“Digitalization makes data access quicker and more transparent unlike traditional manufacturing where information was restricted. So, going digital helps us improve decision making by flattening the organization.”
June 2023 : Based on a collaborative research, Aspen Technology and Pro MFG Media identified 30 Industry Leaders as Icons of Transformation 2023. These 30 leaders are amongst the top industry stalwarts who have spearheaded operational excellence, enhanced energy efficiency, overcome skill gap through workforce digital empowerment and accelerated sustainability through digital transformation. To recognize and celebrate their accomplishments, we featured them in a Special Edition ‘Coffee Table Book’ – Icons of Transformation. Through two dedicated pages for every leader, we featured the insights and ideas of these icons in the coffee table book. In this article, we present the thoughts of one of the icons, Satish Pai, Managing Director, Hindalco Industries, and Chair, International Aluminium Institute.
“For any manufacturing organization, achieving operational excellence is the main goal. In the past, we had continuous improvement techniques, Kaizens, and methodologies brought by the Toyota Way that led to us achieving certain levels of excellence. Let us understand that excellence is never a destination in manufacturing; it is a journey. Now, we are looking at how digital can take manufacturing excellence to the next level in terms of productivity, quality and precision manufacturing.
But the biggest barrier to embed digital deeper in manufacturing is the mindset change. Whenever there is an inflection point in technology, you hit that change management barrier where technology develops faster than the people who are supposed to use it! With digitalization, we are at the stage where technology allows you to do a lot more than what the people in manufacturing are ready to accept.”
“Digitalization makes data access quicker and more transparent unlike traditional manufacturing where information was restricted. So, going digital helps us improve decision making by flattening the organization. Hindalco is building data champions through our digital capability programs (Disha 2.0). Our workforce is being coached and empowered to use data to perform trials and pilots to achieve significant benefits in productivity, cost, quality, and energy. So, this cultural change towards data-based decision-making is happening in manufacturing today.
Digitalization also gives organizations the ability to try out things much faster. It allows you to try 20 things out of which maybe 15 will fail. But you are looking for the ones that will work. The more experiments you can do, the bigger the chance of achieving success!
Today, we can accomplish our broader sustainability objectives because of digital technology as it gives you real time data and the ability to use that data to achieve your goals more efficiently. By integrating digitalization in manufacturing, we are paving the way for a future where transparency is inevitable, innovation is the norm, and productivity is at its peak.”
About Satish Pai: Satish Pai’s strengths lie in envisioning organisation-wide, sustainable transformation. He has steered Hindalco’s journey from a metals commodity player to a value-added solutions provider in aluminium and copper. Under his leadership, Hindalco has evolved into a future-facing company with a Greener, Stronger, Smarter Purpose at its core.
Mr. Pai holds a patent in directional drilling. He was conferred the ‘Distinguished Alumni Award’ by IIT Madras.
The Icons of Transformation 2023 Coffee Table Book was unveiled at the AspenTech India Management Forum on 16th May 2023 in Mumbai.
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