In Conversation with Christin T Joseph, Managing Director and CEO – Blackbear Automations Pvt Ltd
With a portfolio of over 450 machines designed by Christy, operating efficiently in different factories today, his projects extend from India to Canada, serving a wide range of industrial clients.
It was the year 2008, as the first semester of the BSc Physics class drew to a close. A historic moment unfolded, India’s tricolour flag landed on the moon on the 14th of November. It coincided with the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, and the visionary who also initiated India’s space research programs. Following the success of the Chandrayaan mission, the then-President Dr AP.J Abdul Kalam had addressed the students of the country, where he mentioned, “The exploration of the moon will provide boundless energy and self-confidence to the entire nation, especially young scientists and children.”
These were the words that ignited a spark in a young student named Christy, inspiring him to pursue a career in engineering.
Who is Christy? Christy is a young man who hailed from a middle-class family and then rose to prominence in the world of engineering and science. He completed his BTech, MTech, and MSc to support his career. He decided to dedicate his talents to mechatronics and machine design, instead of taking a conventional career path of an office-based job. He designed and customised machines and components for various industries. Not just that, he even implemented the design and installation of factories. With a portfolio of over 450 machines designed by Christy, operating efficiently in different factories today, his projects extend from India to Canada, serving a wide range of industrial clients.
Christy’s journey into the world of science and innovations started from classrooms. His family and neighbours recognised his potential and scientific aptitude when the radio signal waves emitted from his home lab were transmitted within a three-kilometre radius. He built an antenna on the top of a hill using bamboo to transmit radio waves across his village, demonstrating remarkable ingenuity. He separated oxygen and hydrogen from water through electrolysis at a young age. His studies and experiments were advanced for his age. By the 5th grade, he was building and selling tape recorders, radios, and amplifiers. By the time he reached 7th grade, he had already mastered Physics concepts from grades 8 to 10.
Christy realised that his career lay in the field of engineering. His aspirations were encouraged by his parents and his school. His school set one firm condition: experiments were not allowed at home or in classrooms—only in the school laboratory. Thus the school lab became the birthplace of his numerous scientific innovations, marking the beginning of his extraordinary journey into the world of science, engineering, and technological advancement.
Christy’s innovations and his experiments at home and school extended far beyond his school years. He had a clear vision of his future, which is why he initially pursued Physics as his major for his degree. However, his interests and aspirations did not confine themselves to Physics alone. Moreover, he was already familiar with the concepts being taught. Seeking a more advanced and interdisciplinary education, he made a decisive shift from his Physics degree to BTech in Mechatronics. He opted for this subject as it involved the study of mechanics, electrical engineering and electronics.
It was a time when no college in Kerala offered this course. Determined to follow his passion, he searched for alternatives. He found that KSR College in Erode, Tamil Nadu, provided a BTech in Mechatronics. He enrolled for the course and successfully graduated. Furthering his expertise, he completed MTech in Machine Designing from Anna University, while simultaneously pursuing an MSc in Physics.
Christy firmly believes that not just practical but also theoretical knowledge is equally essential for scientific and technological advancements. His strong academic foundation and deep understanding of theoretical principles laid the groundwork for his success in machine design. Every machine he develops is rooted in rigorous scientific research. And then he designs the machines using advanced software tools for precision and efficiency.
After the completion of his engineering course, Christy took on a teaching role at Vimal Jyothi Engineering College. During this time, Christy and his students developed a groundbreaking innovation—the Message-Reading Cooking Machine. This was in 2012-13, when the country was going through a technological evolution. This machine could read food orders sent via mobile messages and prepare dishes accordingly. It garnered vast media and news channels’ attention. This messenger-based cooking machine was an interdisciplinary project, collaborating with two other departments, and was brought to life under Christy’s visionary leadership.
The device used 30 motors and was capable of cooking rice, sambar, and rasam. It has some limitations as it could not prepare fried items. Due to high costs and space requirements, the machine was not practical for home use. Despite being approached by companies like Videocon, Christy decided not to pursue mass production as the machine’s practicality for everyday consumers remained a challenge.
It was as part of his MTech project that Christy developed a fully automated stirrup bending machine for the construction industry. Traditionally, pillar rings were bent and welded manually, a labour-intensive and time-consuming process. Christy automated this process 10 years ago using this machine.
As part of the syllabus, an industrial project was required to be submitted. While most students prepared and submitted conventional academic projects, Christy sought to create a practical industrial solution rather than just a theoretical submission. Christy thus turned an industrial project into a real-time solution. He successfully delivered this machine to a few construction companies and even used it for building his own house’s pillars.
Upon completing his MTech, Christy designed another innovative machine—a mining machine. This machine could cut rocks into bricks of precise sizes and weights. The machine was designed for a private crusher unit in Wayanad. The machine was environment-friendly, eliminating the need for explosions. Unlike traditional blasting techniques, which lead to excessive rock loss, Christy’s machine ensured minimal wastage. This in turn prevents excessive usage of parent rock as well. The pits formed could later be refilled and repurposed using this machinery, making the process more sustainable.
