Frost & Sullivan’s 18th India manufacturing excellence awards recognize companies harnessing technology for operational excellence

Frost & Sullivan recently held the 18^th edition of India Manufacturing Excellence Awards (IMEA) at Taj Bangalore in Bengaluru Thirteen companies were recognized for their operational excellence and readiness for the future. After a rigorous assessment process at sites across that included “knockdown assessment of all functions,” 19 awards were presented to 13 companies in a grand ceremony on January 20, 2023.

The evening kicked off with the announcement of the “Gold Awards” in the engineering sector, medium business category. Sigma Electric Manufacturing Corporation Private Limited won the honours for having accelerated its growth journey from being a supplier of niche electrical products to a global solutions provider.

Metalman Auto Private Limited bagged the runners-up Gold Award in the auto ancillary segment, medium business for consistently using cutting-edge manufacturing and engineering techniques. And with a foundation of innovation, smart solutions, and robust processes on the shop floor, Varroc Engineering Limited won the Gold Award in the medium business auto ancillary sector.

Today, companies are more data-driven than before to derive actionable and measurable insights to drive business. For its work to reduce waste and overall cost reduction across different metrics, ATC Tires Private Limited bagged the award in the process sector, large business category.

In the mega-large business category, Coromandel International Limited, a leading provider of agri-solution, who over the years have been known for delivering a wide range of products and services throughout the farming value chain won the Gold Award.

Hindalco Industries Limited, known for its pursuit of excellence through innovation to deliver value-based products, won the Gold award in the metals sector, mega-large business category, while Mondelez India Foods Private Limited took the Gold award in the FMCG sector.

What separates such companies from the rest is that they use technology as a powerful tool to make a difference in the final customer experience. This is especially true of those outfits that have harnessed Industry 4.0 to their advantage.

“It has been an absolute honour and privilege to conduct the 18th edition of IMEA in person after a gap of two years. During the assessment cycle, we observed that the real challenge that the industry faces today is to develop a sustainable manufacturing and digital excellence roadmap while managing the current operations. Therefore, incorporating smart manufacturing practices and digital solutions is the way ahead for the manufacturing industry,” said Rahul Sharma, VP and Global Head, Manufacturing and Process Consulting, Frost & Sullivan.

In that light, the Smart Factory of the Year runner-up award was handed over to ABB India Limited’s Smart Power Division of Bengaluru and Hyundai Motor India Limited won the honours as the Smart Factory of the Year for its use of the latest digital solutions.

The first award in the Future Ready Factory of the Year category was bagged by Nivea India Private Limited, Ahmedabad for its relentless drive for sustainable growth through the innovative use of technology. By using lean manufacturing tools across its plant, Karam Safety Private Limited won the Future Ready Award in the engineering sector, medium category. ABB India Limited- Smart Power Division bagged the award in the engineering sector among large businesses for its innovative and smart solutions through design controls and robust processes on the shop floor. For adopting best-in-class practices, the young and dynamic team at Royal Enfield Motors - A Unit Of Eicher Motors Limited won the award in the automotive sector in the mega-large business category,  while Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Limited took home the final award in the category for its world-class manufacturing facilities.

The first runner-up award for “Indian Manufacturer of the Year” was won by Hindalco Industries Limited - Mahan Aluminium. The company, one of the biggest producers of primary aluminium in Asia, operates an aluminium smelter in Madhya Pradesh. It is known for its commitment to ensuring high levels of equipment availability and reliability. Hyundai Motor India Limited took the most coveted the Indian Manufacturer of the Year award for its myriad cutting-edge initiatives including smart logistics, automated systems, online booking, and utilizing social media for customer engagement.

While ‘digital transformation’ has been introduced a while ago in the manufacturing industry’s lexicon, it truly has been put to use, especially in the last decade. The 18th India Manufacturing Excellence Awards celebrated the spirit by honoring those who set the highest standards in their respective industries.