India’s leading component suppliers including SMEs win ACMA Atmanirbhar Excellence Awards

The eighth ACMA Atmanirbhar Excellence Awards & Technology Summit, organised by apex industry body Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), was held on March 6 in New Delhi. The highlight of the event was 68 auto component manufacturers being awarded the prestigious ACMA Atmanirbhar Excellence Awards for their excellence in manufacturing, sustainable business, digitisation, localisation, and exports.

The event, with the overall theme of 'Gearing up for Carbon Neutrality & Sustainability,' emphasised the significance of innovation and sustainability in the auto component industry, and was attended by industry leaders, senior government officials and experts from around the world.

They included Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Textiles, Commerce & Industry and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India; Vinod Aggarwal, President of SIAM, and chairman of the Jury of ACMA Atmanirbhar Excellence Awards, as well as the managing director and CEO of VE Commercial Vehicles; and R Dinesh, the president-designate of CII, executive vice-chairman of TVS Supply Chain Solutions, and director of TVS Automobile Solutions.

Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Textiles, Commerce & Industry and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, government of India with Sunjay J Kapur, president, ACMA, L Ganesh, past president, ACMA and chairman, Rane Group & individual Deming Prize winner, Shraddha Suri Marwah, vice-president, ACMA & chairperson and MD, Subros and  Vinnie Mehta, director general, ACMA.

Sunjay J Kapur, ACMA president and chairman, Sona Comstar, while inaugurating the event, expressed gratitude towards the Prime Minister for encouraging sustainable development in the country through the 'Panch-amrit' strategy announced at the COP 26 summit in Glasgow. The strategy aims to establish non-fossil energy capacity, satisfy energy needs with renewable energy, minimize carbon emissions, and attain net-zero emissions by 2070.

 During the awards ceremony, Union Minister Piyush Goyal emphasised that India's future in technology and innovation hinges on investment in R&D and commitment to indigenisation. He also highlighted the pivotal role that the auto components industry can play in leading the charge for self-reliance, through increased investment in new technology and design, and by integrating the informal sector to indigenise the value chain.

He underscored the importance of building a strong defence industry and promoting indigenous manufacturing, as this will enable India to be self-reliant and become a reliable and trusted supplier to the world. Stressing upon the significance of India emerging as a supplier to the world, he commended ACMA's active role in supporting start-ups and smaller businesses to indigenise the entire value chain and integrate them into the mainstream. He also emphasised the need for India to focus on productivity, quality, and net-zero commitments, as “this will enable it to become the next frontier of technology, development, and production for the world.”

Sunjay J Kapur, president of ACMA and chairman, Sona Comstar, said: “As the Indian automotive industry moves forward in 2023 and beyond, it is essential to embrace green and clean technology to remain ecologically relevant. He highlighted the need for the auto component industry to be ahead of the curve in adopting new environmentally sound technologies, sustainable manufacturing practices, and business models that minimise carbon footprint while embracing the ethos of a circular economy.”

The jury for the Awards included Vinod Aggarwal, President, SIAM and MD & CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), Sunil Kakkar, senior executive officer - Supply Chain, Maruti Suzuki India, Rajesh Uppal, Member Executive Board (HR, IT & Safety), Maruti Suzuki India, MR Anandakrishnan, senior VP (Purchase), TVS Motor Co, Vipin Kaul, Purchasing Leader, Cummins India ABO, Cummins India, Ms. Angela Mans, Head of Foreign Trade and International Relations, German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), V Sridhar, senior director, Purchase, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, Ganesh Mani S, president & COO, Ashok Leyland, Sundar, assistant vice-president, Unit Head, HMIL Procurement, Hyundai Motor India, Raju Ketkale, executive vice-president, Toyota Kirloskar Motors, and B Srinivas, executive vice-president (Product Strategy and Purchasing), VE Commercial Vehicles.

Sixty-eight component suppliers were recognised for their excellence in manufacturing, sustainable business, digitisation, localisation and exports.