Over the last decade, Emydex Technology has evolved from a trusted desktop solution into a broader software platform supporting food processors across desktop, web and mobile technologies in more than 150 plants across over 20 countries and 5 continents worldwide.
A key figure behind that evolution has been Sharad Nair, who joined Emydex in 2016 and now serves as Technical Team Lead. Over the years, he has played a fundamental role in modernising the company’s software architecture and development approach, helping transform Emydex into a more scalable and future-focused platform for global food processing operations
Reflecting on that journey, Sharad says the foundations were already strong when he joined the company.
When I joined, Emydex already had a powerful product and deep industry knowledge. My focus was helping modernise how we built on top of that foundation.”
Evolving from Desktop Software to a Modern MES Platform
One of the biggest challenges was evolving the platform without losing the flexibility customers depended on.
As Emydex continued growing internationally, the challenge was not simply expanding the software, but evolving it in a way that improved scalability, maintainability and consistency without losing the operational flexibility customers depended on.
According to Sharad, the opportunity was to build on years of industry experience to create a stronger and more future-focused platform for modern food processing operations.
Over the years, that evolution introduced stronger software architecture, reusable components, automation, improved deployment processes and expanded web and mobile capabilities.
Today, Emydex supports food processors across multiple sectors and international markets with software designed to improve traceability, operational visibility, production efficiency and scalability across the factory floor.
James Grennan, Founder and Technical Director at Emydex Technology, believes one of the company’s biggest strengths has always been balancing deep industry knowledge with strong technical expertise.
Sharad has helped modernise the way we build software while staying grounded in the operational realities of food processing. That balance is incredibly important.”
Improving Engineering Standards and Software Delivery
A major milestone during that evolution was leading the company-wide transition from Team Foundation Server to Git.
While technical in nature, the move had a much broader impact on how development teams collaborated, managed releases, improved quality control and accelerated software delivery across the business.
“It was not just a code migration. It changed how we worked, from branching and code reviews to build processes, release discipline and team collaboration.”
Over the last 10 years, Sharad has also helped introduce modern development tools, stronger engineering practices, automation and improved deployment processes across the company.
The result has been a more consistent and scalable approach to software development, helping Emydex continue evolving its platform while supporting customer projects across international markets.
Building Technology with Long-Term Thinking
Beyond the technical side, Sharad says the people and culture at Emydex have been a major reason behind his long-term commitment to the company.
What kept me going at Emydex was not just the technical challenge, but the people, the culture, and the trust shown in me. The support from the team, and the confidence David McMahon, CEO of Emydex Technology, placed in me, gave me the energy to help shape Emydex from building applications to building a platform for the future.”
David McMahon, CEO at Emydex Technology, says Sharad has played a major role in the company’s technical evolution over the last decade.
“His focus on long-term thinking, engineering standards and continuous improvement has helped strengthen both our platform and the way our development teams work.”
Supporting the Future of Food Processing Technology
Looking ahead, Sharad believes the next major shift will come from how AI and automation can further improve both software development and food processing operations.
Having started his software career before modern internet access became commonplace, he sees today’s advances as transformational for the industry.
“The opportunity to use AI to improve our products, our development process, and the value we deliver to customers is something that really excites me. In the end, our customers will be the real winners.”
As food processors continue modernising operations, improving traceability and scaling production across multiple sites, the technology supporting those operations must continue evolving too.
Over the last decade, Sharad has helped shape that evolution at Emydex, contributing to a software platform designed to support the changing needs of modern food processing businesses today and into the future.
