Volume 12 Issue 1 July 2015 ` 100
Challenges of Make in India and the Advantages With one ticket in Dusseldorf, we can take train, bus, tram, metro without looking for another ticket. In Delhi we need a separate ticket for DTC, for Metro, for Local…? Imagine the increase in efficiency and utilisation of time once we start implementing common commercial platform for these.
Manish Kothari Managing Director, Rhino Machines
Mr. Manish Kothari, Managing Director of Rhino Machines, after graduation in April 1991, was selected in L&T Hazira and worked as Plant Engineer for six months, before joining his father’s Foundry Project & Consultancy business. Rhino Machines was formed in 1991 with him as the Sole Proprietor. Trained under his father Mr. R C Kothari, he was exposed to the best of technology with visits to GIFA very early in 1994, and was involved in forming the most important relationship with Fondarc. While reaching out to the readers of MART, he says that the amount of work our Indian scientists do around the world and in India, if channelized, supported financially, will reduce the licensing and technology fees, and for sure may reverse the trend into an earning.
After having spent 15 days in Germany, Switzerland, Italy in the latter half of June, visiting an international trade fair as a participant – GIFA 2015 in Dusseldorf, there are very interesting observations – as this visit was looking more from Make in India and Made in India perspective. Throughout the visit have been trying to find where we are different, and where we are better, what we can adapt
from these advanced and stable countries. The same are very relevant in meeting the challenges of make in India. Infrastructure This can have several areas including mass transport, city transport, rail network, power management, water management and such basic amenities. We today have developed so many mass transport systems
and networks, however, we are still unable to get a common commercial platform for the same. For example, with one ticket in Dusseldorf, we can take train, bus, tram, metro without looking for another ticket. In Delhi we need a separate ticket for DTC, for Metro, for Local…? Imagine the increase in efficiency and utilisation of time once we start implementing these. It is not only increasing the infrastructure but sewing them together which is equally and
more important. While it is easy to say that infrastructure is missing in India, if we try to copy the infrastructure without thinking in totality, it may not give the desired results without seamless integration. Machinery We are using lot of old and outdated machinery for our manufacturing activity. Even the process of manufacturing
is outdated in many cases. It is essential to upgrade ourselves with the more efficient, but not necessarily the most automated machinery to get the best efficiencies. We continue to get low cost 2nd hand machines from Europe and other advanced countries, which are robust, but this does not allow our local machinery manufacturing industry to grow and improve. It is important here that there is a partnership between the manufacturer and user, duly supported by the government to produce more and more machines inside the country, so that the economy and liquidity stays within. This is very visible in case of China, where today they have become net exporters and do not import probably any machine. Even they could get the low cost old machines, but the govt has supported local manufacture and so has the industry. Humanware - Manpower – Skill Probably this is the biggest difference and game changer. We in India have a tremendous
advantage in multiskills, multi talent, intelligence, language, management skills supported by our very rich and strong cultural heritage of inclusive living. However, our education system has taken a completely wrong direction over the last few decades. Instead of focussing on skill and vocational training, we have focussed more only on higher education, leaving a very vast widening gap in the working level. During my visit and discussions with German, Swiss & Italians I find they start to nurture the skills from the age of 14, allow the students to find their right course, and then grow further. During visit to one of the VET Schools in Winterthur, Switzerland arranged by our knowledge partner SkillSonics, I realised where we need to go. The facilities for training, methodology and system were probably not available in our engineering institutes too. We need to focus on higher practical teaching with a combination of theory, which unfortunately is not happening
today. Without a good and well skilled force, we cannot grow. It is pertinent to say that there is also a social barrier today as we are always expecting the skilled working persons to be from the “lower strata”. The middle class segment needs to understand that the skilled job is not of a lower social status. It is not necessary that all science students become engineer or doctors? To bridge the gap the skilling has to happen across the society irrespective of the social status. The dignity of labour has to change, and it is only this which can make the Make in India successful. Process knowhow We say that we discovered “0”, we did lot of development in science, mathematics, and it is a reality, however, we never leveraged these to the next level. Process development in our country is considered a huge burden and cost. We are now inviting experts from Europe for providing us support for the process
know how. However, at the same time, we are not putting ourselves together to see that this know how is documented, absorbed and transferred to the next generation. We do possess a tremendous intelligence and can absorb the process knowhow, and need to put together a focus that in few years we should be absorbing the process like a “sponge” and then transferring this through the appropriate channels to one and all in the country. Today even Europe does not have this advantage with the diminishing interest of the new generation and the rising costs to document and leverage its knowledge. We are ready for this and need to structure the same. R&D Done in bits and pieces without a long term focus, our R&D is way behind in the manufacturing industry. The amount of work our Indian scientists do around the world and in India, if channelized, supported financially, will reduce the licensing and
technology fees, and for sure may reverse the trend into an earning. If we see in the management field today, India is providing management expertise to the top corporates in the world like Microsoft, Citibank, Pepsi, Bosch. This is because we did a lot of R&D in management studies due to our limitations even with our limited resources. If the same is extended to technology like the MOM mission, we are sure to take a lead in the industry. Cost & Data Management – Analytics Fortunately we Indians are street sMart, have great survival skills, cost and fund management skills. We need to get this skill documented into analytics, multiply our knowledge so that we all can get the advantage of becoming cost effective. Over the last 4-5
years, foundries in particular at selling at old prices, reduced prices and found a way to reduce their costs. Had they focussed on this a decade ago and even now before they face the pressure, analyse the cost elements, based on data, with the street sMart advantage we possess, we are sure to compete with the world and make ourselves into a global player with a larger role. Organisation Structure & HR Many of the businesses in India are 1st generation or 2nd generation and do not survive or sustain. We do not recognise the need to invest in HR and Organisation development. In the last 5 years, we at Rhino due to exposure to the global industry and having studied many industries closely could understand this need. One year of the OD exercise revealed that we in India can too work on a structured and more
robust platform provided we invest in time and understand the need for the structured approach. Very soon OD and HR will become very important needs even for the SME/SMB sectors, else they will struggle to grow further and leverage their strength.
Indian Manufacturing Industry.
ISO - TS - Certifications and systems - actual use
Our PM has raised the bar, he
We are forced to use the certifications, since the reliability or credibility of our deliverables is always at a question. We incur huge costs in maintaining the certifications, however, we consider this only as a “paper”. Time has come to understand why these systems are there, and make it part and parcel of our habit. Quality is a habit, not a certificate. Once we realise this, and follow this principle, it would automatically convert into global confidence in the quality and deliverables of the
We are just a step away from making the dream of Make in India into a reality. Our PM has raised the bar, he has brought in the National Character which had gone missing, he has brought in the National Pride of being an Indian. The pudding will be when we convert this into realising this dream.
We need to really see – what is the actual use, and how effectively are we using it. Once again, I would like to reiterate – we are just a step away from making the dream of Make in India into a reality. has brought in the National Character which had gone missing, he has brought in the National Pride of being an Indian. The pudding will be when we convert this into realising this dream. We at Rhino Machines have been on this path for long, have increased our pace by acquiring licenses for newer technologies, investing in R&D, and most recently investing in Skill Development Centre with Swiss VET Structure, as we strongly believe that yes we can do it!! Jai Hind.