Praj Industries is preserving the environment through technology-led bio-mobility solutions.

Praj Industries began as an entrepreneurial venture 36 years ago, rapidly growing into India’s most successful industrial biotechnology and engineering company. But while their entrepreneurship is to be admired, Praj Industries is, at its core, a business that is rooted in principles of sustainability.

Explaining these principles further Praj’s CEO and MD, Shishir Joshipura says, “We strongly believe that the purpose of the business is to contribute beyond financial goals based on technology
and innovation, leading to sustainable development and the greater good for mankind.”
Sustainability is at the core of Praj’s solutions, which are driven by technologies emanating from its state-of-the-art R&D Centre, Praj Matrix, and its world-class engineering and manufacturing
facilities in India. Matrix conducts research in the emerging areas of industrial biotechnology such as second-generation biofuels, advanced biochemicals, health and wellness products, and more.

By developing and deploying innovative and sustainable decarbonization solutions that are based on a circular bio-economy principle, Praj is helping combat the challenge of climate change.
Praj’s advanced technologies promote ‘Bio-mobility’ (the use of energy for transportation produced from renewable biological sources). Renewable transportable fuels include first and second-generation bioethanol, bio-diesel, renewable biogas and sustainable aviation fuel. Biofuels usage delivers multiple benefits for several stakeholders– Energy, Environment, Economy and Society.

While the company began as a supplier of ethanol plants, Praj has grown to offer a robust portfolio driven by in-house R&D. The portfolio of solutions from the company includes biofuels from
beets, sugarcane juice, molasses, cassava and lignocellulosic material. Additionally, Praj offers sustainable solutions in the form of Zero Liquid Discharge solutions for industrial wastewater, ultrahigh purity water, critical process equipment and even breweries!

From the company’s headquarters in Pune, India, Praj has grown internationally with over 750 references across 75 countries spanning five continents.
“Our global footprint is proof of our commitment to addressing our customers’ requirements around the world, building on our core values of sustainability and innovation,” Joshipura points out
Joshipura believes this expertise and experience in the biotechnology space will prove essential in tackling the environmental challenges facing the world today. “We believe our technology helps minimise the greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint,” he says.

But while the technological solutions exist, the challenge is in rapidly commercialising and proliferating them for a better world.
“Apart from the common challenges every global business faces, I think the challenge is in transitioning from fossil fuel-based economies to a more sustainable circular Bio-Economy.” Joshipura concedes. “There is a need to increase awareness of sustainable development. We need to change from a position of worrying about a potential inconvenience to a position of ensuring a future for our children and our grandchildren.”

“We strongly believe that it is our responsibility to share our knowledge and experiences acquired by us. We can share inspiring examples of how India, Colombia and Thailand are leveraging their captive renewable biological resources to generate fuel ethanol using Praj’s Technology. We’re able to bring our experience from different places around the world and share it with concerned stakeholders. Making biofuels a part of a country’s overall energy mix has benefits that go beyond economic value into environmental protection, inclusive growth and energy security.”

People make the company, and Praj is no exception, as Joshipura explains, “We look for people who believe in the greater cause of the company and are aligned to the company’s ethos. I would say
we have been very lucky to have an abundance of talent available in India. To me, finding people with the right qualifications is important but the bigger ask is finding people who align with the
company’s values.”

As part of its social outreach programmes, Praj encourages its employees to get engaged with people at the bottom strata of society. These programs are focused on education and preventive healthcare for rural women and local water resource development in drought-prone areas. This engagement has resulted in over 35 villages in the country being self-sufficient on water and agriculturally prosperous. The company has equipped over 3,000 students from 16 rural schools with employment generating skills, while over 4,000 women in 26 villages in rural and tribal areas have improved health and nutrition.

Joshipura reflects, “Our vision of ‘aspiring to be the most preferred organization for all stakeholders through environment-friendly and sustainable solutions that can make the world a better place’ drives us to do better every day.” It is a vision Praj Industries continues to harbour as it unveils many exciting plans. “We are looking to spread our technologies beyond what we already have, to create sustainable solutions for the world,” Joshipura says.