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Digitalisation is powering sustainable manufacturing: Bappa Bandyopadhyay
Articles- Jul 27,26
In this interaction with Rakesh Rao, Bappa Bandyopadhyay, Director Operations & Projects - India, Henkel Adhesive Technologies, shares insights on Henkel’s approach to digital transformation, smart factory initiatives and building future-ready manufacturing ecosystems.
The chemical manufacturing industry is moving towards smarter, more sustainable and connected operations, with automation, AI, IIoT and digital. In this interaction with Rakesh Rao, Bappa Bandyopadhyay, Director Operations & Projects - India, Henkel Adhesive Technologies, shares insights on the company’s approach to digital transformation, smart factory initiatives and building future-ready manufacturing ecosystems.
What are the key challenges currently shaping the chemical manufacturing industry?
The chemical industry is evolving rapidly as manufacturers balance growth, operational excellence and sustainability while responding to changing customer expectations and an increasingly dynamic manufacturing environment. As production processes become more sophisticated and industries demand higher levels of quality, efficiency and transparency, manufacturers are increasingly focused on building smarter and more connected operations.
The transition towards lower-carbon manufacturing also presents an opportunity to rethink how facilities operate. Automation, digital technologies and intelligent manufacturing are enabling greater operational visibility, improved resource efficiency and more informed decision-making, helping manufacturers enhance productivity while advancing their sustainability ambitions.
Looking ahead, manufacturers that successfully integrate innovation, digitalisation and sustainability while building resilient operations with a skilled workforce will be better positioned to drive long-term growth while strengthening competitiveness.
How is Henkel leveraging modern technologies to improve process efficiency, predictive maintenance, traceability and overall plant performance?
Automation is becoming a key enabler for operational performance across the chemical industry. As manufacturing becomes more complex, connected operations and real-time insights help improve efficiency, strengthen quality and support faster, data-driven decisions.
At Henkel, we focus on identifying opportunities across the value chain where automation and digital solutions can improve safety, quality and productivity. This includes automated material storage and movement, smart instrumentation for monitoring and controlling critical process parameters, equipment health monitoring, and automation of manual activities. Our priority is not technology adoption itself, but rather the business value each solution can deliver.
By combining automation, connectivity and advanced analytics, we enhance process visibility, predictive maintenance, traceability and overall plant performance. We also foster a culture of innovation and experimentation, embracing a "fail fast, learn fast" mindset to rapidly evaluate new technologies, scale successful applications and continuously uncover new value-creation opportunities.
Could you share some recent India-specific automation or Smart Factory initiatives by Henkel, particularly in areas such as AI, IIoT, predictive maintenance, traceability and connected manufacturing?
There are several examples of digital and automation initiatives that we continue to implement across our plants based on shopfloor requirements. One good example is AI-based shopfloor safety to give warnings before an incident happens. Then there are examples of error proofing of critical to quality processes. All these initiatives enable safer and more efficient production planning and optimised inventory management, while enhancing operational flexibility and responsiveness.
We are currently working on an AI based transformative solution which will be a game changer for us. Many of our sites have a high level of digitalisation with end-to-end connected systems generating big data which we plan to use and leverage to define and understand great batches ("Golden Batches") and not so good batches; the next step is to identify key drivers of variability and create a complete digital record of every batch. The goal is to optimise these critical control parameters to consistently produce a golden batch.
With sustainability becoming a key priority for the chemical industry, how is Henkel leveraging automation and digital technologies to reduce its carbon footprint and improve resource efficiency?
Sustainability and digitalisation are becoming increasingly interconnected as manufacturers look to improve operational performance while reducing their environmental footprint. Digital technologies provide valuable operational insights that help optimise resource utilisation, improve process efficiency and support more informed decision-making across manufacturing operations.
At Henkel, our approach to decarbonisation combines digital innovation with manufacturing transformation. A significant milestone in this journey has been our Kurkumbh manufacturing site achieving carbon-neutral production through full electrification and the transition to 100% renewable electricity. This transformation involved modernizing the site's energy infrastructure, optimising heat loads and replacing fossil fuel-based systems with high-efficiency electric technologies, enabling the complete elimination of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
Alongside these investments, connected manufacturing technologies and data-driven operational insights support continuous improvements in resource efficiency, energy management and process optimisation. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how operational excellence, cleaner energy and innovation can work together to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable manufacturing while delivering long-term value for customers and the industry.
Many manufacturers face challenges such as high investment costs, legacy systems and skill gaps while adopting automation. What approach should companies take to successfully overcome these barriers?
Every automation journey is unique, and successful manufacturers view it as a business transformation that improves safety, productivity, quality and sustainability. Digitalisation remains a parallel priority, providing the data and connectivity needed to support automation.
To overcome challenges such as investment costs, legacy systems and skill gaps, we take a phased approach, starting with high-value use cases and integrating new automation solutions with existing infrastructure.
Success also depends on people and organisational readiness. This includes assessing current capabilities, creating new roles or functions where needed, redefining responsibilities, and investing in upskilling to build the competencies required for increasingly automated operations.
Organisations that align technology, people and processes are best positioned to achieve sustainable results and build more agile, future-ready manufacturing operations.
Amid market uncertainty and supply chain disruptions, how can chemical manufacturers leverage automation to build future-ready manufacturing facilities?
Manufacturing today is increasingly defined by the ability to adapt, respond and innovate. Connected operations and intelligent manufacturing are enabling organisations to improve visibility across the value chain, make faster decisions and respond more effectively to changing customer and business requirements.
Automation, supported by AI, IIoT and advanced analytics, provides real-time insights into production performance, equipment health and resource utilisation. These capabilities enable predictive maintenance, more efficient production planning and optimised inventory management, while enhancing operational flexibility and responsiveness.
At Henkel, we believe the future of manufacturing lies in connected, intelligent and sustainable operations. By combining digital technologies with manufacturing efficiency and continuous innovation, manufacturers can strengthen resilience, accelerate sustainable growth and build manufacturing ecosystems that are ready for the opportunities of tomorrow.
Henkel Adhesive
Bappa Bandyopadhyay
Adhesives
chemical manufacturing
automation
smart factory
industrial IoT
artificial intelligence
digitalisation
predictive maintenance
sustainable manufacturing
connected operations
Rakesh Rao
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