An Exclusive Interface with Mr. Anil Kumar

September 6, 2023 Advance Branding

A&I : Take us through the journey of INOVANCE TECHNOLOGY PRIVATE LIMITED in India & the company’s current operations.

In 2012, Inovance Technology India was established in Chennai, Tamilnadu, and the company initially operated from a modest 1,850 sq ft headquarters. Over the course of just 10 years, Inovance India has shown exceptional growth in its business operations through strong expansion strategies and teamwork. As a result, the Inovance India headquarters in Chennai has now expanded significantly to cover an impressive 50,000 sq ft manufacturing facility; a powerful testament to Inovance India’s success.

Inovance Technology India has an extensive network of offices, distributors, after sales, and support networks across India. This ensures flexible and convenient access to Inovance’s products and services for all its customers. One of the significant milestones achieved by Inovance is recognition from TUV SUD for its high product quality and international standards, such as ISO 9001:2015 certification. Inovance Technology India continues to be a prominent player in the technology industry, providing top-notch products and services to our valued customers across the country.

A&I : Please brief us about INOVANCE’s global network & infrastructure?

Inovance Group was founded in 2003 and is a leading global provider of industrial automation solutions to OEMs and end users. Over the past two decades, Inovance has experienced remarkable growth in its business, with revenues currently exceeding $3.4 billion. Inovance is proud to have developed a strong global customer base and is a market leader in world-class manufacturing, and innovative research and development (R&D). Inovance is renowned for providing cutting-edge solutions, high quality products, and the best levels of customer service and satisfaction.

With its commitment to excellence, Inovance has rapidly expanded its presence at a global level. The company has strategically positioned offices, factories and R&D facilities in key locations, including India, South Korea, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Spain and Hungary. This widespread presence enables Inovance to cater for diverse markets and tap into regional expertise. It also has a dedicated European division, which enables it to offer fast delivery and local support across the continent.

A&I : Please brief us on INOVANCE TECHNOLOGY PRIVATE LIMITED’s industrial automation product range & solutions & brief us latest top line product range.

Inovance Technology India combines a comprehensive range of cutting-edge solutions with expert engineering capabilities. As a complete industrial automation solutions provider, Inovance offers a diverse product range that spans AC drives, servos, motion control, industrial robots, PLCs, CNCs and HMIs. With a deep understanding of the unique requirements of various industries, Inovance caters to OEMs and end users across many sectors, including packaging, textiles, rubber & plastics, and printing.

Inovance recently launched the MD520 high performance universal AC drive, Easy Series PLC and the MD800 compact AC multidrive. The MD520 AC drive represents a significant advancement in motor control technology and is designed to offer versatile and efficient motor control for both AC asynchronous and PM synchronous motors, making it a suitable choice for a wide range of industrial applications. The new compact EtherCAT-enabled Easy Series PLC can control the simplest to the most complex motion control applications using EtherCAT and Ethernet/IP, and delivers easy programming, wiring, assembly, and commissioning. The Easy PLC series is designed in a simple yet effective way, supporting function block and encapsulation, code reusability and scalability so that customers can achieve maximum efficiency. The MD800 AC drive is the rising star of our product range, with its modular design, and quick and easy maintenance. It allows up to eight drives per rectifier, reducing overall drive footprint by up to 50% compared with traditional single drive modules.

Inovance is not just another automation provider; it’s a catalyst for progress and transformation.

A&I : Which key industries do you cater to? Please share some of the main application areas.

Inovance caters to an extensive range of industries, making it a versatile and dynamic player in the industrial automation space. From Elevator to Escalator, packaging to textiles, rubber to plastics, printing to air compressors, CNC machine tools to electric vehicles, Inovance is an expert in providing tailored automation solutions to meet the unique demands and requirements of each industry. Inovance expertise also extends beyond traditional applications, encompassing fans & pumps, special purpose machinery, cranes, wires & cables, and metalworking.

Inovance’s commitment to being a world leader in innovation is evident in our excellence in industrial robotics. We offer cutting-edge solutions that optimize manufacturing processes across various industries. We also make a significant impact on water and wastewater management, supporting sustainable practices with our advanced automation solutions.

Transforming fabric printing with a high-speed rotary screen-printing solution:

A leading Indian textile manufacturer faced significant hurdles in its fabric printing process. It was struggling with low printing speeds and the inability to maintain synchronization between the fabric and the printing head, impacting productivity and the ability to meet market demands. Inovance stepped in with an exclusive rotary screen-printing solution, introducing an EtherCAT-based servo system comprising SV660N high dynamic performance servo drives coupled with MS1 servo motors, IS650N servo drive and ISMG servo motors. This innovative setup was managed by an EtherCAT-enabled AM600 motion controller with PLC functionality and complemented by Inovance’s IT7000 high-performance HMI. The results were exceptional; the fabric printing machine achieved a high speed of 180 meters per minute, enhancing production rates and improving delivery times. The advanced servo technology ensured perfect synchronization, eliminating errors and maintaining flawless printing at high speeds.

