NJC: Powering South Africa’s pharma automation future
When NJC became the first system integrator to implement ABB’s 800xA automation system in South Africa’s pharmaceutical sector in 2012, it achieved more than a technological milestone – it laid the groundwork for a reputation defined by trust and technical excellence. That pioneering project established NJC as the preferred local partner for some of the world’s most exacting pharmaceutical manufacturers.
“The 800xA System installation was a defining moment for our business,” says CEO Sarane Richard-Coombes. “It not only deepened our partnership with ABB but also expanded our expertise in batch management, MES integration, regulatory traceability, and lifecycle support – all essential to delivering world-class DCS solutions.”
When NJC became the first system integrator to install ABB’s 800xA automation system in South Africa’s pharmaceutical sector back in 2012, it marked more than a technological milestone. It was the beginning of a reputation that would set the company apart as a trusted local specialist for some of the world’s most demanding pharmaceutical manufacturers.
“Since NJC installed the first 800xA System in South Africa’s pharmaceutical sector in 2012, that early adoption has been a defining milestone for our business,” says CEO Sarane Richard-Coombes. “It positioned NJC as a trusted local specialist in world-class DCS solutions, deepened our long-standing partnership with ABB, and directly expanded our capabilities in batch management, MES integration, regulatory traceability and lifecycle support.”
From global technology to local impact
As an ABB Authorised Value Provider, NJC enjoys privileged access to some of the world’s most advanced automation and digitalisation tools, including Batch Suite, Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM/MES), and digital twins.
For Sarane Richard-Coombes, the value lies in turning these platforms into practical outcomes for local industry. “NJC leverages ABB’s Batch Suite and System 800xA to deliver CFR-21 compliant, traceable batch control for pharma clients” he explains.
“MES/MOM integration provides real-time visibility across production, quality, and maintenance, enabling faster, data-driven decisions. Digital twins and analytics help detect process drift early, improving yields and reducing waste.”
In a country where agility, cost control, and regulatory pressure collide daily, those benefits are more than incremental. They are decisive. “In effect, these technologies don’t just represent ‘nice-to-haves’ – they deliver measurable improvements in quality, consistency, cost-of-nonconformance, speed to market, and compliance for local pharmaceutical manufacturers,” he says.
Building compliance into the core
With the pharmaceutical sector facing ever-stricter requirements – from GMP validation to FDA CFR 21 Part 11 compliance – NJC has developed a philosophy of designing systems that are “audit-ready by design.”
“We combine ABB’s CFR 21 Part 11–ready platforms with strict GMP validation practices to deliver systems that are audit-ready by design,” Richard-Coombes notes. Secure electronic records, digital signatures, audit trails, and full traceability are all standard. “MES/MOM integration and digital validation keep operations agile, efficient, and cost-effective for clients like Adcock Ingram, GSK, and Johnson & Johnson.”
This approach has already paid dividends. A recent project saw NJC migrate pharmaceutical clients away from Excel-based batch reports – long a weak point in compliance – into web-based SSRS reporting. “The shift improved data integrity, traceability, and audit readiness, reducing the risks of manual errors,” he says. “It also gave clients real-time visibility and faster decision-making. Centralised reporting cut compliance costs while simplifying validation and change control.”
For Sarane Richard-Coombes, it’s proof of NJC’s commitment to continuous improvement. “This shows NJC’s commitment to continuous improvement and future-proofing operations in pharma.”
Lessons from other industries
Though pharmaceuticals dominate NJC’s portfolio, the company also has deep experience in metals, pulp & paper, food & beverage, and water. Sarane Richard-Coombes argues that this cross-sector expertise strengthens NJC’s ability to anticipate what’s next for pharma.
“These experiences sharpen our ability to design robust, scalable, and resilient systems – lessons we bring into pharma projects to manage complexity, variation and scale,” he says. “They force us to innovate around uptime, continuity, precision and cost control, which are also critical in pharma. Cross-sector exposure also gives us foresight: we witness earlier regulatory, sustainability or technology shifts in non-pharma industries and can proactively adapt in pharma.”
The result? NJC doesn’t just react to challenges – it anticipates them.
Preparing for the next wave
Looking to the future, Richard-Coombes sees the next great leap in pharma manufacturing coming from data, intelligence, and people.
“We aim to help pharma clients stay ahead of regulatory, environmental, and operational change by embedding technology in their core operations—not as add-ons but as enablers of agility, quality, and sustainability,” he says.
That means adopting predictive analytics to detect problems before they occur, AI to accelerate decision-making, and connected worker solutions to empower human operators with better data, guidance, and safety.
It’s a vision that builds on NJC’s 25-year history of innovation – and one that will likely keep the Durban-headquartered systems integrator at the forefront of South Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturing landscape for years to come.
