The Chemical industry has positively been influenced by the advancements in mobile technology. Mobility enables organizations to stay connected in real time making them more productive.

1. Impact of Mobility in the Chemical Industry
Atul Agrawal
Advances in mobile technology have significantly influenced the chemical
industry. Their effects are observed on all components of the supply
chain including procurement, manufacturing, distribution and selling.
Organizations embracing mobility transform into lean, flexible and quick
decision makers. Mobility enables the organization to stay connected real-
time, become more productive in the use of working capital, establish
better links with suppliers and customers and offer employees a flexible
work environment and modern lifestyle. However, the success of mobile
technology depends on correctly identifying business requirements and
needs as well as the technology selection and adoption to meet these needs.
Paper was submitted to World Chemical Congress 2007, Glasgow
Feb 2006

2. Introduction
The business scenario for chemical companies is transforming very rapidly. The prime mover behind the same is the
relentless pressure by the market to shed flab, be flexible, improve customer focus, reduce product development cycle
and remain profitable. The business need is clearly identified to improve speed and efficiency of the business processes.
Implementation of mobile computing technologies is expected to help companies achieve an adaptive and flexible supply
chain. The paper explores opportunities and solutions in making the traditional chemical industry processes and applications
mobility enabled.
Mobility
Mobility technologies can be used to keep the mobile elements connected to the business process. The mobile elements
include man, material and machinery. The business application needs necessitates information sharing with these elements
when they are mobile. For example, the business manager may need to be alerted about a business criticality when he is on
a business trip and there are options to provide him the business data or information on the devices, which he would be
carrying like cell phone, PDA or Laptop.
The mobility technology includes the following:
• Mobility Devices
• PDAs, TabletPCs, Cellular Phones, Smart Phones, Laptops and Notebooks
• Network Technologies
• Wireless Local Area (Legacy, 802.11b), Wide Area (GPRS, CDMA-1X, CDPD, Mobitex)
• Network enabled Services
• Messaging & Alerts (SMS, MMS, E-Mail), Location (GPS, E-OTD), VPN
• Mobile Computing
• WinCE.NET, PocketPC, PalmOS, Symbian, Legacy (DOS, TCAL)
• Smart Instrumentation
• RFID devices, Infrared sensors, Barcodes Scanning, Biometrics, Telemetry devices, Wireless transmitters
• Mobility Middleware
• Thin-Client Interactive Architecture – browser and device specific Transcoding
• Thick Client Disconnected Architecture - store & forward data transfer & synchronization
• Voice Recognition Architecture
• Mobile Application Technologies
• Thin Client Applications – WML, XHTML, Microsoft .NET Compact Mobile Internet Toolkit
• Thick Client Applications – Microsoft .NET Compact SDE, J2ME, PalmOS specific SDK
• Voice Applications
Mobility Applications in Chemical Industry
Mobility technologies have emerged as very powerful enablers for a lot of business applications. These applications are useful
in all areas including enterprise management, supply chain management, manufacturing management, asset management,
sales management, emergency management etc. These all application areas are very critical for the chemical industry and are
benefited immensely by mobility technologies.
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3. Supply Chain Transformation with RFID
The supply chain processes which can benefit intensely by mobile computing include product handling and inventory
management, warehouse management, inbound and outbound logistics, distribution, etc.
RFID (radio frequency identification) provide a very good opportunity to transform the supply chain. The RFID tags can be
put on bags, packages, pallets and containers, which can be identified and tracked during receipt, movement and dispatch.
This information can be used for improved package visibility, real-time status report, improved inventory management and
improved reusable container /pallet recovery and reuse.
Another big opportunity is real-time tracking of trucks and tankers. This real-time tracking can be real-time information of
vehicle movements, real-time delivery conformation, dynamic rescheduling of vehicle movement, notification of delivery
delay or failure etc. Please refer Figure 1.
Real-Time Information of Vehicle
Automatic receipt and accounting of
Movements, Real-Time Delivery
raw materials, Chemical, Catalysts;
Conformation, Dynamic Re-
Real-time information about
scheduling of Vehicle Movement,
inspection and quality control,;
Automatic GRN generation Notification of Delivery Delay or
Failure
Supplier Customer
Inbound
Inbound Internal
Internal Product
Product Outbound
Outbound
Warehousing
Warehousing
Logistics
Logistics Movement
Movement Handling
Handling Logistics
Logistics
Remote monitoring of RFID enabled packages for
chemicals/ catalysts / additives and Products for
identification, movement tracking, usage tracking etc.
Product packages tracking through Product inventory and stock
Real-time tracking and identification packing, quality control and management; Package location
of material; Automatic consumption storage; Product return and identification; Package
accounting; Material segregation; management; Package recycling; information updation; Automatic
Abnormal movement Inspection and quality control accounting during product dispatch
information updation
Manufacturing Effectiveness with Mobility
Manufacturing effectiveness can be increased with the adoption of mobility devices. The operators can use handhelds for field
data gathering. RFID enabled chemicals and catalysts bags can be identified, tracked and accounted. Wireless transmitters can
be used for on-line data transmission from fixed or portable field instruments.
Mobile Asset Management
Asset management can be improved in multiple ways with mobility technologies. The equipment and spare parts can be
fitted with RFID tags. Thus the equipment can be identified, their location can be tracked and confirmed, RFID data can be
updated and removable parts can be tagged for tracking during removal and reinstallation.
