ABB India Secures Order for Automating Reliance Life Sciences’ Biopharmaceutical Facilities 2023

ABB India Secures Order for Automating Reliance Life Sciences’ Biopharmaceutical Facilities 2023

The scope includes full manufacturing process automation using ABB’s premier Distributed Control System (DCS) AbilityTM System 800xA, remote I/O systems, batch recipe management, and MES integration.

Reliance Life Sciences (RLS) has given ABB India an order to implement automation and control solutions at its new biosimilars and plasma proteins production facilities in Nashik, Maharashtra.

According to a regulatory filing, “the scope includes full automation of the manufacturing process using ABB’s flagship Distributed Control System (DCS) AbilityTM System 800xA, Remote I/O systems, Batch Recipe Management, and MES Integration.”

Plasma protein, biopharmaceutical, cancer pharmaceutical, and vaccine production units would be housed at a 160-acre property owned by RLS in Nashik. The System 800xA® solution from ABB is anticipated to lower production mistakes and guarantee high-quality yields.

According to the manufacturer, the technology is heavily utilized on factory floors for batch management, operator engagement, and production data.

According to G Balaji, SVP, Head of Energy Industries at ABB India, “This collaboration will strengthen our position in the pharmaceutical and life sciences market, where, as a technology provider, we see tremendous potential for growth and innovation.”

We are well-positioned to ride the wave of the industrial revolution spurred by automation in these categories, which is essential for large-scale production with quality assurance as India quickly develops as a significant biopharmaceutical manufacturing hub.

For RLS, System 800xA® will be placed in a virtualized environment, which is anticipated to have considerable economic and operational advantages by streamlining server management and upkeep.

The IT footprint and consequent operational costs are significantly reduced. With ABB’s multichannel remote I/O solutions, data transmission will be simplified, the wire will be cut back, the hardware footprint in the plant will be cleaned up, and space utilization and project completion times will increase. The DCS would be delivered following US FDA 21 CFR Part 11 to fulfill the necessary criteria because the installation is for a pharmaceutical production facility, the business claimed.

ABB India added that System 800xA® would offer an integration platform connecting various plant regions and components, disregarding the requirement for several PLCs. “This interface guarantees a uniform audit trail, integrated data reporting, and simplified operations, lowering maintenance, training requirements, and inventories. Additionally, it makes third-party audits simpler,” it was said.

In addition, Reliance will be able to lower its total cost of ownership thanks to the use of ABB’s DCS. To prevent any plant shutdowns for software upgrades, Reliance will benefit from ABB’s delivery of DCS on the most recent Windows Server 2022 platform, eventually lowering the overall downtime costs, software or hardware updates, and related services.

Reliance Life Sciences has a legacy of utilizing automation technology in its production operations as part of its broader goals for quality and productivity. According to KV Subramaniam, President of Reliance Life Sciences, “The cooperation with ABB is not only a step ahead in virtualization and process control but also a part of this continuity.

RLS will also use ABB’s modular remote I/O solution, which will hasten commissioning and process implementation while allowing the firm to expand the plant’s capacity in the future.

ABB India, a leader in power and automation technologies, has recently secured a significant order to automate Reliance Life Sciences’ biopharmaceutical facilities. This landmark deal marks an essential step toward the digital transformation and operational efficiency of one of India’s leading biotech companies.

It also illustrates the growing need for automated solutions within India’s rapidly advancing biopharmaceutical sector. In this article, we will delve into the details of this partnership, its significance, and its implications for the industry.

ABB India is a subsidiary of the global technology leader ABB, which operates in over 100 countries. Known for its cutting-edge automation solutions, ABB India has a history of serving various sectors, including utilities, industry, and transport & infrastructure.

Reliance Life Sciences is a part of the Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) conglomerate and is a pivotal player in India’s growing biotechnology sector. The company specializes in medical biotechnology, plant biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and clinical research services.

The order involves equipping Reliance Life Sciences’ biopharmaceutical plants with ABB’s state-of-the-art automation systems. These systems include control systems, data management solutions, analytics software, and machine learning algorithms, among other technologies. The focus is streamlining the production process, reducing manual errors, increasing efficiency, and ensuring consistent product quality.

ABB’s automation solutions are expected to improve Reliance Life Sciences’ operational efficiency substantially. Automation can significantly reduce the time needed for routine procedures, freeing the workforce to focus on more intricate tasks requiring human intelligence and expertise.

Pharmaceutical production demands an extremely high level of precision to ensure the quality of the end product. Implementing automated systems is expected to minimize human errors, often the main reason behind quality issues in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

With automation, Reliance Life Sciences will be better equipped to meet the growing demand for biopharmaceutical products in domestic and international markets. ABB’s advanced technologies can facilitate quicker decision-making processes and enable agile responses to market changes.

Modern automation systems are designed with energy efficiency in mind. By adopting these systems, Reliance Life Sciences can significantly reduce its carbon footprint, aligning with global sustainability goals.

The upfront costs for advanced automation systems are significant. Existing employees must be trained to operate and manage the new designs. With increased Reliance on digital systems, data security becomes a paramount concern.

This deal signifies the growing acceptance of automation in India’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. As more companies adopt automated systems, we can expect a snowball effect that will drive further innovations and make India a global competitor in these sectors.

The partnership between ABB India and Reliance Life Sciences marks a milestone in advancing automation within India’s biopharmaceutical industry.

This collaboration promises to increase operational efficiency and product quality and set a precedent for the broader adoption of automation technologies in India’s growing life sciences sector.

As both companies venture into this ambitious project, the industry watches closely, aware that its success could herald a new era in biopharmaceutical manufacturing in India.