Industries turn to robotics, new tech to boost productivity

Infograph: TBS

Bangladesh, though a bit late compared to major Asian apparel makers like China, Vietnam and India, is all set to enter the automation era in production facilities, investing in robotic technology to lower the cost of business and enhance factory efficiency.

Already the champion in greening factories, Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry, the world's second by export value, now looks to be on par with global competitors in adopting high-end technologies to optimise output.

For instance, DBL Group and Envoy Textile poured millions into automation to remotely oversee the production process, predict maintenance needs and check quality.

However, it is still a humble beginning for the world's second-largest apparel export industry to embrace this technological revolution. Others are well ahead.

China installed over 2.68 lakh units of robots in different industries only in 2021, followed by Japan, the USA, Korea, and Germany, according to the International Federation of Robotics' 2022 report. Indeed, seven out of the 15 largest countries that adopted industrial robots were from Asia. India ranked 10th with 4,900 industrial robots in 2021.

Vietnam is also investing in automation and robotics to reduce labour costs and improve efficiency in manufacturing processes. Robots in these countries are being used for tasks such as assembling, welding, and material handling in various industries including electronics, automotive, and textiles.

Textile millers, in particular, are leveraging these advancements to collect real-time data on equipment performance, optimise operations, predict maintenance needs, and ultimately enhance overall efficiency.

One of the pioneers is DBL Group, a leading garment exporter that introduced a new wave of technologies to put yarns through a series of quality control checks to strictly ensure standards.

Envoy Textile Chairman Kutubuddin Ahmed said his company has been utilising robotic machinery for a long time to enhance output and ensure product quality.

He said robotic technology ensures higher productivity and superior yarn quality. However, the initial investment in such sophisticated technologies surpasses that of regular machinery. Kutubuddin Ahmed noted that due to increased productivity, this investment has proven to be successful.

He said Envoy has recently invested in an online monitoring system for indigo dyeing, known as IndiLine, which will be implemented for the first time in the country.

Currently, Envoy is pursuing the automation of its spinning units to bolster production and reduce costs, he noted. Kutubuddin said they have plans to gradually fully automate their spinning units, a process expected to require an additional investment of around $1 million.

SMEs need automation to survive

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) often face unique challenges compared to larger companies, making automation particularly essential for their survival and growth.

Sheikh HM Mustafiz, managing director of Cute Dress Industries Ltd, a knit garment exporter with an annual turnover of about $8 million, said, "We are also investing in new technologies to improve production efficiency but investing a larger amount is always challenging for us.

"We always focus on improving efficiency and minimising overhead production costs as SMEs and large factories are competing in the same field to get orders."

Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, chief executive officer at Fatullah Apparels Ltd, a knitwear factory with an annual turnover of $4.8 million, said his factory recently introduced a production monitoring device (PMD) to monitor real-time production output.

He said they have invested $80,000 to install this device in 250 machines which will also help them to skill up their workers, identify their knowledge gap and reduce unfair practices on the production floor by the supervisors.

Ehsan hoped the return on this investment would come within the next three years.

He said the factory also invested $10,000 in AutoCAD software to reduce fabric wastage, which yielded investment returns within a year.

Mindset and technical know-how are the major challenges for the SMEs to Invest in technology adaptation, said Fazlee Shamim, also vice president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

On the other hand, access to the finance process is not easier, he said, adding the Bangladesh Bank has funds like the Green Transformation Fund but SMEs have no access to this fund to upgrade them.

Adoption of industrial robots in Bangladesh 

The utilisation of robots is relatively low in Bangladesh compared to more industrialised nations. However, insiders say Bangladeshi companies are increasingly investing in new technologies aimed at streamlining production processes, enhancing workers' efficiency, and lowering production costs.

According to an estimate by the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), the country had around 50 industrial robots in operation in 2019. Industry insiders said the ready-made garment industry has started using robotic automation in a limited capacity and presently around 100 industrial robots are in operation.

Also, some educational institutions are offering courses and training programmes on robotics and automation, indicating a growing interest in the field.

The International Federation of Robotics reported that the Asia-Pacific region, including countries like Bangladesh, is experiencing significant growth in industrial robot installations as the region accounted for over 50% of global robot sales.

Internet of Things (IoT) increases efficiency

Team Group, a leading apparel exporter, has managed to increase its production by up to 12% with a digital solution called "Nidle".

