The chemical industry is at a turning point. Faced with rising product complexity, talent shortages, regulatory pressure, and volatile resource costs, manufacturers are being forced to rethink traditional models, especially in batch production, where inefficiencies can quickly erode profitability. To stay competitive, leaders are turning to digitalization and automation not as optional upgrades, but as foundational strategies for survival and growth. 

Experts discussed the topic extensively at the e-conference, ‘Reimagining Chemical Manufacturing: A Digital, Sustainable, and Scalable Future’ organised by the Indian Chemical News (ICN) in association with Schneider Electric on July 16, 2025.  

The discussion was moderated by Pravin Prashant, Executive Editor, ICN. 

In her presentation, Verena Mersmann, Branch Leader Chemical/Life Science Business, ProLeiT by Schneider Electrichighlighted the critical need for modular, intelligent, and sustainable automation solutions in a rapidly changing industry landscape. 

“The chemical and life sciences industries are facing a range of escalating challenges. These include the need for greater reconfigurability due to increasing product variance, rising complexity caused by talent shortages, mounting regulatory and sustainability pressures, and the need for reliability and resilience amid a volatile global environment. On top of this, there are resource-related challenges, fluctuating raw material and energy costs, as well as workforce gaps. One of the most pressing concerns is reducing time-to-market. This requires optimization across the entire project lifecycle: from design to build, commissioning to maintenance.

"To address these complexities, digital manufacturing is emerging as a transformative solution for the chemical sector. Key components of this approach include smart operations, process automation, yard management, industrial information management, and workforce empowerment. At the heart of this evolution is software-defined automation, which depends on three core pillars: an open ecosystem, best-in-class equipment, and integrated digital manufacturing. These pillars form the foundation of the next-generation automation architecture, one that enables true, end-to-end digital transformation. We envision a modular chemical plant that is secure, autonomous, resilient, and sustainable, without sacrificing flexibility. At Schneider Electric, this vision is embodied in our EcoStruxure platform, which offers a comprehensive portfolio that connects physical products, control systems, and software.

"We also offer a hardware-agnostic, MTP (Module Type Package) standard-driven solution for modular production called the Process Orchestration Layer (POL). This system enables seamless interoperability between equipment and software. Meanwhile, our Plant iT Batch Orchestration System acts as the plant’s digital brain, interconnected, event-driven, and knowledge-based. It supports real-time planning and adaptability, and thanks to open protocols, it's accessible, flexible, and completely system-agnostic.” 

Rupark Sarswat, Chief Executive Officer, India Glycols Ltd. highlighted the urgent need for the Indian chemical industry to embrace digital technologies and sustainable practices to improve manufacturing. 

“When we talk about sustainability,  I think it is critical to understand that from the perspective of technology. It is a matter of survival and it is also a great opportunity for growth. Take, for instance, the textile industry in southern India. Despite sustainability challenges, there was resistance to adopting technological solutions. Eventually, a single court order led to the closure of nearly 800 factories. Contrast that with Singapore Airlines, which embraced technology and sustainability early on. It’s now reaping the benefits through superior efficiency and a strong competitive edge. Similarly, Reliance Industries is investing significantly in technology to enhance sustainability and drive performance. On one side, we face complex challenges, but on the other, we have an explosion of AI and digital technologies. Now we have processors being designed that can perform tasks which once took supercomputers years to accomplish.

"The pace at which technology is advancing is astonishing, especially in areas like process control, where we can now analyze data from plants, the environment, and even human behavior with remarkable precision. If we rewind 25 or 30 years, there were debates about the value of investing in computers, Excel, and ERP systems. Despite the initial hesitation, these tools eventually became indispensable for improving efficiency and competitiveness. The same principle applies today. Embracing transformation might seem painful at first, but as the saying goes, ‘The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.’ The real risk lies in not adapting. Look at Nokia which in the early 2010 was among the world’s most innovative companies but just a few years later its products had vanished from the Indian market. That’s how quickly technology can render even giants irrelevant. Smaller players often believe that innovation is only for large corporations, but that’s a misconception. In fact, technological disruption offers smaller businesses a chance to leapfrog and compete on a level playing field.

"The scale of transformation is mind-blowing. A factory in Japan, for example, produces 50 robots a day, is fully automated, runs 24/7, uses 50% less space and consumes far less energy. Yet, in India’s chemical industry and beyond, many still dismiss such models as irrelevant. This is where mindset becomes the most decisive factor. If you see only obstacles, you will stay stuck in doubt. But if you recognize both the urgency and the opportunity, you can turn disruption into advantage. Technology is advancing at breakneck speed. The transformation will be swift and we must stay ahead of the curve if we want to win the race.” 

