Digital acceleration has gained traction like never before, wherein companies across segments are investing in having a robust digital infrastructure to ensure business continuity. Organisations have started realigning their goals to be a digital ready business and reengineering their future to be sustainable and digitally transformed organisations. 

Industry 4.0 and beyond

The advent of Industry 4.0 has already intensified the need to adapt smart manufacturing.

As per the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), manufacturing industry grew by 9.7% in August, and industrial production has in fact surpassed even the pre pandemic level of August 2019 which indicates the path to recovery is not far. The adaption of automation and digital technologies is only bound to grow by leaps and bounds. However, to enable this smooth transition, the need for constant power supply cannot be ignored.

Clean power and uninterrupted power availability are crucial to bring alive the vision of the segment to steer the digital transformation to compete globally. According to reports, the electricity demand for FY2022 is likely to rise by 6 per cent on y-o-y basis. Industries are the major consumers as a result of the post pandemic recovery phase, which is likely to put a stress to the available power load. 

The need for industries to have a robust power back-up system amidst the demand recovery phase is crucial to their uninterrupted functioning. Digital transformation has given rise to demand for Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) to ensure business continuity even during unprecedented challenging times.

The recent reports on ensuing power crisis further accelerates the need to invest in quality power back-up to be able to recover from the past and move ahead in the recovery phase.

In manufacturing, both quality and availability of power is crucial. In the event of a power failure, UPS not only provides power backup to ensure smooth close of the production process, but also protects from surges, transients providing stability to the equipment process. Where the production process is modernised and AI controlled, the role of UPS in ensuring uninterrupted power is all the more crucial not only to continue the production process but also ensure safety to the advanced machines due to erratic power supply.

As industries begin to double up to make good the production loss and to meet the demand of the consumers, it cannot afford downtime. UPS role in manufacturing is just not restricted to backing up their automation alone. As organisations transform themselves, digital transformation is beginning to gain traction in areas like supply chain management, shop floor management, employee management which needs an uninterrupted flow of activities. So, the need for UPS in manufacturing is multi-fold and UPS brands have reasons to rejoice for the business potential that this segment offers.

Digital transformation in healthcare

One of the industries which adapted quickly to digital is undoubtedly healthcare and pharma services. Modernisation, advanced equipments coupled with the need to adapt digitalisation across various non-medical functions too have put this industry into a steadfast transformation.  It is imperative that the modern advanced equipments requires an uninterrupted and quality power all the more as it concerns the life of individuals. 

The need for UPS is vast in this sector. While the life monitoring equipment will need quality and continuous power, the infrastructure in the healthcare set up needs a different solution. So, there is no one power backup solution that will fit all, and it is important to understand this varied need.

As hospitals grow their bouquet of offerings, the initial set up with respect to power management systems might also need a relook. Healthcare sector should also keep in mind the future requirement, the IT infrastructure, the use of advanced technologies in mind while upgrading their power back-up. 

The pandemic saw a rise in UPS requirement in the healthcare industry. Telemedicine saw a huge growth especially in the pandemic period and has now become a normal service practice. Though at a nascent stage, blockchain in pharma is the next big thing that will revolutionise and optimise the value chain. Additionally, genetic and deep learning coupled with quantum computing will further accelerate and open new avenues in healthcare. All this means the dire need to have quality, clean and consistent power where UPS will play a significant role.

Maintaining maximum uptime will be all the more crucial

With so much happening across industries, ensuring maximum uptime and preventive maintenance will gain significance. The service segment of UPS cannot be looked at independently in the whole scheme of things.

While on one hand, there will be need to upgrade the UPS systems due to changing demands, there is also the pressing need to ensure that there is nil or minimum downtime. This is where reliable service plays a crucial role.

Organsiations while making huge investments in developing and modernising the infrastructure have many a times paid little attention to the maintenance investments. A holistic Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) is a must to ensure that the UPS and its associated power conditioning products are always well maintained to prevent any unforeseen downtime incidents. 

The recent reports of the worsening power crisis, indicating the coal reserve availability to less than 3 days, is bound to slow down the action. North Indian states are already witnessing power shutdowns and this is expected to worsen, if the situation continues. Indian industries cannot afford to be impacted like their Chinese counterparts, especially at a time when the country is looking ahead to the road of recovery. This will further accelerate the demand for power back-up, and the future for the UPS industry looks positive, on many counts.

About the author:

Palash Nandy is the Chief Executive Officer of Numeric, the market leader in the Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) and associated power conditioning products in India. Nandy has over two decades of experience in the electrical and digital infrastructure industry and has garnered rich experience in diverse business functions like strategic planning, market segmentation and product development.