Recognition for auto component industry leaders who made outstanding technological innovations in 2018
Photos:Mahesh Reddy
Auto Components India and its publishers, Next Gen Publishing, made the evening of February 19, enthralling and fabulous for the Indian auto components industry. The captains of the automotive and auto components industry made the ITC Grand Central, Parel, Mumbai, to bustle with activities and serious discussions on who have excelled and how have they done it. The occasion was the presentation of the 3rd ACI Awards, which has in three years become the most coveted recognition for the auto components industry. A grand jury selected from a large group of outstanding contestants who were perceived as the most outstanding in 12 categories based on well-defined parameters.
Hoshang S Billimoria, Chief Executive Officer, Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd, told the august gathering that, “The auto components industry in India is flourishing and we are happy to be part of this exciting achievement both in the domestic and international markets. I thank the eminent jury members for their hard work, objective assessment and judicious selection of the winners from among a group of winners on several other counts. I like to congratulate and thank all the winners, especially the winners selected by ACI. I would also like to express the gratitude of Next Gen Publication to Shapoorji Pallonji, Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board, Force Motors, and Mahindra Truck and Bus for their excellent support for this event.”
Bhargav TS, Executive Editor, Auto Components India said, “India is emerging as a global hub for auto component sourcing. A cost-effective manufacturing base keeps costs 10-25% less than in Europe and Latin America. The total value of India’s automotive exports increased to US$ 13.5 billion in 2018 from US$ 10.9 billion in 2017. Along with the widening horizon of the industry, we have introduced 3 more categories of competition taking the total to 12. This year we received more nominations than last year in the categories of Technology, Quality, and Shopfloor and manufacturing excellence. This indicates that the industry is working hard to beat the uncertainties and scale new heights by taking to the latest technologies to excel in the highly competitive Indian and world markets.”
The ACI team is thankful to the companies for choosing to send in their nominations for the proposed 12 categories. The nomination call for the awards was made in the December 2018 issue of Auto Components India. In order to reach out to as many stakeholders of the industry as possible, nomination forms were sent to all the component makers through e-mail and other communication media. The response was overwhelming.
The award selection jury met in Chennai on January 24, 2019. The decision-making process was like a game of tennis with equal hits and fluctuations and the ball was in the jury’s court. Finally, the decision was made with utmost accuracy and objectivity. Such a selection was made very successful by the jury members: Kaushik Madhavan, Vice President, Mobility Practice, Frost & Sullivan, V G Ramakrishnan, MD of Avantem Technologies, Bhushan Mhapralkar, Editor, Commercial Vehicle, and Bhargav TS, Executive Editor, Auto Components India.
There were genuine observations by each jury member on the case study as nomination; the extent of details some nominees went into; the subject matter that was shared with the jury; the activity of the companies in addressing client requirements and in the process of attaining frugal engineering targets. Some companies even shared the case studies of the best processes and technologies that they carried out last year.
Many complexities evolved as the decision-making process progressed. The process involved long debates, strict tentative rounds and discussions. It was after a considerable effort that the results were arrived at based on parameters like technology, engineering, market performance and relevance to the industry. The innovative components in the competition were those made available during the calendar year 2018. The jury decided to present 13 awards to do justice to all the constituents. Owing to the tough competition, in the Shopfloor & Manufacturing Excellence category, 2 companies were selected for the award.
The following is the list of the Third ACI Award Nominations and Winners.
SME of the year
Winner: KKR Metal Components
Nominees are:
KKR Metal Components
Able Spring Manufacturers
SMEs make 70% of the Indian auto components industry. They have always been a strong element of the Indian auto industry, and continue to be so. Keeping up with the change, they have been successfully addressing the changing requirements of their clients.
Automotive start-up of the year
Winner: Zygor Energy Systems
Nominees are:
Zygor Energy Systems
Croyance Automotive
The auto industry is undergoing a massive shift as it ushers in the technologies behind new emission norms, electric and autonomous vehicles and onboard tech designed to improve or enhance the driving experience. To drive this change and support these changes startups are playing a major role. The fact that startups are nimbler and less bogged down with bureaucratic decision-making than larger corporations. Startups are also more willing to experiment with new territory, which tends to result in innovative thinking and radical new solutions.