Accelerating paper & plastic manufacturing:

In another notable success story, Inovance’s MS1 series servo motors boosted an Indian paper and plastic disposable product manufacturer’s operations to deliver high productivity and efficiency rates. Inovance’s advanced motors delivered high levels of accuracy and increased production speeds, enabled by effective EtherCAT communication. Inovance’s servo drives, motors, and HMI offered excellent value, reduced production times and synchronized performance, demonstrating our commitment to revolutionizing the manufacturing industry.

A&I : As one of the leaders in Industrial automation solutions – AC drives, servo drives and motors, motion control, industrial robots, PLCs, CNCs, and HMIs – how according to you has the market evolved over the years?

In my opinion, the industrial automation market has experienced significant evolution, growth and major shifts over the years, driven by advancements in technology, changing industry needs, and the increasing demand for efficiency and productivity. This is especially the case with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and data analytics. These technologies have revolutionized automation components and solutions, allowing for more intelligent, connected and data-driven systems. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has enabled seamless connectivity and communication between machines and systems. This connectivity facilitates real-time data collection analysis and remote monitoring, leading to predictive maintenance, optimized processes and enhanced decision-making. Recent developments in factory optimization have made it essential to adapt machinery and other processes in order to make manufacturing more effective. The best part of this evolution is that the automation sector is opening up many opportunities for companies that are innovative and can cater to customers ranging from automotive to agricultural companies.

As the world continues to embrace Industry 4.0 principles, demand for advanced automation components and solutions is expected to grow further.

A&I : Can you please brief us about your manufacturing facilities & R&D activities In India?

As part of Inovance’s strong vision and desire to serve the industrial automation sector in the best way possible, we opened our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chennai in 2023, spanning an impressive 40,000 sq ft. This strategic move is set to revolutionize several customer-facing operations within our company, delivering efficiency and excellence across product storage, stock management, product updates, PIMM product assembly, and product grading and packing. With enhanced product storage and stock management capabilities, we are able to ensure seamless inventory control and faster order processing, empowering us to cater to our customers’ needs with the highest levels of speed and precision. The new facility’s inclusion of product grading and packing services reinforces our dedication to being a leader in delivering the best quality products to the market. Every item leaving our premises will undergo meticulous grading and packing, ensuring that our customers receive nothing short of excellence.

We strongly believe in fostering a collaborative relationship with our valued customers, working alongside them to understand their unique needs and challenges, and so we have invested heavily in our Research & Development (R&D) department. Our R&D teams thrive on challenges, constantly driven to push boundaries and exceed expectations. We understand that the industrial automation landscape is dynamic and ever-evolving, with market requirements continuously changing. Therefore, our R&D team is always up-to-date with the latest trends and market demands.

A&I : Please brief us about the quality policy for the business.

At Inovance, we are driven by a set of core management principles and behaviours. We believe in cultivating mutually profitable relationships with our customers, understanding their needs and those of their customers as well, in order to ensure our long-term success together. These principles are:

Achieve our commitments for quality, cost, and schedule
• Undertake systematic research and use the best preventive practices at all levels to ensure reliable risk management
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation based upon efficient business processes, well-defined measurements, best practices and customer surveys
• Develop staff competencies, creativity, empowerment, and accountability through appropriate development programs, with strong management involvement and commitment.

A&I : What is your market strategy for sales growth in India?

Our market strategy for sales growth in India revolves around a customer-centric approach. We believe that a well-trained and motivated sales team is instrumental in driving sales growth. Our sales team undergoes comprehensive product training to understand the unique selling points of our offerings and gain in-depth product knowledge. They are equipped to identify and address the specific needs of Indian customers, making personalized recommendations and solutions. We give high priority to after-sales support, in order to ensure seamless customer experiences, and we maintain a quick and timely service response. Our focus remains on customer satisfaction, collecting feedback to continuously improve our products and services. Additionally, we provide reliable technical support to address any concerns promptly and efficiently, building strong relationships with our valued customers.

A&I : Any special message for our readers.

Inovance is your pathway to advanced industrial automation solutions

With our wide range of products, including AC drives, servo motors & drives, PLCs, and HMIs, we have all the tools you need to optimize your automation systems. Whether you are an OEM machine builder seeking to enhance your machines’ performance or an end user across sectors like packaging, textiles, rubber, plastics, or printing, we have tailored solutions to meet your unique needs.

When you choose Inovance, you’re not just getting cutting-edge technology, you’re gaining a dedicated partner focused on your success. We are here to offer exceptional after-sales support and technical expertise whenever you need it, ensuring that you’re always operating at peak performance.

Join hands with Inovance to pave the way for a brighter future with advanced industrial automation solutions.