The Fourth Industrial Revolution in Bangladesh

The Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, refers to the change in technology, industries, and processes in the 21st century due to increased connectivity and automation in all sectors. To understand Industry 4.0, it’s important that we take a brief look at the first three revolutions. The first industrial revolution kicked off with the introduction of mechanization, water power, and steam power. The second industrial revolution revolved around mass production through assembly lines with electricity being the key power source. Then, the third industrial revolution incorporated the use of electronics, IT systems, and automation. And finally, the fourth industrial revolution is further pushing the envelope by integrating the internet, cyber-physical systems, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, etc. into the fold. 

It should come as no surprise that Industry 4.0 has a significant impact on the industrial automation process. Using the combined efficacy of cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), analytics, AI, and machine learning, companies are now able to manufacture, improve, and distribute their products at a scale that has never been seen before. This has led to the rise of smart factories which are equipped with advanced sensors, robotics, and software to collect and analyze data to enhance and improve the overall decision-making process. For instance, replacing manual inspection with AI-operated insights can greatly reduce errors and hence, save time and money. Similarly, quality control personnel can use the cloud to monitor the manufacturing process from virtually anywhere on the planet. Lastly, manufacturers can use machine learning technology to detect any error that may occur immediately rather than having to wait for the error to be noticed. In essence, the implementation of Industry 4.0 will lead to improved cost efficiency, flexibility, scalability, safety, control, and much more. 

Prospects Of Industry 4.0 In Bangladesh

Industry 4.0 has disrupted several key sectors of Bangladesh like the RMG, textile, agro-processing, leather, footwear, and tourism industry. In addition, the light engineering, furniture manufacturing, shipbuilding and breaking, tourism, and hospitality sectors of Bangladesh have made significant investments in robotics, sensors, software, automated machinery, IoT, and big data. In addition, there are several challenges of integrating Industry 4.0 that the country faces which include a lack of awareness, infrastructure, skills, investment, and technology. Bangladesh is still largely dependent on manual labor in regard to the manufacturing industries. But on the bright side, several public and private enterprises are taking active steps to improve the policies, investments, infrastructure, education, and training so that Industry 4.0 can be adopted into the manufacturing and service industries of the country which can help increase production efficiency and manpower utilization. 

Industry Automation Suppliers Of Bangladesh

Among the several automation suppliers of Bangladesh, Sincos stands apart from the rest as the only automation company in the country that is capable of providing comprehensive automation solutions which include robotics, industrial and process automation, vision systems, high speed marking and coding, compressed air systems, intelligent industrial air conditioning, etc. We are one of the key suppliers for several different industries which include, but are not limited to, agro-chemicals, cement, lubricant, packaging, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, poultry, PVC pipes, steel pipes, tobacco, textile, toiletries, etc. The company name Sincos is actually derived from “Sales, INstallation, COmmissioning, & Service”, which goes to show the priorities of the organization. We are committed to providing complete solutions to our clients and customers, no matter what sector they operate in.

Impact Of Sincos On The Automation Of Bangladesh Industries

Sincos is the first company to become a technology partner with different international automation brands in Bangladesh. Prior to the company’s entry, most automation technologies had to be outsourced from foreign countries and their suppliers. Thus, the contribution and impact of Sincos in the Bangladeshi sectors cannot be understated because the country wouldn’t have been able to adopt the necessary equipment required for automation, let alone Industry 4.0. Furthermore, Sincos is not only limited to just supplying tech as we also provide system-level engineering services, installation and programming services, commissioning, training, and various after-sales services which allows our clients to become up-to-date with the latest software and procedures required to operate their newly acquired tech.

We have also collaborated with several renowned engineering universities like BUET, RUET, CUET, etc. where we provided the necessary equipment for training and research. In addition, the training and R&D labs set up by Sincos are used regularly for research in the fields of advanced communications, satellite systems, advanced automation and robotics, vision systems, and IoT.

