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Innovation has always played a pivotal role in IGL's success
story of multifold business growth and ever-growing customer
base. The innovation team at IGL, a dedicated group of researchers,
is continuously engaged in adding new, value-added products
to our product range. At IGL, we take utmost care to ensure
that our products are environment-friendly and comply to all
national and international safety norms.
The R&D division, since its inception in 1994, is dedicated
to developing as well as acquiring new, advanced technologies
for the quick growth and sustenance of business. The results
have been the outcome of many successful collaborations with
international experts from academia and various industries.
India Glycols has a focused R&D section within its distillery
to introduce unique, improvised processes and techniques to
achieve high fermentation efficiencies. With the help of pilot
fomenters, our team constantly conducts research on fermentation
processes with different raw materials and simulates the same
on plant scale so as to improve yields. The research team
is also working on the 'smart distillery concept' capable
of producing alcohol from different raw materials, ie, molasses,
grains and sugarcane.
The state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities of IGL (with
complexes at various locations) in Uttarakhand has one of
the most efficient distilleries in the country, producing
the finest quality extra neutral alcohol (ENA). Apart
from producing industrial alcohol for its captive consumption,
IGL is also one of the biggest exporters of ENA.
The only bottling plant in India to adopt the world-renowned ISO 22000 (food safety management systems) quality standards, apart from ISO 9000, 14000 and 18000, India Glycols' facility at Kashipur has a production capacity of 1.50 million cases (potable liquor) per annum.
In 2009, IGL, under its diversification program (Ennature
Biopharma), set up a Super Critical Fluid Extraction (SCFE)
and aqueous and solvent extraction facility at Dehradun, with
a full-fledged R&D department having major analytical
equipment for process and method development for the production
of various nutraceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients
(APIs). The R&D department boasts of pilot plants of SCFE
and solvent with working similar to that of the main commercial
plants.
The key products developed by Ennature Biopharma are herbal
extracts, spice oleoresins / extracts, nutraceuticals and
phytochemical APIs. The main thrust of research has been focused
on ingredients with anti-cancer, anti-arthritic, muscular
pain reducing and anti-malarial capabilities and intermediate
phytocemicals, along with polyphenols, hyperlipidemics, antioxidants,
carotenoids, etc. Product development is also aligned to customer
requirements.
Innovation strategy
The Innovation Strategy of IGL, structured in line with the
vision and mission statement of the organization, is to drive
business through market-led innovations in product, process
and application technologies, thereby establishing ourselves
as a “solution provider”.
The salient features of the strategy are:
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The R&D function focuses
on developments, scaling-up of processes, quality and
cost reduction |
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Major projects are customer-driven, using
product / application expertise |
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Innovation integrates the customer interface
with all other functions |
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Value creation through differentiated product
attributes and cost optimisation |
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Networking with external institutions to
help in knowledge updation and capability building |
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The R&D function focuses on profitable growth
and value creation for IGL's stakeholders. |
Key competencies
The prime criteria for project selection has always been the core competencies of the R&D team, which are:
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Surface science and technology |
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Emulsion (micro, macro and multiple) technology
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Synthetic organic chemistry |
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Polymer chemistry |
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Crop protection technology |
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Formulation knowledge and skills |
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Application knowledge and skills |
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Polymerisable surfactants for emulsion
polymerisation and paint applications |
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Surface modification and characterisation |
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Technical support and service |
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Enzyme technology |
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Nano technology |
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Controlled or targetted delivery |
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Super critical fluid extraction technology |
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Aqueous and solvent extraction technology,
with cGMP-compliant post processing facility. |
Innovation pipeline
The innovation pipeline has always been populated to ensure the future sustenance and growth of business. Innovation projects undergo intensive brainstorming before initiation and are subjected to the stage-gate process for monitoring progress. The following are a few examples of projects carried out by our R&D team:
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Development of "green", sugar-based surfactant
for application in the agrochemicals, textiles and personal
care sectors |
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New cost-effective binders in “briquetting”
for ore beneficiation |
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Environment-friendly, low-dosage and low-temperature demulsifier for oil field applications |
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Biodegradable water retention aids for different types of soil |
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Adjuvants for herbicide formulations |
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New biodegradable emulsifiers for combo pesticides |
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APEO-free and GOTS-compliant new surfactants for textile processing |
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Polymerisable surfactants for emulsion polymerisation and paint applications |
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Technology development for ultra-low PEG for higher mole alcohol alkoxylates |
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In-house process development of various
natural APIs, spice extracts, herbal extracts and nutraceuticals,
and scaling-up for commercial production using high-purity
ingredients, with better yield and cost reduction |
IGL has also innovated and perfected a method for achieving
zero discharge from a distillery by RO, biocomposting, evaporation
and incineration. These methods have been appreciated
by various government agencies.
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