Dr Reddy's laboratories is undertaking different projects to achieve digital transformation in every area of operation
DAMODAR MANTRI
DR REDDY`S LABORATORIES
We have started a few projects for digital transformation, especially major projects like manufacturing, implementation of manufacturing execution system for quality, laboratory management system, R&D, electronic lab notebook, training shop-floor and learning management system.
In a country lacking healthcare facilities, Dr Reddy's Laboratories has been democratising healthcare by making affordable medicines for millions since 1984, becoming one of the largest pharmaceuticals companies in India.
As the company enters an era of growth, increased competition and government regulations are demanding the need to adopt digital technologies in all possible ways. Digital transformation is the need of the hour, agrees Damodar Mantri, Director (IT & BPE), Dr Reddy's Laboratories. He is undertaking several transformational projects to turn the 33-year-old company into a digital enterprise.
In a nutshell, information technology has emerged as operations technology function. “Earlier, all these processes were manual but now these are handled through electronic platforms, bringing complete system controls closing the process loops,” explains Mantri.
To successfully complete so many projects simultaneously, Mantri feels that team collaboration is important and needs full attention to take the business to the next level in the era of digital transformation. The pharma company has created virtual war rooms and implemented internal networking sites where cross-functional team exchange knowledge, share process simplification ideas and create success templates to implement digital projects in a quick turnaround time.
Despite high investments going into these projects, Mantri opines that patience is important to let the projects bear fruit. “We may not see any improvement on day one in adding figures to the bottom line or top line with these digital transformations but these improvement projects have improved operational efficiencies and increased quality compliance which are intangible benefits for the business,” he says.
Digital transformation and building infrastructure are closely connected and there are no substitutes. “But the more your business is digital-dependant, you need a more robust infrastructure which acts like a backbone to your system architecture. Today, we have multiple options on infrastructure with much more advance technology. On a case-to-case basis, we are revamping the legacy infrastructure and building redundancy for critical business applications,” he adds.
Mantri believes no one project is enough to achieve digital transformation and defines the term as a journey rather than a destination. “Though we have defined our long-term goals in digital transformation like being paperless on the manufacturing front and adopting IoT, having digital connect with the customers to know the needs and trends, improve inventory turnaround to add bottomline figures are all dynamic and the fast changes in technology will keep our long-term goals as a moving target,” puts in Mantri.
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