How drugmaker Cipla sharpened ops using enterprise tech

Cipla Limited, the fourth largest Indian drugmaker by market value, strengthened its digital and enterprise technology infrastructure to support its growing pharmaceutical business and used automation to enhance processes during the financial year ending March 2025.

The company undertook technology initiatives targeting manufacturing precision, quality assurance, supply chain optimization, and workforce efficiency. Techcircle dived into its annual report to bring out some of the projects it implemented last year.

Digitization & automation underpinning manufacturing strategy:

At its Goa site, utilising Digital Twin technology, it optimised processes by converting products from wet granulation to a roll compaction formula, improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, it successfully validated an API molecule using the Continuous Flow Hybrid process at its Kurkumbh site, resulting in substantial cost savings and enhanced process safety.

The firm said that the adoption of Industry 4.0 is delivering significant benefits, with advanced analytics interventions resulting in savings of Rs 1.75 crore at API plants and Rs 0.41 crore at formulation plants in FY 2024-25.

In particular, it implemented a string of projects as part of automation last year. These include, SAP Enterprise Asset manager that enhances the performance of physical assets through real-time insights using IoT, machine learning, mobility and advanced predictive analytics at units located in Patalganga and Baddi.

At Patalganga it also implemented a new Distributed Control System to monitor the process critical variables adhering to statutory and regulatory guidelines. This improved operational efficiency and provided better data analytics while reducing manual intervention.

Cipla also executed GenAI with use case for simplifying the day-today operational queries that improved Root Cause Analysis, allowed rapid problem solving and standardised knowledge sharing at all sites.

It also undertook a project to establish a structured governance framework for Operational Technology (OT) infrastructure, ensuring standardisation, security and compliance. This included policies, access control, network segmentation and system monitoring to enhance reliability and mitigate cyber risks. The project led to improved system resilience, optimised asset performance, reduced downtime and operational risks across all its sites in India.

Cipla also upgraded to smart systems across all sites with Datatech Architecture, enabling seamless access to critical information across the application, data leak, analytics and visualisation layer. This improved readability and ensured a smoother flow of information while improving operational efficiency and providing better data analytics.

Among new launches, it brought to market CipAir, an AI- powered mobile application, to simplify asthma screening in India with proprietary technology that uses breathing signatures for Asthma screening.

Another key initiative was in the automation of cleaning validation practices on the Leucine 4.0 platform at its API manufacturing facilities. This initiative aimed to achieve right-first time manufacturing by eliminating redundant data transcription and paper-based documentation, significantly boosting productivity.

Technology in HR & Employment Engagement

Some key initiatives include: AI models to accelerate hiring and enhance decision-making in the recruitment process, sentiment analysis using GenAI to analyse manager feedback and performance ratings, enhanced AI-powered MiDAS ChatBot to enable real-time goal tracking and automated manual processes for employee assessment, enhanced data security and advanced analytics for informed decision-making.

Tech Integration in SCM

Last year, it accelerated technology integration across its supply chain through key initiatives such as AI-Driven Return Management, CIPBOT, AI/Machine Learning-Powered Transport Management System, the SAP Extended Warehouse Management module, and the Cipsmart chatbot powered by Robotic Process Automation. These AI and automation-led solutions have significantly optimised operations in returns, logistics, warehousing and customer engagement—resulting in reduced working capital and labour costs, fewer errors, faster turnaround times and improved overall efficiency and transparency, it noted.