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4. The performance of the maintenance technicians can be improved by providing them with handheld devices. While on a field
trip, they can record asset performance data like motor temperature, lubrication levels, abnormal sound etc. They can also get
maintenance job details and maintenance procedures on the handhelds and update the maintenance job details as well. See
Figure 2.
Equipment Maintenance
• Maintenance procedure access
• Job update
• Work permit clearance
Equipment Monitoring Remote Asset Management
Mobile • Data from remote assets
• Field data logging on handheld
• Equipment tracking Asset • Maintenance service
Management management
• Data update on RFID tags
Spares/ Consumables Management
• Spare part tracking
• Consumption reporting
• Automated stock-taking
Sales Force Automation
The sales executive when on move cannot access their company network to access the application; however they have
an innate need to do so. Mobility can help them in meeting this challenge. They can access the application like e-mail,
product availability and price data, order status, payables status to improve the quality of client interaction. In an advanced
application scenario, they can analyze the client requirements and suggest a solution including a quotation.
Please refer figure 3.
Customer Product Data Inventory Quotation
Data Position
Mobile Computing
Pre-Sales
Information
Sales Executive
on the move
Post-Sales
Information
Mobile Computing
Order Status Delivery Receivables Complaint
Schedule Handling
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5. Real-Time Emergency Response System
The emergency response can be critically improved by adoption of mobility technologies. The emergency response team is
characteristically on the field during an emergency response. If they carry mobile/portable devices on which the information
related with the incident /event, critical emergency response data like MSDS, medical data and contact details for responsible
roles etc. They can also do real-time coordination of the emergency response. Please see figure 4.
Emergency Response Team
• Co-ordination Team
• Fire and Safety Team
• Medical team
• Support teams
Monitor Mobility Solution
Challenges
Diagnose • Mobile devices on wireless voice and data networks
• Team members on the move
Advice • Critical data storage on mobile devices
• Real-Time Response Need
Control • Data and application availability on mobile devices
• Unavailability of plant systems
Evacuate
Emergency
• Process Upset
• Operations Emergency
• Spills and Leaks
• Fires
• Exposures
• Accidents
Adoption of Mobility
The applications of the mobile technologies can be categorized as following:
• Application Enablement through Technology Adoption
• Business Process Improvement through Improved Software Applications
• Reengineered business processes
The application enablement can be achieved with little investment and with mature and proven technology adoption. It does
not impact the business process significantly and thus the business benefits are also moderate.
More advanced technology adoption is needed for business process improvements. But more importantly, the project
management methodology needs significant investments. The returns on investment are also significant.
However the maximum benefits are achieved through adoption of innovative or reengineered business processes. This needs
to be significantly investment both in terms of project management and technology expenses. This helps a company to
obtain competitive advantage in the market. The associated risks are unproven technologies, change management and market
acceptability.
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6. Application Business Process Business Process
Enablement Improvement Reengineering
Supply Chain
Transformation
Sales Force Mobile Asset
Automation Management
Return on
Investment
Mobile
Executive Emergency
Response System
Mobile Internet
Connection
E-mail
Investment
Recommended Approach
The mobility adoption should be treated as any other project and the focus needs to be clearly the business needs and the
business value proposition. The key steps are following:
• Business Imperatives
The adoption of mobility should typically be driven by the business imperatives. The business imperatives could be
competitive positioning, project benefits of real-time information availability or business process innovation.
• Business Case
The business imperative should then evolve into a business case like any investment decision. The focus of the
perceived benefits should be business processes not technology benefits. An assessment is needed whether the existing
applications be modified or enhanced or needs to be replaced by new applications. It is important not to make
technology choices upfront.
• Project Management
The success of the business case is contingent on effective project management. The scope of the project should
be limited to technology but on the business process. The active participation of business users even for ostensibly
technology driven project improves the odds of success significantly. As-is and To-be business process mapping would
provide the right value proposition. It is quite possible that the earlier perceived mobility needs may not be validated
fully. After establishing the mobility needs like other technology needs, technology choices should be made. The user
inputs for the ease of use, technology comfort and relevance to their activities provides a very useful input to effective
project implementation. The successful project completion would pose an effective change management challenge and
this should be provided for.
• Benefit Analysis
The benefit analysis provides very useful estimates for benefits achieved as well as business imperatives fulfilled. It
should be based on user feedbacks, application utilization numbers and enhanced business value. The exercise can
also provides a useful inputs to business imperatives by identifying other potential improvement areas as well as by
proving project success.
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7. Business Imperatives
• Real-Time Information
Availability Benefits
Benefit Assessment • Competitive advantage Business Case
• Innovation
• Enhanced value analysis • Application Enhancement
• Application utilization or Replacement
• User Feedback Technology Maturity • Mobility Needs
• Devices
• Infrastructure
• Applications Project Initiation
Project Completion
• Business value focus
• End user testing Project • Business process focus
• Change management Implementation • User Imperatives
• Business process
reengineering
• Technology choices
• Pilot implementations
Figure 6 - Recommended Approach for Mobility Adoption
Conclusion
Mobility technologies are becoming a critical element of real time information solution for modern enterprise. There are
tremendous benefits of mobility for chemical industry as well. The adoption of these technologies bring benefits like real-time
collaboration, real-time decision making, critical data availability on the move, mobile asset tracking, faster response from
business users and improved business application use through multiple choice application interfaces.
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