Technology Excellence
Winner: Rane TRW Steering Systems – rt75 with ccv
Nominees are:
NGK Spark Plugs (India) Pvt. Ltd – CNG Spl spark plug
Rane TRW Steering Systems Pvt. Ltd. – RT75 with CCV
FIEM INDUSTRIES LTD. – Optical filter technology
Lucas Indian Service Limited – CARPLUS Dongle
Rane TRW Steering Systems Pvt. Ltd. – Dual Displacement Tandem Pump
Valeo Motherson Thermal Commercial Vehicles India Ltd. – Revo E
Rane TRW Steering Systems Pvt. Ltd. – Electric Motor Driven Pump
WebNMS Fleet Management Solution
Zygor Energy Systems – Intelligent spark plug
Technology drives the Indian auto components industry. Without it, there would be no components, and no automobiles. Technology is at the core of the competitive auto industry as component manufacturers and automakers work together to bring out exciting new automobiles that are safe, sound and comfortable.
Friend of Environment
Nominees are:
Jamna Auto Industries Ltd.
Fiem Industries Ltd.
Valeo India Private Limited, Sanand
Rane TRW Steering Systems Private Limited
To be a friend of environment is no exception. It is the need of the hour, and in the interest of a better tomorrow. It also reflects on the responsible behaviour on the part of an auto component manufacturer. His contribution adds to the auto industry’s effort to care for the environment.
Shopfloor & Manufacturing Excellence
Winner: IAC International Automotive India Pvt. Ltd.
Nominees are:
Comstar Automotive Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Jamna Auto Industries Ltd.
Lucas TVS Ltd
IAC International Automotive India Pvt. Ltd.
Magneti Marelli UM Electronic Systems
Magneti Marelli Powertrain India Private Ltd
Fiem Industries Ltd.
Amalgamations Valeo Clutch Pvt. Ltd.
RSB Transmissions India Ltd
The quest for technology and quality has made auto component manufacturers excel in shopfloor and manufacturing. They are no longer manufacturers of components but partners in equal measure to the OEMs.
Shopfloor & Manufacturing Excellence
Winner: Magneti Marelli Powertrain India Pvt.
The quest for technology and quality has made auto component manufacturers excel in shopfloor and manufacturing. They are no longer manufacturers of components but partners in equal measure to the OEMs.
Export Excellence
Nominees are:
Lucas TVS Limited
KOSTAL India
Fiem Industries Ltd.
There is no local today about the auto industry. This also applies to the auto components industry. India is a hotbed of Indian born components makers and those that have invested here. Both are enriching the auto industry the world over.
Excellence in Operation
Winner: Jamna Auto Industries Ltd.
Nominees are:
Mann and Hummel Filter Pvt. Ltd.
Jamna Auto Industries Ltd.
Comstar Automotive Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Excellence in operation is evaluated with 360 degree approach factoring all the critical parameters in manufacturing and finally the winner is carved out who showed consistency in every move of the process.
Joint Venture of the year
Winner: JT Special Vehicles (JTSV)
Nominees are:
Jamna Auto Industries Ltd.
JT Special Vehicles (JTSV)
Valeo India Private Limited
A joint venture is a common way of combining resources and expertise of two companies. Joint venture can help business grow faster especially to access to new markets and distribution networks and access to greater resources, including specialised staff, technology and finance.
Excellence in Automotive E-commerce
Winner: TVS Automobile Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
Nominees are:
TVS Automobile Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
Ashok Leyland Ltd.
The automobile industry has seen some major changes over the past decade, thanks in large part to the rise of social media and the internet. Automotive e-commerce is changing traditional marketing and integrating physical and online shopping experiences is critical, especially now that consumers are making more purchases decisions online.
Component maker of the year
Nominees are:
Rane TRW Steering Systems Pvt Ltd.
Faurecia Interior Systems India
Tenneco Automotive India
Valeo India Private Limited
Component maker of the year is about the good work done by an auto components manufacturer. It is about the tough task of addressing the often conflicting requirements of its clients. It is about employing technology, delivering quality, and driving excellence in all walks of life.
Component of the year
Winner: Lucas TVS Ltd – SGM25 lightweight starter motor
Nominees are: Faurecia Interior Systems India – Instrument Panel Fin A and B Finisher;
Lucas TVS Ltd – SGM25 lightweight starter motor;
KOSTAL India’s Steering Column Switch;
Mann and Hummel Filter Pvt. Ltd. – Charge Air Ducts;
Rane TRW Steering Systems Pvt. Ltd. – RT75 with integral bevel;
Zygor SR Motor & Controller technology;
Rane TRW Steering Systems Pvt. Ltd. – Variable Displacement Pump
An auto component is at the centre of all that an auto component manufacturer does. It is what reflects upon the abilities and achievements of its manufacturer. Without it there would be no automobile.
