Ashok Leyland’s Hosur Unit II wins 2017 Deming Prize

Ashok Leyland has bagged the prestigious Deming Prize, considered to be the Oscar for quality in manufacturing, for its Hosur Unit II. This is the second consecutive year that the commercial vehicle manufacturer has bagged the top global quality award. 

In 2016, Ashok Leyland's Pantnagar plant had become the first truck and bus plant in the world and also the only CV manufacturer outside of Japan to win this coveted award. With the Hosur unit II plant winning this year, Ashok Leyland becomes the only CV manufacturer outside of Japan to achieve this feat for two years straight.

The Hosur plant was set up in 1980 and the Unit II in 1994. Spread out across 247 acres (including 30 acres of built-up facilities and rich in greenery), it is equipped with state-of-the-art finishing and assembling facilities including painting facilities. Ashok Leyland claims Hosur Unit II is one of the largest in India for pressing frame side members.

Commenting on receiving the award, Vinod K Dasari, MD, Ashok Leyland, said: “Winning the Deming Prize consecutively, for our second unit, is a testimony to our efforts and our belief. All of us at Ashok Leyland are very proud to have achieved this. We will continue to raise the bar for ourselves and the industry. This is indeed a big milestone in our journey and adds another feather to company’s achievements of delivering industry firsts.”

R Sivanesan, senior VP – Quality, Sourcing and Supply Chain, Ashok Leyland, “Following Pantnagar, our Hosur plant has now secured the highest recognition in TQM which no other CV manufacturer, outside of Japan, has achieved. This is resultant of our intense focus on quality processes and customer-oriented approach with efficient people management. Although the plant was established over two decades ago, it is replete with state-of-the-art finishing and assembling facilities including paint shops and press shops. Achieving this feat for our Hosur plant gives us confidence to continue our journey in TQM and replicate the success in our other facilities to conquer new frontiers.”

Sharing his views, Harihar P, senior VP – Manufacturing and Project Planning, Ashok Leyland, said, “Winning the Deming Prize for our two manufacturing facilities is indeed a proud achievement for us.  Our attention to all processes while maintaining a world-class quality is what has helped us win this prize. Our focus was to showcase the effective quality management methods, established structures for implementation and how these methods are put into practice. If we continue to excel in achieving quality in everything that we do, our stakeholders will continue to reward us with their loyalty and trust.”

The Deming Prize and its criteria
The Deming Prize was established in 1951 by Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) to honour W Edwards Deming, who contributed greatly to Japan’s proliferation of statistical quality control after World War II.

The selection procedure of the winner involves a tedious process. It is a very intense and time-consuming effort both for the company and the examination body. The Deming Prize Committee views the examination process as an opportunity for ‘mutual-development’, rather than an ‘examination’.

The applicants are not provided with any criteria or issues to be addressed. They are expected to identify and address important issues based on the business objectives which in turn allow quality methodologies to be further developed. Every factor such as the applicants' attitude toward executing Total Quality Management (TQM), their implementation status and the resulting effects are taken into overall consideration before the final winner is decided.