Team Group managing director Abdulla Hil Rakib said using this smart solution, factories can track, optimise, and digitise their operations in a real-time dashboard, from any location, to enhance efficiency and quality, and reduce production waste.

"In Nidle, we have inserted IoT devices [computing devices with the ability to process and transmit data wirelessly] in each sewing machine from where we get real-time data regarding the productivity of the workers and critical information on the production line's bottlenecks without any human intervention," Rakib said.

This solution helps the production manager to track floor capacity vs productivity on a real-time basis, which makes the decision-making process much more efficient, he added.

Intelligent hanger system 

Pacific Associates Ltd is marketing the intelligent hanger system in Bangladesh produced by INL International Technology Pte Ltd. It is an overhead storage, transport, and sorting system designed for fast and easy storage and consolidation of customer orders. This system helps achieve high efficiency in production and management.

Mubasher Ahmed Murad, sales and marketing manager at Pacific Associates, told TBS, "Pacific Jeans and other major companies have adopted this system. Garment manufacturing involves multiple stages. Previously, after completing a stage, workers had to move to the next location. With this new method, once a step is completed, it seamlessly transitions to the next step automatically."

He said as a result of employing this technology, there is a 20% reduction in labour requirements, accompanied by a 20%-35% increase in productivity.

Modern technology for printing 

The use of technology in printing has also seen a significant increase. One such machine is the DOPSING T-shirt oval screen-printing machine.

Zakir Ansari, manager of SB Knitting Ltd, which is embracing this technology after witnessing it at the Dhaka International Textile and Garment Machinery Exhibition (DTG) 2024, mentioned that this machine is capable of printing about 700 T-shirts in an hour.

Md Amanur Rahman, managing director of Dysin Group and the sole distributor of Chinese company Atexco, explained the rapid adoption of digital printing. "Digital printing is now advancing rapidly, enabling high-quality printing on various products such as three-piece suits, saris, home textiles, curtains, and T-shirt fabrics," he added.

Energy efficient tech in high demand 

Among the new technologies, the demand for energy-efficient technology has gained traction for Bangladeshi entrepreneurs amid the recent gas crisis in the country.

President of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Mohammad Ali Khokon, said, "We are seeking out more energy-efficient technologies to sustain production during periods of low gas pressure. Energy-efficient generators could provide a solution to maintain production during power outages."

Considering the growing demand for energy-efficient technology, the local LPG operator Omera Petroleum has partnered with Bangla Trac Limited (BTL), the authorised dealer of Caterpillar Inc, USA, in Bangladesh to introduce a line of LPG-based generators powered by propane.

During an MoU signing ceremony, Omera Petroleum CEO Tanzeem Chowdhury said this collaboration has the potential to revolutionise the propane generator market, offering substantial operational savings of up to 30% compared to diesel.

Will technology reduce employment? 

According to a joint research report by the government agency a2i and the International Labor Organization (ILO), the employment of 53.8 lakh people in five sectors in Bangladesh is at risk due to mechanisation. By 2041, 27 lakh or 60% of the existing workers in the RMG sector may lose their jobs.

However, entrepreneurs argue that in the era of globalisation, there is no alternative to modern machinery, considering the demand for products and the capacity to work, and assure that no worker will be left unemployed.

Selim H Rahman, managing director of the local furniture giant HATIL, said, "Previously, we had about 1,800 employees. Thanks to growing demand, we have invested in many automated and semi-automated machines, including robotics."

Despite the adoption of new technologies, the furniture-maker now employs around 2,300 people. "Our product demand has increased, necessitating the hiring of more workers," he added.

Selim also mentioned that the company is investing in expanding its capacity, with production scheduled to commence in June next year.

The new project is expected to create about 500 job opportunities, utilising a combination of automated and semi-automated machines, according to Selim H Rahman.

Workers prefer automated machines but wages stagnate 

A 2022 survey conducted by the non-governmental research organisation South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (Sanem) found that 73% of garment workers express a desire to work on automated machines, believing that such machines are easier to operate.

Around 35% of workers feel that new machines have made their jobs easier than before, while 18% believe that production quality has improved as a result. About 8% of respondents expressed that new machines have provided them with learning opportunities.

However, 85% of the respondents reported that their workload increased after the introduction of new machines. Additionally, 71% of workers reported that their wages have remained unchanged despite increased workload and productivity.