Cipla Limited – known to be It is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of antiretroviral medications – enjoys a grand and respected history of 90 years with Indian healthcare system. First established in 1935 as the Chemical, Industrial and Pharmaceuticals Laboratories in Mumbai, the core focus of Cipla’s business was to develop effective treatments for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and numerous other medical conditions. Present in over 80 countries with as many as1,500 products across various therapeutic categories, the company is also known for world-class safe and secure manufacturing processes and practices.
As a pioneer in the pharma industry, Cipla recognized the need to upgrade the company’s fire safety systems at its manufacturing site in Patalganga, Maharashtra, in line with the innovative solutions currently available.
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The fire alarm panels at the Patalganga location had been installed quite some time back and there was a need to replace the same considering the latest innovations in the Fire Alarm Industry. It was recognized that the fire detection and alarm facilities needed an urgent upgrade to ensure reliability, however, selecting a replacement to serve the vast manufacturing site was not a simple process. Cipla’s safety managers had decided that maintaining the original network cable was preferred over laying a whole new network. This meant that any new fire alarm system under consideration had to be integrated and adapted to the existing infrastructure and needed to be scalable and future-proof.
In addition, the distance between some sections of the plant spans up to three kilometers. The safety managers wanted to reduce cabling to cover these distances and to explore options which allowed for numerous fire detection devices to be installed within each single loop. Furthermore, although the entire site required fire safety coverage, some facilities were more critical and thus demanded early smoke and flame detection. For alerts with sounders and strobes, the team requested a solution that could be powered directly within the loop, rather than employing external power sources.
A comprehensive, high-capacity fire detection system was required to precisely monitor for signs of ignition or combustion for a rapid response and to avoid unnecessary downtime. The safety team at Cipla also requested a dashboard-style interface for efficient troubleshooting and to identify priorities of maintenance requirements. The first step was to elevate the existing setup into the digital age to improve accuracy, transparency and system care.
Milind Patil, Director of Bosch certified partner M/s. Mantech Intellisys Private Limited, considered various options to address the specific needs of the Cipla plant in collaboration with the Bosch experts. The AVENAR panel was the preferred choice as it is extremely reliable and easy to use, with the additional benefits that the system could be serviced remotely and efficiently networked. The loop capacity of the AVENAR panels allows for any combination of up to 254 devices. Therefore, specific heat detectors, dual optical-chemical detectors and multi-sensor detectors could be installed precisely where they were needed for specific applications at the plant. All alarm sounders and strobes are now included within (and powered by) these loops, too – just as the Cipla safety team had requested.
The latest innovative solutions from Bosch were installed to ensure the facility is kept safe and secure. AVIOTEC intelligent video-based detection was installed at points where safety personnel needed to be alerted of any visual signs of real flames or smoke within seconds. Areas which housed substances carrying risks of combustion or where highly flammable materials are handled are now monitored reliably 24/7. Explosion-proof detectors were also installed in spaces storing or processing volatile hazardous materials which emit no smoke.
Bosch’s remote services further improve the serviceability and maintenance of the system, with improved efficiency and cost savings. Safety managers no longer need to rely and react on manual reports. Smart, networked connectivity means they have instant remote access to any alerts for maintenance requirements, as well as precise fire alert information. This helps them differentiate between the need to physically visit an area, for instance, to replace batteries, and the possibility to configure or troubleshoot components over their portable devices.
The Cipla customers were fully satisfied with the successful installation of the Bosch fire safety system. Milind Patil says, “The flexibility and variety available within Bosch’s fire product portfolio have significantly aided us in designing and customizing solutions that meet our requirements across various scenarios and applications.” The safety managers at Cipla find the user interface of the AVENAR fire alarm panel and the remote services extremely intuitive. Training sessions with safety personnel are now much more effective and impactful. Furthermore, in addition to all the functional advantages, Cipla saves on costs with minimal downtime, thanks to the smart IoT-based highly reliable Bosch Fire System. The cutting-edge manufacturing facility now includes equally cutting-edge fire safety solutions.
