relook at sales management strategies at regular intervals and this helps us achieve our goal. We train our sales professionals to stay aligned with our vision. Awareness creation among employees about this and service-customisation are among the key challenges.

Could you brief us on some areas where you have been able to leverage technologies like 3D printing, AI and AR in your production processes?

We have rolled up our sleeves and are working towards making the best use of new technologies in our production process. We have realised that incorporating IoT has helped in cost optimisation and has improved productivity. The use of IoT has led to the use of Artificial Intelligence which is beneficial.

The plan to incorporate 3D printing and AR is also in the pipeline.

What has been the impact of the digital platforms in your manufacturing set up and also in the products?

It is very important to go digital as this is the only way to keep up with the pace of the world.  Organisations have to undergo this transformation in order to compete in the business environment and we are no different. We make the best use of social media platforms, knowledge platforms, media sharing platforms and service-oriented platforms. We are able to project our success better to the outside world through the digital platforms. While we are able to connect with existing customers, we are also able to reach out to general public, who may become our customers later on.

What do you think are the major challenges in the transformation of the manufacturing processes with the help of advanced and more sophisticated systems? How do you address these challenges?

The digital transformation is happening and companies and their processes have to adapt to this rapid change if they need to be competitive and relevant.

The information and communications technology is leading to disruptive approaches to development, production and entire logistics chain. The main challenge is to redefine our production process to make it more customer-specific. We need to deliver ‘smart’ products through ‘smart’ systems. We need to own up the entire product life cycle. We must be open to expanding our network globally. Propel Industries provides learning opportunities for its employees to make the radical shift and put the company on a fast track growth mode.

Is there any deep impact due to the pandemic on the manufacturing / supply chain / marketing and servicing the customers? How have you geared up to address the challenges in the new normal?

Yes, the pandemic has hit every individual and every industry. From the time the pandemic hit us, we have stayed connected to our customers through technology.

While the unlocking phase kick-started, ensuring the safety of our staff members remained our priority.

Till date, we are strictly adhering to the SOPs provided by the government. We have a detailed plan of action in place so that return to ‘business as usual’ happens faster. We have visualised the ‘new normal’ and our team is working towards it. Since geographical boundaries are no more a hurdle, we are able to reach out to many people virtually.

From end of March till now, we are doing everything possible to help our customers sail through these challenging times. We are using technological means to extend professional support. We get SMS alerts from the machine directly to our service engineers for issues like oil and filter changes. We are working on IoT which will reduce manpower and increase operational efficiency. We are designing a digital roadmap which will be revealed to the market, soon.

Apart from maintaining our quality standards, our focus will also be on round-the-clock service and spare parts support. We have upheld the ‘Customer first’ slogan always and it will remain so, in the future too. All our plans will be driven by this slogan.  

How environmentally sustainable are your manufacturing processes and facilities?  Brief us on the ongoing / on the pipeline initiatives to make your manufacturing more sustainable.

I say with immense pride that we are a 100 per cent eco- friendly organization. Propel Industries is inching towards energy self-sufficiency. Almost 90% of the power used by Propel Industries is generated using renewable resources – 25% is generated using solar power and 65% is generated using wind power.

We have designed machinery to manufacture environment friendly M-sand to replace river sand for construction industry.  All our efforts are driven by this core value of love towards the environment.

What is your outlook on the futures trends in this space that make India a globally competitive manufacturing hub and what will be your contributory role?

The government policies, resilience and knowledge of the workforce play a major role in making India a globally competitive manufacturing hub. Almost all sectors are reviving and the demand is steadily rising. Our focus is more on helping customers achieve better returns through quality and quantity output while reducing cost over wear and tear. We have a satisfied customer base which is motivating us to introduce innovative products. We are implementing digitalisation to manage our operations effectively. Incorporating IoT has helped us in cost optimization, improve productivity and reduce overall operational downtime.

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