World Class Manufacturing is a Continuous Improvement System

The machined castings sector is witnessing massive developments and the introduction of digitalization has created a dynamic vibe in the industry. Mr. Viren Joshi, Executive Vice Chairman, member of the Global Board, Sigma Electric Manufacturing Corporation shares with Pro MFG Media, their journey to success as well as its focus on creating zero-defect quality culture in the organization.

Q: Could you elaborate on the key factors for Sigma Electric's success in 'make in India for the global markets'?

Mr. Joshi: Sigma electric is one of the largest manufacturers of industrial machine castings. For the last 30 years, the organization has accelerated manufacturing in India as well as the USA and Mexico. Our plants in India, the US, and Mexico cater to consumer needs across the world. The success factors built over the years are consciously planned. The organization manufactures a wide range of machine castings, which comprises 18,000 SKUs, a vast range of ferrous as well non - ferrous metal and several varieties of alloys. Our focus to develop customised products has been the core of our strength. Apart from that, we have been focusing enormously on our manufacturing plants. The appreciation and acknowledgment from our various customers is a testimony to our state - of - art manufacturing facilities in India. I would like to highlight factors such as excellent customer service and timely delivery that have played a vital role in our success. We consciously created our warehouses closer to global customers, which helped us to provide timely delivery. Our on-time delivery falls in the range of 97-98% across all customers of all products. We believe that if we can provide the finest quality, precise quantity, and timely delivery, then we have created an unbeatable combination.

Q: Could you share with us the experiences and best practices in driving the 'first-time right', zero-defect quality culture in your organization in general and across the MSME supply chain in particular?

Mr. Joshi: The vital element in developing the ‘first time right’ zero-defect quality culture in the organization is the mindset. The Government of India's focus on Zero-Defect and Zero-Effect, i.e. product quality and environmental sustainability also creates a sense of responsibility in the industry. According to me, the biggest challenge is to align the teams and imbibing the values of best practices, and the success lies in overcoming this challenge. Apart from the willingness to adopt the culture, the combination of required practices, metrics, and continuous improvement helped us to achieve the zero-defect quality culture. We have imposed stringent rules and regulations with respect to quality control to achieve precision with consistency. We ensure that the products are thoroughly checked at every stage. I vividly recollect our experience with one of the largest Japanese manufacturers, who were keen on developing the perfect casting before moving to the next stage. The continuous effort to develop the right casting helped them to achieve the perfect results. Hence, it is developing the right mindset to achieve our goals.

Apart from culturally aligning, intense training and continuous measurement of improvement are the key elements that make the difference.

Q: How is the growing trend of digital transformation impacting the manufacturing sector?

Mr. Joshi: I believe the future lies in ensuring that manufacturing worldwide and in India improves and enhances it through digital transformation, automation, Industry 4.0, and Lean practices. Although, it is essential to identify the segments for implementing these tools in a customized manner rather than adopting the standard solutions. The World Economic Forum is working on an initiative – Global Lighthouses Project, comprising 69 manufacturing plants out of which few belong to Indian companies, and it is a matter of pride for the Indian manufacturing sector. Digital Transformation has proven that it can enable us to achieve success on the global platform.

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