Addressing the challenges and innovations around batch processing, Ajay Kumar Gupta, Chief Manufacturing Officer at Aarti Industries Ltd. emphasized the need to rethink process efficiency, safety, and scalability in modern chemical manufacturing. 

“While batch processes are inherently complex and often less favored, they remain central to specialty chemical manufacturing. A key aspect to understand is that with each new batch, you're essentially initiating a new plant startup. Depending on the batch cycle time, whether it's every 10, 20, or 30 hours, you are constantly restarting operations. That’s why grasping the nuances of batch processing is so critical.

"At Aarti, we focus on understanding the reaction kinetics behind our batch processes. We simulate them at lab scale and in engineering labs, analyzing the impact of key parameters such as temperature, pressure, mole ratios, and agitation. Our broader aim is to transition these processes, from batch to semi-batch, semi-continuous, or even continuous systems, wherever feasible. Why is this important? Because batch processing, by nature, is neither the most efficient nor the safest due to adiabatic reactions that can lead to pressure build-up and variability. In contrast, continuous processes offer smoother, more controlled operations with fewer risks.

We’ve successfully implemented this transformation in several cases, for example, in helix chemistry, where shifting to semi-continuous processing has improved conversion rates and yields by 10–15%, along with significant gains in volume throughput. However, not every reaction can be moved directly to continuous mode. If the kinetics don’t allow it, semi-continuous or semi-batch designs may be more practical. The next step then becomes eliminating variability in raw material quality and quantity. This requires strict adherence to SOPs, ongoing training of personnel, and leveraging advanced control systems. Ultimately, every producer should adopt one key principle: strive to move from batch toward semi-batch or continuous processing, because that is the direction of higher efficiency, better safety, and scalable operations.” 

Jagdish Pranami, Associate Vice President, SRF Ltd.spoke in the context of advancing automation and digitization in specialty chemical manufacturing, particularly with a focus on batch processing systems. 

“Batch processing is a fundamental mode of operation, especially when compared to continuous processing. While continuous systems are often more automated, most specialty chemicals today—and likely in the future—continue to be produced in batch mode. However, batch processes come with their own set of challenges, such as inefficiencies in batching, high dependence on manual operations, material losses, labor requirements, and a shortage of experienced personnel. To address these issues through automation, it is critical first to analyze the batch cycle and determine whether the process is optimal or not.

"We generally categorize batches into two types: time-constant and quality-constant. In time-constrained batches, there is greater scope for automation. Studying these allows us to identify areas for improvement, particularly when looking to increase batch cycle time (BCT) by minimizing downtime. Digitization helps us differentiate between unavoidable and avoidable downtime and supports predictive and preventive maintenance strategies. Labor shortages are another pressing concern.

"Digital training modules and guided learning systems can help bridge this gap by equipping operators with essential knowledge, even in highly sensitive chemical plant environments where relying solely on human skill is risky. Automation, combined with a trained workforce, can lead to safer, more sustainable transport and operations. Finally, data analytics plays a key role. By analyzing batch data, we can identify which parameters are disrupting production and which ones represent the 'golden batch’, the ideal operating conditions. Understanding these variables enables more consistent, efficient, and reliable operations.” 

Frederic Vanhove, Head of Global Sales, Industrial Automation, ProLeiT by Schneider Electric underscored how Schneider Electric’s digital and automation solutions support operational excellence, sustainability, and future-ready manufacturing. 

“Digitalization is a powerful enabler of flexibility, productivity, and efficiency in industrial operations. The journey toward digital transformation is built on three core pillars: people, processes, and technology. One strong example is the transition to paperless operations, which enhances safety, efficiency, and productivity across the board. Digital tools are reducing downtime while helping organizations execute the same processes with improved throughput. They provide actionable insights, enabling smarter, more informed decisions.

"Access to real-time data allows teams to understand what’s happening on the plant floor and take timely action. In the context of sustainability and meeting ESG goals, digitalization plays a critical role. It offers measurable impact, allowing companies to optimize resource use and demonstrate compliance. All necessary data is captured, processed, and made readily available, ensuring transparency and readiness during audits or evaluations. Paperless production also eliminates many manual entries and human errors, offering a comprehensive, holistic view of operations.

"At Schneider Electric, our solutions are designed to integrate seamlessly into batch processes. Being platform-agnostic, they can connect with any machine regardless of the underlying control system. Using standard industrial protocols, data is collected, consolidated, and transformed into usable insights. Importantly, our systems empower users to act quickly. There is no need to rewrite code, just adjust parameters. This not only reduces operational costs but also improves agility. Our technology delivers measurable improvements in standardization, scalability, real-time diagnostics, data management, harmonization, and benchmarking. In short, digitalization brings significant value at both the site and enterprise levels.”