Designing such machines brought a significant transformation to Christy’s career. He realised precision-driven research and development in customised machinery held strong market value. To cater to the growing demand for advanced industrial machines, he founded BlackBear Automation Pvt Ltd in 2016. From there on, Christy started receiving numerous inquiries from the industrial sector.
With the launch of BlackBear Automation Pvt Ltd, what followed was revolutionary. Recognising Coimbatore’s potential as India’s precision manufacturing hub, Christy strategically established the company’s manufacturing unit there. This ensured access to cutting-edge technology and a skilled workforce. Christy has designed and manufactured over a hundred machines for Aqua Sub Engineering, which is a part of the renowned Techno Group. Leading brands like Hyundai, Toyota, and Bharat Benz are among Christy’s esteemed customers. Today, Christy’s state-of-the-art machines are actively enhancing efficiency and precision across various industries throughout India.
Christy designed machines not only in India, but also on an international level. One of his most significant projects was a meat processing unit developed for a meat processing factory in Canada. This machine processes whole chickens into leg pieces, breast pieces, and boneless cuts, all neatly packed for distribution.
Meanwhile, Christy designed and delivered cutting-edge machinery for KSE Limited’s ice cream plant in Thrissur, back in India. These machines use advanced artificial intelligence (AI) cameras to sort ice cream products, transport them to different cold storage rooms, and finally, load them onto trucks. These machines belong to the advanced automation category and are integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) technology. They can directly communicate with software systems, allowing for seamless ERP solutions, inventory management, and production monitoring. The machines autonomously upload data and operate according to programmed instructions, making them highly feasible for leading brands and industries.
Christy says that supervision is the only human intervention required, as the machines handle the rest with precision and efficiency.
BlackBear Automations Private Limited, founded by Christy, represents a novel and unique approach to innovation. The company specialises in manufacturing customised machines and machine components for industries spanning from manufacturing, education, aerospace, defence, agriculture, to mechanical engineering and automobiles. Each design is personally designed by Christy, to ensure that every machine is tailored to specific industrial requirements.
There is a team of seven skilled engineers working for BlackBear. Christy believes that India lags in Research & Development (R&D). The reason is that innovation is given insufficient emphasis. However, he succeeds in overcoming these limitations, using the latest advancements in science and technology to develop highly efficient machinery.
A testament to BlackBear’s success is the fact that none of the machines designed and developed by Christy have ever failed or needed to be replaced. This is because of a rigorous preliminary evaluation process conducted before final production. Christy personally handles the concept building and design of all the projects of BlackBear, while his engineers take care of the subsequent stages of development.
BlackBear also has a unique hiring policy—the company primarily recruits fresh graduates. Christy believes that new minds bring fresh ideas, fostering continuous innovation. Through its groundbreaking work, BlackBear is proving that India has immense potential to be a global leader in R&D. The company is capable of manufacturing custom components for any industry, making it a go-to destination for industrial automation solutions.
Whether you are running a company or handling large-scale projects, who do you consult if you need a specialized machine for your production needs? For many entrepreneurs and business owners, this is a challenging question. Designing and building machines according to a company’s unique requirements is also challenging. Sometimes, such machines may not be useful for other industries and this dissuades the standard manufacturers from creating them. They may not invest their efforts to create a single unit of machinery. So several companies seeking custom-built machinery often face rejection from conventional component manufacturers.
However, if one requires a specialised machine, they can confidently approach Christy. Just share your idea, and the machine will be ready.
Christy is one of those rare engineers with expertise in various technical domains, including mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics, control systems, structural design, hydraulics, pneumatics, PLC microcontroller chip development, control software and automation. It is interesting to note that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has sourced components and machinery from Christy. These custom components were specifically designed for ISRO’s internal projects, ensuring they met precise mission requirements. Similarly, global automobile giants like Hyundai and Toyota have utilized machines and components designed by Christy, delivered through their suppliers.
But Christy does more than just build machinery, he is also a seasoned engineer who designs and executes complete factory projects. For instance, in his recent work on a waste treatment plant in Kuwait, he completed the entire design process. He also collaborates with public sector enterprises to develop custom machinery. Currently, there is a company in India using 100 machines designed by Christy. Among his clients there are over ten companies with turnovers exceeding ₹1,000 Crores.
Given his ability to design and manufacture highly specialized machines, Christy can be best described as an “Innopreneur” (Innovative Entrepreneur). You can see him working on up to seven projects simultaneously at any time.
If you are a business owner, entrepreneur, or industrial leader and require customised machinery for production, Christy is the expert you need. And if you are planning to set up a new factory unit, he can design and build it for you from scratch.
