Innovation matters in a time of slowdown, say speakers at DuPont-AP conference

Chennai, November 28, 2013: Speakers at the DuPont-Autocar Professional panel discussion on November 27 in Chennai on solving the problems of the automotive sector touched upon a variety of topics such as safety, energy and fossil fuels, the challenge of introducing the latest technology in a price-sensitive market like India’s and the promise of advanced materials.

The discussion as moderated by Hormazd Sorabjee, editor, Autocar India, who went straight to the point asking and debating with speakers as to how the current slowdown – unprecedented in India’s auto sector – had affected their companies and the solutions they had put in place.

Throwing open the discussion with the issue of excess capacity, he put the first question to S Parthasarathy, CEO, Rane (Madras), who spoke about his own company’s experience in tackling the unprecedented demand for tractors and how in a slowing economy, the need was for a diversified portfolio, flexible production lines and a mindset change in the organisation.

Another speaker, Aravind Bhardwaj , Head - Technology, TPDS, Auto & Farm Equipment sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra, spoke about the need for creative destruction in a time of slowdown and referred in some detail to M&M’s own experience with the XUV500 and the Quanto.

To a question about product development, B Venkat Subramaniam, executive director (Corporate Strategy and Planning), Ashok Leyland, said the need of the hour, alluding to the CV sector, was to find the sweet spot between a product’s utilitarian character and yet not deprive the buyer of benefits. He said that apart from product per se, issues like maintenance, aftermarket loyalty, IPR and driver training also matter.

To a question about dealing with suppliers, a question that got diverse responses, Parthasarathy said the key issue is to never lose sight of the end customer and constantly understand his needs. The need for better collaboration was also highlighted as well as the need for game-changing products.

Dr Rajeev Vaidya, president, DuPont South Asia & ASEAN, said that while technology can be global , it has to have local relevance in terms of costs, price and value. The current slowdown, he said, is an opportunity to accelerate the pace of innovation and unlock the potential of science that his company is ready to offer and partner for solutions.

On the role of advanced materials, Dr Vaidya said that new technologies do not come cheap but the need is to identify value. He referred specifically to solutions that DuPont has worked on to improve commercial vehicle reliability, and also for tyres in particular. The need, he emphasised, is to look at total system costs.

The session ended with a question about what the panelists would want from India’s government and here are their answers. The need to enable innovation was suggested as well as a long- term stable policy on fuel and safety. The issue of better infrastructure, always an issue that pops up at seminars, came up and finally, perhaps the most important was the need for good governance and transparent policies.

The panel discussion came to close with a question and answer session and a screening of Du Pont’s corporate film, The Power of Shunya which H P Nanda, director (Strategy and Growth Initiatives) explained as being ‘the greatest aspiration’ – zero malnutrition, zero accidents, zero wastage, zero darkness and zero emission.

Over 120 people representing various Chennai-based auto companies and component suppliers attended the event.

BRIAN DE SOUZA