Top Indian manufacturers recognised

Best performing manufacturers in India were given due credit at the recent Frost & Sullivan Indian Manufacturing Excellence Awards (IMEA) 2007. 

The awards sought to recognise India's world-class manufacturing capabilities and acknowledge the best facilities in India that have achieved and sustained manufacturing excellence.

IMEA saw both large and emerging enterprises (defined as SMEs or companies with turnover of less than INR 100 crore) presented the Platinum and Gold awards across the automotive, automotive ancillaries, engineering, chemicals, healthcare, metals and process sectors.

"Super achievers" included super platinum award winner Sundaram Clayton Limited, Brakes Division, Ambattur, IP Rings limited, Maramalai Nagar was noted in the super platinum in emerging facilities award. Super platinum first runner up award went to Exide Industries limited, Hosur.

Highlighting key findings from IMEA, Raghavendra Rao, director of manufacturing and process consulting practice, Frost & Sullivan, South Asia and Middle East said: "At a broad level, the findings have been promising. Almost 70 percent of companies assessed (those that had applied and been subsequently short-listed) recorded good progress in their journey towards leanness. Another 24 percent had gone beyond and established reliable systems. At the other end, we had 7 percent facilities that had made no significant move towards manufacturing excellence."

"Manufacturing Excellence Initiatives have to deliver their value in enhancing medium and long term competitive advantage. It is the ability of recognizing this and subsequently prioritizing the activities, that helps in aligning the manufacturing strategy with organizational vision and goals," he added.

Looking forward, Anand Rangachary, managing director of Frost & Sullivan, South Asia and Middle East said the manufacturing industry had to ensure FDI inflows into the sector.

"It's a known fact that India's next era of growth will be fuelled by manufacturing. To make this a reality, a series of favorable policy decisions, followed by full implementation are required," he said. 

Other winners of the awards included Ashok Leyland limited, Bhandara Unit in the automotive category; Sterlite Industries in the metals category, and Crompton Greaves, fans division in the engineering category.