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Sustainability commitments are reshaping investments: Joachim Braun of ABB
Articles- Aug 30,25
In this interview with Rakesh Rao, Joachim Braun, President – Process Industries, ABB, outlines key trends shaping process industries and shares the company’s growth strategy in India.
ABB’s Process Industries division provides integrated solutions for sectors such as mining, metals, pulp and paper, and cement by combining advanced technologies with strong domain expertise. Led by Joachim Braun, President – Process Industries, ABB, the division is driving conversations around digitization and decarbonization as industries navigate challenges of sustainability, workforce transformation, and supply chain resilience. In this interview with Rakesh Rao, Braun outlines key trends shaping process industries and shares ABB’s two-pronged strategy in India—supporting domestic growth while positioning the country as a global hub for innovation and execution.
How do you view the Indian market, given your global experience, particularly in terms of automation within process industries?
India’s industrial landscape is remarkable. The steel industry, for instance, is among the largest globally and has expanded internationally, with Indian companies operating across Europe and North America. This leadership has fostered a culture of curiosity and eagerness for technology adoption. Even though Indian companies sometimes operate in favourable conditions—such as access to energy, regulatory support, and abundant workforce—they remain proactive in exploring cutting-edge technologies.
While full-scale deployment may not always be immediate, Indian firms are determined not to fall behind global leaders. Many pilot installations of advanced technologies are first implemented in India. This reflects both their global presence and their mindset of staying at the forefront of innovation. Indian companies are highly demanding, continuously challenging technology providers like ABB to push boundaries and deliver advanced, efficient, and cost-effective solutions. For instance, ABB established Customer Advisory Groups to help shape our product roadmap. Our customers from India play a vital role in being a part of this advisory group.
What are the key challenges facing process industries globally, and how do these compare to India?
The challenges are fairly universal. First and foremost is sustainability. Industries such as steel, cement, pulp and paper, and mining are all resource-intensive and responsible for significant emissions. Mining alone contributes about seven per cent of global carbon dioxide (CO?) emissions, while pulp and paper are heavy consumers of energy and water. Governments worldwide are enforcing stricter regulations, making sustainability a non-negotiable priority. Indian companies with global footprints, are already adapting to stricter sustainability standards abroad, which helps accelerate their preparedness at home.
Another challenge is workforce availability and demographic change. In developed economies, shrinking populations make it difficult to find skilled workers, while in India the challenge lies in attracting younger generations to traditionally “tough” industries such as steel or mining. Technology plays a vital role in addressing this—by making workplaces more attractive, digital, and accessible through remote operations and automation, companies can diversify their workforce and attract more talent.
Finally, rapid technological change—particularly in digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI)—is reshaping industries. While not every solution is yet deployable at scale, companies are acutely aware of the need to stay ahead or risk losing competitiveness.
Do you see Indian industries at par with global peers in adopting new technologies?
Indian companies are highly aware of emerging technologies and are very open to exploring them. However, large-scale deployment is often more advanced in regions with higher costs or stricter regulatory environments, such as Europe. There, efficiency-driven solutions are implemented faster out of necessity.
That said, India is particularly strong in software-driven solutions. With its well-established IT ecosystem and abundance of skilled software engineers, Indian process industries are naturally inclined towards digital and software innovations. In contrast, large-scale hardware transformations—such as electrified mining fleets—are less common in India, primarily because regulatory or competitive pressures are not as high yet.
Supply chain disruptions have reshaped global industries. How is this impacting process industries?
Process industries are capital-intensive, with long investment cycles, so change tends to be gradual. However, recent global disruptions have heightened awareness about self-sufficiency. Countries are increasingly motivated to secure critical materials domestically rather than depending entirely on global trade.
For example, mining projects in less attractive deposits are being pursued because of the desire for resource security. Downstream industries, such as automotive companies, are even investing directly in mining assets to secure access to lithium and other critical minerals for electric vehicle production. Such direct interventions would have seemed unimaginable a decade ago, but today they are becoming the norm.
