The quality ethos at Amara Raja is embodied in its articulated philosophy 'Gotta be a better way' that inspires its entire team to continue to push the efficiency bar higher. This culture when practiced across the years has transformed into the organisational DNA which does not allow the Company to rest on its laurels but to continue to seek improved methods of performing its routine tasks... small efforts-leading to great growth. The Company's journey of excellence is aptly showcased in its ability to create first of its kind products that have completely altered industry trends.
In keeping with the organisational DNA, the Company has institutionalised globally accepted operational tools and techniques namely - Continuous Improvement (CI), Lean Implementation programmes - TPM, Visual Management & 5S, Industrial Engineering (IE) studies, Lean Six Sigma and Quality Circle concept. This has facilitated reinforcing the quality culture across all levels and for all functions.
Our Commitment to Quality
- Imbibed competency in the frontline workforce to own product quality through self-inspection
- Progressed Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) methodology towards challenging JIPM Excellence Award for the Automotive Battery Division & Small Battery Division at Karakambadi, Tirupati by 2020
- Identified and implemented numerous projects towards productivity improvement and automation
- Implemented improved energy management systems (aligned to the global ISO energy management certification) which helped in reducing the specific energy consumption
- Increased the share of renewable energy (through rooftop solar panels) in the energy mix of the business.
- Implemented the Poka Yokes in many operations to strengthen operational efficiencies
Our Journey
- Brought the best- in- class technology with partners from the USA and adapted to Indian conditions with world-class process, inspection and testing equipment and information technology systems.
- Certified to ISO 9001 international standards of quality management systems since 1997 for Industrial Battery business and Certified to QS 9000 automotive sector since 1999, and ISO/ TS 16949 for Automotive Battery businesses since 2004
- One of the first companies to go for certifications with the new standard of IATF 16949 – 2016 for Automotive Battery businesses.
- Developed and deployed the process approach with an overall focus on risk-based thinking.
- Competency building through continuous training and education to all the levels of the organisation including in USA, Japan and European countries.
- To reduce the process variation & exceed the customer expectations embraced Six Sigma methodology since 2002.
- Quality Circles - A simple and effective methodology to solve the problems driving quality culture for the front line employees to shape the attitudes, habits and personalities
CI Culture
- Transformation of Workplace by implementing 5S practices to achieve the operational excellence
- Empowered frontline employees & TEI (Total Employee involvement) by introducing a suggestion scheme to improve the quality and innovation culture.
- TPM - A Companywide team-based effort to build quality into equipment maintenance to improve overall equipment effectiveness.
- 80% of the operator’s involvement in Quality Circles. – One of the highest quality circles across India and 70% of the supervisors being facilitators for Quality Circles.
- Institutionalised lean Six Sigma for addressing chronic problems enable to achieve customer delight, consistent quality and optimization of resources
- Lean Manufacturing is a system created by combining the logic of Lean principles with the economics of manufacturing to identify & eliminate waste in processes/ services
5S, Quality Circles & Lean Six Sigma
In Amara Raja, 983 quality circles have successfully implemented 983 QC projects. To ingrain, the Six Sigma methodology across the organization, the Company trained 141 members as Black Belts and 553 members as Green Belts as of March 31, 2022.
The Company continued to improve resource utilisation and minimise in-process rejections by leveraging quality techniques (QC, Six Sigma and Kaizen) across all facilities. Projects of non-manufacturing nature were also implemented bringing efficiencies and effectiveness to the business processes across the supply chain.