Aavin’s Trichy Unit Undergoes ₹3.3 Cr Automation Upgrade to Curb Milk Loss and Improve Quality

Manual milk handling to be phased out as dairy plant near Trichy Airport prepares for a digital transformation

Trichy, Tamil Nadu – In a major step toward modernizing its dairy infrastructure, the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation (Aavin) has initiated automation work at its Kottapattu milk processing unit near Trichy International Airport. The project, estimated at ₹3.3 crore, aims to convert the 20-year-old facility into a fully automated and digitally monitored plant to improve efficiency, reduce milk solid losses, and enhance overall milk quality.

This initiative comes at a time when India’s dairy sector is increasingly embracing smart technologies to meet rising consumer expectations for hygiene, safety, and consistency in dairy products.

🔧 Why Automation? Tackling Loss, Labor, and Quality

Currently, milk processing at the Kottapattu unit relies heavily on manual operations. Flow valves are opened and closed manually, and equipment cleaning requires disassembly—a time-consuming and error-prone process. These inefficiencies not only lead to product loss but can also compromise milk hygiene and quality.

“Manual valve operation and cleaning increase the risk of milk loss and inconsistencies in product quality,” said a senior Aavin official. “Automation will significantly improve precision, cleanliness, and safety.”

🤖 What’s Changing: From Valves to Vision

Aavin’s automation plan includes the replacement of manual flow valves with electric and pneumatic alternatives. These will be connected to centralized control panels with sensor-based systems that alert operators when to start or stop milk flow and cleaning cycles.

Key upgrades include:

• Milk reception automation – from chiller to storage
• Electric & pneumatic valve systems – reducing human error
• Automated Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) system – improving hygiene
• Standardization & homogenization monitoring – via SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)
• Real-time data and daily MIS reporting – enabling informed decision-making

The facility will also automate the processing and packaging of value-added dairy products such as butter and milk cream.

📉 Expected Impact: Cutting Losses, Boosting Quality

One of the key performance goals of the upgrade is to reduce milk solid loss from 0.7% to 0.4%, a significant improvement in terms of yield and profitability. Additionally, automation will enhance product consistency and shelf life while creating a safer and more hygienic work environment for plant staff.

🧊 Current Operations and Future Roadmap

The Kottapattu plant currently processes between 1.5 and 1.8 lakh litres of milk daily. Milk is supplied from the main Aavin plant in Trichy city and distributed through 46 delivery routes.

The modernisation work is scheduled to begin in May and will be completed in eight months. Manual operations will continue during the transition period to ensure uninterrupted supply.

Aavin also produces a variety of milk products at this facility, including:

• Standardised Milk (SM): 500 ml packs
• Delite Milk: 200 ml and 500 ml
• Full Cream Milk (FCM): 200 ml, 500 ml, and 1-litre packs

Among these, Delite milk accounts for 48% of daily customer demand, followed by SM (45%) and FCM (7%).

📈 Setting a New Benchmark for State-Run Dairies

With this automation push, Aavin joins a growing list of Indian dairy cooperatives investing in digital transformation to optimize production and reduce waste. The move not only strengthens its operational capacity but also reinforces its commitment to delivering high-quality milk to consumers.

As India looks to scale up its dairy infrastructure for the 21st century, such initiatives underscore the role of technology in ensuring both sustainability and customer satisfaction.