Collaboration Of Sincos With Different Brands

Since its inception, Sincos has worked with several brands and partners to develop and execute industrial automation projects across a variety of different industries. Some of our key partner collaborations are highlighted below:

Sincos was formed in 1983 with the goal to provide industrial air conditioning and refrigeration.

In 1991, Sincos partnered up with Markem-Imaje to bring high-speed non-contact printers for date coding and marking solutions to Bangladesh. We are the sole representative of Markem-Imaje in the country.

In 1997, we teamed up with Festo to provide pneumatics and electromechanical systems for automation. We are the proud partners and representatives of Festo in Bangladesh.

• A year later in 1998, Sincos partnered with Sullair to become the key representative and provider of industrial air compressors.
  

• However, one of Sincos’ biggest collaborations has been with the automation tech giant Siemens starting in 2010. We partnered with Siemens for a variety of automation components like PLC, HMI, drives, LV/MV, and, most importantly, SCADA technologies.
  

• We collaborated with Cognex in 2018 to provide Intelligent Machine Vision Systems & Scanning Solutions in Bangladesh.

• Furthermore, Sincos have worked together with Universal Robots since 2019 to bring advanced robotics to Bangladesh which is capable of packaging and palletizing, injection molding, screw driving, gluing, dispensing, welding, assembly, and quality inspection to name a few of its capabilities.
  

Key Projects Of Sincos

With so many collaborations across the industry with some of the biggest brands in the world, Sincos has contributed a lot to the growth, development, and automation in industries in Bangladesh and beyond. Sincos has also played a vital role in the implementation of PLC and SCADA technology which are control systems designed to monitor, control, and collect data from automated industrial processes. Here are some of the key projects of Sincos in collaboration with Siemens throughout the years:

• One of the most prominent projects for Sincos is the implementation of SCADA systems for the semi-conductor manufacturing line of Apple. We have designed, developed, programmed, and commissioned the PLC automation and SCADA system for the tech giant in 2020.
  

• Sincos provided British American Tobacco Bangladesh control of their entire factory using SCADA tablet PCs and has also set up a central SCADA video wall to monitor the day-to-day activities. Furthermore, we upgraded and converted existing machines’ control systems for the company. We completed the turnkey Green Leaf Tobacco Processing Plant Automation and Central SCADA system project in 2021.
  

• In 2020, Sincos took on a project from Abul Khair Ceramics for LV/MV Switchgear panels with automated control and EMS. We developed a cloud-based Energy Monitoring System (EMS) for the company. And the scope of the project included designing, development, panel fabrication, installation programming, and commissioning of PLC-controlled switchgear systems.
  

• Sincos developed a HVAC control system for Akij Printing and Packaging where we designed, programmed, and commissioned PLC and VFD systems.
  

• Sincos has designed, developed, installed, and commissioned PLC and VFD systems for Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) automation for Brightwash Limited
  

• We worked with Grey Water Treatment Plant to design, develop, install, and commission PLC and VFD systems for Water Treatment Plant (WTP) automation.
  

• Sincos has been working with Unilever Bangladesh Ltd. since 2014 on a total of 27 SCADA and PLC automation projects which encompass the design, development, panel fabrication, installation programming, and commissioning of PLC-controlled switchgear systems.

Ending Thoughts

The adoption of Industry 4.0 in Bangladesh could not be possible without the contribution of Sincos. The company has single-handedly spearheaded the fourth industrial revolution in the country by supplying all the different sectors with the necessary tech, components, and expertise to get them up and running. We have worked with more than 1500 companies and have over 2500+ running projects. Also, we have worked with brands like Nestle, Pepsi, P&G, Unilever, Beximco Pharma, GSK, DBL ceramics, RAK ceramics, Holcim, Shah Cement, BAT, JTI, Walton, and even Apple to name a few. Hence, for custom turnkey Industry 4.0 solutions, Sincos is the one you should consider.