53rd Annual Integrated Report 2023-24
53rd Annual Integrated Report 2023-24
Our strong intellectual capital enhances our business outcomes significantly and propels us to the forefront of innovation while maintaining our competitive advantage and driving sustainable growth. We continue to strengthen our R&D capabilities and advancing digitisation to optimise processes, drive innovation and deliver superior value to the customers.
Material issues addressed Digitalisation
Product Innovation
Key risks considered Technology Obsolescence
Information Security and
Confidentiality
Strategic linkages Operational Excellence
Enhance Margins
SDGs impacted
Harnessing cutting-edge technology holds immense potential in enabling us to recover and adapt resiliently from the challenges. The digital transformation encompasses cloud solutions for data security, AI-driven predictive analysis to anticipate market changes, or advanced automation to sustain operational resilience under challenging conditions. Technology makes us efficient by optimising our operations, reducing inefficiencies and freeing up resources, making more room for innovations and capability enhancements.
We have deployed smart manufacturing Advanced Process Control (APC) technology in our plants, enhancing our efficiency, productivity and quality. APC leverages advanced algorithms to optimise manufacturing processes in real-time, reducing variability and improving product quality.
We have transitioned most of our manual or paper-based processes, utilising digital tools such as automation software, cloud-based-storage and digital workflows to streamline processes and boost efficiency. Implementation of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) tools has further automated our processes This digital transition enables collaboration and information access for us.
Adoption of SAP RISE with HANA, hosted on the cloud, has amplified our operational efficiency and business performance. This facilitates real-time insights into business operations, enhancing supply chain management, while bringing the costs down. We have implemented CRM that helps us in seamless management of customer interactions, paving way more personalised experiences, increased customer engagement and improved customer satisfaction.
We are creating a data lake for advanced analytics, to fully unleash the power of data analytics. This will enable data-driven decision making, improve customer experiences and explore new revenue opportunities through the analysis of extensive data sets and extraction of insights. We intend to use ETL to extract data from diverse sources and plan to conduct predictive and prescriptive analytics.
Understanding the necessity of maintaining data confidentiality, integrity, availability of business data and its protection against cyber threats, we have embraced sound cybersecurity measures, including upgrading to next-gen firewalls and revamping the entire network to make it more secure and resilient.
Embracing Digital Twin Platform for all our business processes positions us competitively. The journey of digitally transforming Enterprise Data Management, Advanced Process Control, Asset Performance Management, Asset Information Management, Predictive Maintenance, Intelligent 3D Models development and integration of all functions with RPA (Robotic Process Automation), Analytics, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Models, etc. is a key enable for seizing on new growth opportunities. Digital Twin platform helps optimise our business processes, establishing cross-functional clarity to leverage best practices, improve controls and achieving superior performance. This opens the doors for enhanced visibility and transparency, utilising Digital Twin platform, as a valuable source of data insights.
We have successfully implemented Advanced Process Control (APC) at our Cumene and Phenol Plants located at Dahej, Gujarat - India. We have also implemented & demonstrated the successful operation of an APC controller for a very complex and challenging to optimise - “cleavage reactor” section of the phenol plant, which very few peers have implemented in the world.
APC is an intelligent and active software layer above the regulatory control layer that treats an entire process unit as a single, multivariable system and corrects for predicted future errors using an empirical model. APC controllers include an integrated optimiser that pushes the processing unit toward its most profitable state by solving for the maximum value of all economic variables in each iteration.
Multivariable – which helps coordinate and decouple the effects of interactions among multiple process variables
Model-predictive – APC uses dynamic models to predict process behaviour in the future and this information is then used to proactively control the process and correct future errors.
Constraint Aware – Monitoring and maintaining process variables within limits
Optimised – Integrating optimisation capabilities to drive applications toward specific design objectives.
