2026-09-03

Rishad Dadachanji, Director, Kairish Innotech, discusses pharmaceutical automation, engineering excellence, regulatory compliance, and the future of smart manufacturing, in an exclusive interview with Pharma Industrial India.

Q. What was the key market gap that led the Dadachanji Group to launch Kairish Innotech?

Rishad Dadachanji: The idea behind Kairish Innotech was born out of a challenge we experienced firsthand across our own manufacturing businesses. Like many pharmaceutical manufacturers, we relied on external engineering partners to develop specialised equipment and automation systems. While many suppliers could deliver most of the solutions, they often struggled with the final level of quality, finish, reliability, and execution—the critical last 5 percent that determines whether a machine performs consistently in a regulated manufacturing environment. In several instances, this meant systems had to be extensively reworked or even scrapped because they could not meet the quality and performance standards we required.

We also faced recurring challenges in sourcing precision-engineered parts, tooling, fabricated components, and change parts with the finish, accuracy, and consistency our manufacturing operations demanded.

Rather than continue compromising, we decided to build these capabilities in-house. We began by designing small automation solutions, custom tooling, and engineering assemblies for our own facilities. As our expertise grew, we expanded into developing larger automated systems and specialized pharmaceutical equipment. When customers and industry peers saw these solutions in operation, they approached us with similar requirements. What started as an internal engineering capability naturally evolved into Kairish Innotech.

Today, Kairish Innotech exists to bridge that critical gap in pharmaceutical engineering—delivering reliable, high-quality equipment, engineered components, and automation solutions that not only meet specifications but successfully complete the final 5 percent that makes all the difference in manufacturing performance.

Q. What makes Kairish Innotech different from traditional pharmaceutical equipment manufacturers?

Rishad Dadachanji: What truly differentiates Kairish Innotech is the extent of our in-house capabilities. Unlike many equipment manufacturers who outsource multiple stages of development and production, we have built an integrated ecosystem where almost every critical function is carried out under one roof.

Our capabilities span the entire product lifecycle—from concept development and engineering design to manufacturing, fabrication, assembly, automation, electrical panel building, software programing, camera inspection development, testing, and validation. We have dedicated teams for automation, controls, system integration, and application engineering, allowing us to maintain complete control over every stage of a project.

Interestingly, fabrication was never something we initially intended to bring in-house. India has no shortage of fabrication vendors, and we were willing to pay a premium for better quality. However, we consistently found that the finer aspects of execution—the clean welds, superior surface finishes accurate alignments, and overall workmanship—did not meet the standards we expected. We realised that achieving excellence meant taking ownership of that process ourselves.

That led us to invest an additional INR 20 crore to establish a state-of-the-art fabrication facility. It was a strategic decision driven not by capacity, but by our commitment to quality.

Today, our fabrication division is equipped with advanced manufacturing technologies, including Salvagnini laser cutting systems from Italy capable of processing thick stainless steel and mild steel with exceptional accuracy and speed, automated press brakes and panel benders for consistent, defect-free forming, and Laser, TIG, and Spot welding capabilities that allow us to select the optimal welding process for every application. This combination enables us to deliver superior finishes, tighter tolerances, and consistently high-quality fabricated components.

This philosophy is what we call the KAIRISH Advantage—Conceptualised. Fabricated. Assembled. Validated. Under One Roof. By controlling every critical stage internally, we ensure consistent quality, faster execution, greater flexibility, and dependable performance for our customers.

Q. What are the biggest challenges faced by pharmaceutical manufacturers today? How will Kairish Innotech help in overcoming those?

Rishad Dadachanji: One of the biggest challenges pharmaceutical manufacturers face today is turning innovative ideas into practical and reliable manufacturing solutions. We experienced this ourselves. Time and again, we wanted to implement new automation concepts and specialised engineering solutions, but finding partners who could successfully execute them proved difficult.

The other major challenge is access to reliable, high-quality equipment. For many advanced systems, pharmaceutical companies still look to manufacturers in Europe or other Western markets because of their established capabilities. While these solutions are often excellent, they typically come with significantly higher costs and much longer lead times, making innovation slower and more expensive.

This is where Kairish Innotech creates value. Our goal is to provide pharmaceutical manufacturers with a trusted engineering partner that can transform their ideas into reliable, production-ready solutions—without compromising on quality, timelines, or cost-effectiveness.

By combining deep pharmaceutical manufacturing experience with strong in-house engineering and automation capabilities, we help customers develop customised equipment and integrated solutions that are built to global standards while offering faster execution, greater flexibility, and local support. Ultimately, our objective is to help pharmaceutical companies innovate with confidence and bring their manufacturing vision to life.

Q. With evolving regulatory expectations such as EU GMP Annex 1 emphasising reduced manual intervention, how critical will automation be in ensuring compliance and operational excellence?

Rishad Dadachanji: Automation is no longer just about improving productivity—it has become a critical enabler of regulatory compliance. As industry standards evolve, many practices that were once considered acceptable are now being re-evaluated in light of new scientific understanding, contamination control strategies, and increasingly stringent regulatory expectations. EU GMP Annex 1 is a prime example, placing significant emphasis on minimising manual interventions to reduce contamination risk in aseptic manufacturing.

Every manual intervention, no matter how routine, introduces a degree of risk. Something as simple as opening a machine door to replenish rubber stoppers or aluminium seals requires operator interaction within the aseptic environment. The operator must access the system through glove ports, open component bags, transfer materials into bowl feeders, and repeat this process multiple times during production. Each of these planned interventions increases operator movement, handling, and the potential for particulate generation.

This is precisely where intelligent automation creates value. Take our Automated Component Loading and Unloading System as an example. Instead of opening the filling machine, the operator simply places the sealed component bag into the automated unit connected to the filling line. The system automatically opens the bag, transfers the components into the machine, and disposes of the empty packaging—without requiring the main machine to be opened.

The result is a significant reduction in planned interventions, less operator fatigue, fewer particles generated within the cleanroom, reduced material handling, and lower overall movement inside critical manufacturing areas. Collectively, these improvements strengthen contamination control while supporting both regulatory compliance and operational efficiency.

This is just one example. Across pharmaceutical manufacturing, there are numerous opportunities where thoughtfully designed automation can eliminate unnecessary human intervention, making processes safer, more consistent, and better aligned with the evolving expectations of global regulatory authorities.

Q. What is your top priority at the moment, and where do you envision Kairish Innotech by 2030?

Rishad Dadachanji: At Kairish Innotech, we don’t have a single priority—we have several. Our immediate focus is on successfully delivering the projects currently under execution, continuously strengthening our engineering and manufacturing capabilities, and expanding our portfolio of automation solutions for the pharmaceutical industry.

At the same time, we are investing in innovation, product development, and technologies that address the evolving needs of global pharmaceutical manufacturers. Our philosophy has always been to solve real manufacturing challenges through practical, reliable, and high-quality engineering.

Looking ahead to 2030, our vision is to establish Kairish Innotech as one of the leading pharmaceutical engineering and automation solution providers—not only in India but globally. We aspire to see our machines and systems operating in pharmaceutical facilities across the world, supporting manufacturers in producing medicines more efficiently, safely, and in compliance with the highest regulatory standards.

Ultimately, our ambition is not simply to export equipment, but to build an engineering brand that is recognised worldwide for innovation, reliability, and execution excellence.