Tycon Automation has empowered the paper industry with electrical and instrumentation solutions designed to reduce energy consumption and boost operational efficiency. In an exclusive interview with Paper Mart, Mr. Rohit Tickoo, Director at Tycon Automation Private Limited, highlighted that their rugged software platforms deliver consistent performance even when input materials vary in quality. He further emphasized that over the next five years, embracing artificial intelligence (AI) will be essential for paper mills to remain competitive and secure long-term success.
Paper Mart: Could you explain your company’s key offerings and their relevance to the Indian pulp and paper industry’s dynamic needs?
Rohit Tickoo: We, at Tycon Automation, offer a complete turnkey electrical and instrumentation package to all process industries like paper, sugar, power, steel and cement industries. These offerings are widely used in paper industries and are key to managing the growth of the paper industries as they help industry to optimize the cost and increase efficiency which are key pain areas.
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PM: In recent years, have you introduced any new products, upgrades, or solutions specifically designed for Indian paper mills? What gap in the market were they trying to fill?
RT: We have increased our horizon and offered upgraded technology in electrical solutions which include providing energy management solutions which helps cut down the electricity cost.
Also, new technology like low harmonic and fully regenerative drive systems for electrical motors and high efficiency motors like IE5, help save energy cost.
PM: Could you describe the typical technological and operational issues in Indian mills and explain your company’s approach to resolving them?
RT: Key technological and operation issues in the current paper industry is upgradation of electrical systems and upkeeping of equipment. We help them to guide and provide solutions which help them cut energy cost and make the system efficient by providing cutting edge solutions which help them to be at par with updated global solutions.
The only sustainable strategy for process industries is to optimize internal efficiency. AI plays a pivotal role here as it helps to sharpen the systems of the paper industry and drive profitability.
PM: Sustainability is a growing priority. How do your solutions help mills reduce water and energy consumption, emissions, or chemical usage? Can you share a recent case study or implementation?
RT: As we explained above, we provide electrical and automation solutions with the best efficiency class in today’s time. By providing precise control and right instrumentation we help them use the water, energy and also chemical dosage in the right quantity.
PM: Given the increasing digitalization, to what extent have Indian mills integrated smart sensors, automation, and AI systems? What are the key enablers or barriers in your view?
RT: Industry is slowly and steadily crawling towards digitalization. In our view, there is huge potential, but unfortunately cost is the barrier for small and medium industry. But in our view, in the coming 5 years, most of those mills will have to embrace AI which will be a key to success. The sooner the adaptation, the better the results.
PM: Mill owners often demand a balance between performance and cost. How do you ensure your technologies remain both efficient and economically viable, especially for small and mid-sized mills?
RT: We provide them future-ready systems which give them a glimpse of future adaptation. We introduced a sectional drive system with Distributed Control System (DCS) with bare minimum instrumentation- 2.5 decades back, and the same system is the backbone of current system offering.
PM: Many Indian mills face inconsistency in raw materials and quality variability. Can your technology or machinery help bring more stability or predictability to mill operations?
RT: Our system adapts to any kind of variation with ease. We have provided a future-ready system and with our experience, we have developed rugged software solutions which can give them better results, even if the incoming raw material or quality is inconsistent.
We provide better loop controls with right instrumentation which helps us to understand the input process, and based on that, our system does pre-diagnostics and takes care of the process prehand, delivering better, faster, and accurate results, helping our customers with better results.
PM: Are you investing in ‘Make-in-India’ or localization efforts in terms of manufacturing, support, or technology customization?
RT: We are fully committed to the Make-in-India initiative. Barring a few pieces of equipment, everything we buy or manufacture comes from home grown companies, be it raw material for panel manufacturing, or any electrical solutions.
PM: Looking ahead, what kind of innovations or technological shifts do you foresee reshaping the Indian paper industry in the next 3–5 years?
RT: Companies have to adapt the best efficient system and use more AI in the coming time to help overcome losses and make the system more efficient. I have been quoting this more when input costs are uncontrollable. The only sustainable strategy for process industries is to optimize internal efficiency. AI plays a pivotal role here as it helps to sharpen their systems and drive profitability.
We provide better loop controls with right instrumentation which helps us to understand the input process, and based on that, our system does pre-diagnostics and takes care of the prehand process, delivering better, faster, and accurate results.