Increase in production by 2.0 – 3.5%
Reduction in chemicals, energy consumption & material loss by 1.0 – 10%
Significant reduction in standard deviations by 2.0 – 70%
Sustained quality at different plant loads Reduction in operator intervention
by > 50%
>625 tonnes of CO2 reduction – Enhanced green index
Autonomous operation of plants with minimal operator intervention, enhanced
safety of the plants Utilisation of quality data to prepare an accurate
inferential model instead of utilisation of an online GC analysers
R&D Investment
Ph.Ds employed
New products launched
R&D professionals
Cumulative patent applications filed
Cumulative patents granted
More than five workshops focussed on general safety awareness and process safety were organised during the year, with participation from various functional teams across the Deepak Group. These workshops introduced the key features of process safety relevant to the Deepak Group’s expertise. During the workshops, detailed explanations were provided on various aspects of process safety and process scale-up. This training aims to help our teams develop processes with a strong emphasis on scalability and safety, starting from the lab.
Our state-of-the-art Deepak Research and Development Centre (DRDC), located in Nandesari, Gujarat serves as a centralised hub for our innovation capabilities. Recognised by the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, Government of India, DRDC specialises in innovating sophisticated technologies. It features state-of-the-art process engineering lab, a kilo lab and a process intensification lab, essential for scaling-up products development. Utilising the Design of Experiments (DOE) methodology and a specialised software for screening and optimisation, we expedite our development process and enhance the efficiency of lab scale development.
We have invested in flow reactor, flow meters, etc. under Process Engineering Research & Innovation (PERI), to support new technology platforms and continuous process development. To enhance synthetic chemistry, we have also invested in acquiring analytical tools such as Gas Chromatography (GC), Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GCMS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LCMS), Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) and Ion Chromatography (IC). We have undertaken the expansion of our analytical lab to house these instruments, reinforcing our innovation capabilities. We have Pilot Plants to scale up technologies.
The Company is also building a state-of-the- art R&D Centre at Savli, Vadodara, which is scheduled for completion by March 2025. This cutting-edge facility will house advanced laboratories and pilot plants dedicated to fostering innovation in chemical research, with a strong emphasis on sustainable and environmentally friendly processes. By uniting top-tier scientists and industry experts, this R&D Centre will become a hub for innovation, driving the development of new products and technologies that align with our growth strategy and advance the chemical industry in India.
Our cutting-edge pilot facilities, strategically located in Roha, Maharashtra and Nandesari, Gujarat, are pivotal for transition of our R&D activities into the commercial production of intermediates for various industrial applications such as agrochemicals, dyes and pharmaceuticals. These pilot facilities feature state-of-the-art infrastructure, stainless steel and glass-lined reactors and distillation columns for both gas and liquid raw materials. Moreover, they are fully equipped with cutting-edge instruments, a Distributed Control System (DCS) and essential utilities such as chilled brine, low-pressure steam, cooling water, temper water and more. These set-ups enable us to seamlessly deliver high-quality products.
We are extensively involved in developing new technology platforms to enhance our product capabilities.
At present, our focus lies on advancing fluorination and photochlorination chemistry, as well as high-pressure oxidation reactions for acid formation and gas-solid reactions for pharmaceutical applications. To achieve the same, the R&D members have undergone specific training both externally and through on-the-job training provided by in-house experts. This approach aims to increase the number of well-trained individuals in specialised areas. For instance, the scale-up of in-house developed catalysts is conducted at third-party facilities, where the R&D team gains an understanding of the unique aspects of this scale-up process, which differs from typical chemical scale-up activities. To advance this, we’ve set up a pilot facility tailored for vapor phase processes. Additionally, we’ve introduced laboratory-scale CSTR setups to enhance yield and quality while lowering operational costs. These setups facilitate conversion from batch mode reactions to continuous mode, achieving batch efficiency and cost-effectiveness in our operations.
In addition to our cutting-edge research and pilot facilities, we have advanced literature search tools such as SciFinder and engineering tools like Mixit and ASPEN. These resources enable our team to stay abreast with the latest developments in the scientific fields.
The Technical Organisation plays a vital role in ensuring the efficient progression of ideas for developing sustainable processes and transitioning them into the manufacturing plant. The Idea To Plant process (ITP) involves a comprehensive evaluation undertaken by the dedicated technical team. The evaluation encompasses thorough review of the entire process, from idea generation, through technical development and up to the eventual production plant. The activities are meticulously mapped and the relevant documents are formalised to ensure smooth flow of information and tasks. The ITP project defines the technical processes, determine the necessary infrastructure and establish a document system to support the entire process. Additionally, extensive safety reports covering both chemicals and processes are included, ensuring a clear understanding of potential hazards and requisite safety protocols.