This shift reflects a broader recognition that over-reliance on global trade can be risky, and industries are realigning supply chains to ensure stability and long-term resilience.
Countries like India face the dual challenge of ensuring growth while meeting sustainability commitments. How can industries address this balance?
Decarbonisation must extend across the entire value chain—upstream, midstream, and downstream. Many global players have committed to becoming carbon-neutral by 2045 or earlier. This means not only reducing their own emissions but also ensuring their suppliers and customers adopt sustainable practices.
The ripple effect is powerful. For example, aluminium smelters are now being built specifically to supply carbon-free aluminium, driven by downstream sustainability commitments. Such initiatives illustrate how large-scale investments are increasingly influenced by environmental goals.
Moreover, financial markets play a role. Investment funds now evaluate companies on environmental performance, often excluding those with heavy negative footprints. This pressure ensures that sustainability commitments are not easily abandoned, even if short-term challenges arise.
Which process industries are likely to see the most growth in the next few years?
Mining is the most promising. With demand for raw materials such as copper, iron, steel, and cement rising due to global development and the energy transition, mining activity is set to increase significantly. Lead times for opening new mines are long, and ore grades are declining, so investment in mining infrastructure and processing will grow.
Pulp and paper are also undergoing transformation, with demand shifting from graphic paper to packaging and hygiene products, driven by lifestyle changes and e-commerce. There is also innovation in fibre-based products, bio-materials, and ethanol production from residues.
Steel faces global overcapacity challenges but remains in strong demand domestically in India due to infrastructure and construction growth. Cement will continue to thrive, as it remains irreplaceable in large-scale infrastructure projects such as airports, ports, and highways.
Which emerging trends will shape the future of process industries?
Three trends stand out:
- Digitisation: Leveraging production data through advanced analytics and model predictive control will optimise efficiency, reduce downtime, and improve quality. This will also help companies transition from reactive maintenance to predictive strategies, minimising unplanned disruptions.
- Sustainability: Decarbonisation, circular economy models, and renewable integration will increasingly drive investments. Companies must evaluate environmental impacts across their entire value chains.
- Workforce transformation: Digital workplaces, automation, and remote operations will reshape workforce dynamics, making industries more attractive to diverse talent pools and ensuring long-term sustainability of human capital.
What are ABB’s growth plans for India?
Our strategy in India is twofold. First, we aim to support domestic growth. With India being one of the fastest-growing economies, our customers in steel, cement, and other process industries are experiencing sustained growth. Having operated in India for over 75 years, ABB has established strong local capabilities across the value chain, enabling us to participate in this expansion.
Second, India serves as a global execution hub. Our ABB Innovation Center employs around 4,000 people, working on research, development, engineering, and project execution for global operations. What started as a support function has evolved into full ownership of projects, including commissioning, proposals, and supply chain support. This dual approach not only fuels ABB’s domestic growth but also reinforces India’s role as a strategic global delivery center.
Any specific investment or expansion plans?
Our focus is on expanding capacity in existing facilities rather than large-scale greenfield investments. ABB is already self-sufficient in India, manufacturing almost everything locally except a few niche products. Growth will come from hiring more people, expanding existing facilities, and continuing to increase our innovation and execution footprint.
4 Blurbs (which are optional)
Indian process industries are highly demanding, constantly challenging technology providers like ABB to deliver advanced, efficient, and cost-effective solutions.
Sustainability is no longer optional — it is a universal priority across steel, cement, pulp and paper, and mining, with stricter regulations accelerating change.
Decarbonisation must extend across the entire value chain — upstream, midstream, and downstream — as global players commit to carbon neutrality by 2045 or earlier.
India is not only a fast-growing domestic market but also a global hub for ABB, with our Innovation Center employing 4,000 experts driving R&D and project execution.
ABB
Joachim Braun
process automation
industrial automation
Rakesh Rao
Process Industries
Mining
Steel Industry
Cement Industry
Pulp and Paper
Indian manufacturing industry
North America
Europe
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