Lucas-TVS wins 2012 Deming Grand Prize

TVS Group company Lucas-TVS Ltd has been chosen to receive the prestigious 2012 Deming Grand Prize (DGP) by the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE). Rane (Madras) Ltd too has been selected for the award. The award is in recognition of the application of Total Quality Management (TQM) at all of Lucas-TVS’ six manufacturing facilities.

The auto electricals equipment manufacturer was selected for the application of the TQM approach in all its business processes with a focus on customer orientation, continuous improvements and total employee involvement. The Deming examiners from JUSE carried out a critical three-day audit before recommending Lucas-TVS for the DGP plaudit.

To trace the history of the growth of TQM at Lucas-TVS, the component maker launched its TQM movement in 1998 securing the Deming Application Prize during 2004 for its TQM commitment.

With the DGP, which is the next higher level of award, Lucas-TVS joins an elite group of 25 organisations worldwide which have been so far been awarded the DGP. The award will be formally conferred in a special ceremony at Keidanren Kaikan, Tokyo, on November 14.

New milestone in TQM

N Ravichandran, CEO, who led the company’s TQM initiatives from the front, says the DGP is another milestone in the company’s TQM journey. This recognition enhances the manufacturer’s responsibilities in meeting growing customer expectations. The recognition, he adds, has been achieved through collective teamwork of the company’s employees in association with the support of its customers, suppliers, dealers and other stake holders. “Our journey needs to continue to keep pace with the dynamic global standards,” he adds.

The principles on which the TQM process operates is customer focus, fact-based decision making, process-oriented activity, PDCA or plan, do, check and act, total employee involvement and continuous improvements.

The DGP helps companies to increase their overall productivity. For instance, after receiving the first level of Deming award in 2004, product quality levels at Lucas-TVS rose. Similarly, exports shot up three times. In 2010, the company drew its vision and policy for 2015 in terms of improvement in sales and production, harnessing of new technologies and people as well as methodologies. TQM methodologies have been achieved through the adoption of LEAN processes or cutting out of flab in manufacturing.

The consequent benefits that have accrued from it has been the top-down organisational alignment so that the company has a single heartbeat, says Ravichandran. Role clarity, bridging of gaps between targets and achievements, both monthly and quarterly, have been other benefits. The company’s road forward is to raise the bar for customer satisfaction and work towards achieving its 2015 vision to create a benchmark in quality globally.

SHOBHA MATHUR