Dharmendra Tomar, Business Development, Director, India & SAARC, Belden Inc.
Digital transformation has become the defining force reshaping the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) sector. From rethinking processes and deploying automation to embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability, companies in the sector are navigating a journey that is as complex as it is necessary. In August 2025, tele.net organised a webinar on the “Digital Transformation Journey of CPG Enterprises”, which brought together industry leaders to share their perspectives on this shift. The experts discussed digital maturity, smart factories, IT-OT integration, sustainability and the future roadmap for technology-driven growth. Key takeaways from their insights…
India is rapidly becoming a manufacturing hub. Companies are adopting technologies to digitise operations, partly because of labour challenges and the push toward efficiency. Many organisations now want to run operations that are unmanned and digitally supervised. AI has already been implemented in many plants, and we are moving toward dark factories, where every stock-keeping unit can be produced end-to-end with minimal human intervention.
At Belden, we support this transformation with an end-to-end technology portfolio. Digitisation requires multiple building blocks for a complete data flow journey. A critical point often overlooked is that when a plant is set up, it is usually planned for 8-10 years, taking into account capex. Reliable data flow must be part of this capex from the very beginning. Without it, critical information is lost.
The backbone infrastructure is as important as the machines themselves. That is why we insist on industrial-grade products. Too often, companies compromise by using the same office-grade equipment in factories. In reality, manufacturing systems need hardware built for harsh environments. Our products, some with warranties of 10-20 years, ensure sustainability and reliability when paired with valuable machinery. For example, quality in the food industry depends on precise inputs such as oil. Oil sourced from different suppliers varies in viscosity. Unless viscosity is measured at every stage and data captured every second, quality and consistency suffer. Digitised data helps ensure production quality and minimises waste. It also prevents leakages such as theft during unloading. Once integrated into ERP systems like SAP, companies can track monthly consumption across plants. Similarly, with multi-site overall equipment effectiveness, data from five factories can be compared in real time. Even a 1-3 per cent drift in raw material usage or efficiency has a significant monetary impact.
Moreover, digitisation requires strong IT-OT integration. In any business unit, the IT side manages information systems, while OT governs plant operations. Belden’s strength lies in bridging these two worlds. Machinery often comes from multiple generations, using different protocols. One machine may speak one language, another something completely different. Utilities such as water, oil and gas have their own management systems. Plants may also include substations with strict regulatory compliance requirements.
Cybersecurity is equally critical. Many companies rely on virtual private networks for factory connectivity, but that alone is not enough. Without secure connections, even a small IP misconfiguration could create dangerous malfunctions. Furthermore, digitising operations also brings the business and plant teams together. We work directly with both sides, converting protocols, integrating systems and ensuring manufacturing execution systems work seamlessly in factories. This creates smooth IT-OT alignment, which is where most organisations struggle. Compliance with standard operating procedures is maintained, safety is prioritised and quantification of savings is made possible. For example, in plants dealing with chemicals, safety is the top priority. Our solutions ensure data is captured, secured and analysed in a way that supports compliance and safe operations.
The future of Indian manufacturing is moving rapidly towards dark factories and highly digitised operations. The building blocks are already in place: AI, industrial-grade connectivity, protocol integration, cybersecurity and sustainability measures.
