WABCO Holdings Inc. (NYSE: WBC) announced that WABCO India has won the 2010 India Manufacturing Excellence Award (IMEA) with Super Platinum distinction.
It marks the third year that WABCO’s site in Chennai has been awarded IMEA platinum certification, resulting also in an IMEA Consistency Award to recognize the site’s honors in 2007, 2009 and 2010. The Economic Times (ET)-India Manufacturing Excellence Awards in partnership with Frost & Sullivan is India’s largest on-site assessment of manufacturing practices benchmarked against global standards.
At a recent ceremony in Mumbai, the jury of ET and Frost & Sullivan experts named the WABCO manufacturing facility in Chennai as IMEA 2010 Super Platinum in recognition of the site’s highest score among all other awardees in 2010.
IMEA’s assessment comprises 12 categories of manufacturing practices, including customer focus, supply chain management and quality systems, among other operational and business measurements. All award submissions are evaluated by global consulting firm Frost & Sullivan whose expert team also conducts further assessment during a site audit among a short list of candidates.
“Everyone at WABCO in India is proud, once again, to be selected for this outstanding national award, particularly because the Economic Times in partnership with Frost & Sullivan recognizes that our Chennai site continuously achieves and sustains manufacturing excellence,” said P. Kaniappan, Managing Director, WABCO India. “We are also delighted that the judges have honored us with their IMEA Consistency Award as we are now platinum certified for three years, further showing our world class success.”
“WABCO takes great pride in India for winning the highest possible award in this internationally acclaimed industry assessment,” said Jacques Esculier, WABCO Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “The Economic Times and Frost & Sullivan’s judges look for diligence, perseverance, foresight, and dedication to sustain successful lean manufacturing and continuous learning. Our facility in Chennai has accomplished yet another superlative achievement, gaining further recognition of its superb manufacturing capabilities as it continues to demonstrate its global competitiveness.”
In 2009, in addition to being named IMEA Super Platinum, WABCO India was honored with the Gold Award for Manufacturing Excellence from the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India, a leading industry group. The company previously won a Deming Prize for total quality management, the first awarded to a company in India; a Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Excellence Award from the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance; and a Japan Quality Medal, the first awarded to a company in India.