The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA)

Cardiff Business School’s Executive Education department created and delivered a one-week executive course for ACMA counsellors and executives from the Indian automotive industry in lean, quality improvement and productivity, leadership, and innovation.

Following the successful delivery of this pilot programme, Executive Education delivered a further programme exploring data analytics, which helped delegates to understand the benefits that increased knowledge in this area can bring to the Automotive Sector in India.

Background

In January 2017, academics from Cardiff Business School’s Logistics and Operations Management section returned from India having signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Automotive Components Manufacturer Association of India (ACMA). The MoU, signed by Professor Wells and Mr Dinesh Vedpathak from ACMA, enables Cardiff Business School to continue their research collaboration within the Indian Automotive Sector and deliver training and mentoring to ACMA’s senior management.

The client

ACMA is the apex body representing the interest of the Indian Auto Component Industry. Its membership of over 750 manufacturers contributes more than 85% of the auto component industry’s turnover in the organised sector.

Their charter is to develop a globally competitive Indian Auto Component Industry and strengthen its role in national economic development and promote business through international alliances.

ACMA has played a pivotal role in the growth and development of the auto component industry in India. Its active involvement in trade promotion, technology up-gradation, quality enhancement and collection and dissemination of information has made it a vital catalyst for this industry’s development.

The programmes

The Operational Excellence study tour had a total of 14 delegates from Tej Industries, IP Rings Ltd, Fairfield Atlas limited, JK Fenner (India) Ltd, Wheels India Ltd, and ACMA. It was built around five days of learning, each designed to provide the expertise needed for companies in the sector to look beyond immediate management issues and develop a long-term strategy to cope with the huge changes sweeping through the industry. It covered the key components of successful organisations and how the delegates can create a culture to support employee Operations Excellence initiatives.

Some areas covered included Lean and Six Sigma, cutting-edge practices, experiences from the field and blending a Lean Service approach with a Lean manufacturing approach. Delegates also had the opportunity to visit the Sony Manufacturing Centre of Excellence and the MINI Oxford plant.

Following the successful Operational Excellence study tour, the Executive Education department created a further two-week programme in Smart Manufacturing Through Data Analytics; this blended the Business School’s theoretical expertise with practical insights into the successful application of data analytics. It was interdisciplinary in approach involving guest lecturers from Engineering and Computer Science. Topics included Smart Manufacturing and the role of Data Analytics, Descriptive Analytics, Diagnostic Analytics and Building Trade Links between Wales and India. The programme included sessions with guest speakers, and tours to British Gas and Protolabs.

More information

The Auto Component industry in India is one of the key drivers of India’s economic growth. The well-developed Indian auto-component industry manufactures a wide variety of products including engine parts, drive transmission and steering parts, body and chassis, suspension and braking parts, equipment and electrical parts.

In the financial year 2015/16, the Indian auto-component industry registered a turnover of 2,55,635 crore (USD 39 billion) growing by 8.8%, surpassing the Automotive Mission Plan 2006-16 target. In a period when the overall exports of India declined by 9.58%, the Indian auto component industry exports grew by 3.5%.

Our relationship with ACMA continues to develop and, thanks to the positive learning experience that they have when visiting Cardiff (which they successfully blend with a variety of cultural visits!), they are looking to develop more programmes with us.

The whole Programme was nicely planned and executed. The mix of theory and plant visits was appropriate. Sony and MINI plant tours were great learning. It was a very well managed programme, thanks to ACMA and Cardiff.

Contact us

If you would like to speak to us about how we could design and deliver a similar programme in collaboration with your organisation, please contact our friendly team at the CPD Unit for an initial informal discussion: