Tata Motors' commercial vehicles business unit has won the prestigious Corporate Platinum award at the India Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2004, held in Mumbai last evening. Mr M. V. Rajarao, general manager — manufacturing, commercial vehicle business unit, Tata Motors, received the award on behalf of the company from Mr Aroop Zutshi, senior partner and president (Asia Pacific), Frost & Sullivan. The India Manufacturing Excellence Awards (IMEA) 2004, instituted by Frost & Sullivan, seek to recognise the Indian manufacturing capability and assess its global competitiveness.

The Corporate Platinum award won by Tata Motors is the overall winner award in the corporate sector taking into account assessment of the company's three manufacturing plants on critical parameters like quality systems; visual management, scheduling systems; supply chain, inventory levels; operational flexibility, orderliness, safety and environment; customer focus etc. States Mr Rajarao, "We are indeed very honored to have received this recognition in the form of the IMEA 2004 award. It will be our endeavour to continuously work towards improving our manufacturing processes by benchmarking with the best in the world."

Some of the benchmark processes being implemented by Tata Motors that have been identified by Frost & Sullivan include — balanced scorecard deployment; effective deployment of cost cutting through teamwork; proactive new product development / introduction and its corporate social responsibility initiatives. 

Tata Motors, with revenues of over US$ 3.5 billion (FY 2003-04), is a flagship company of the Tata Group. It is the world's fifth largest medium and heavy commercial vehicle manufacturer and produces more than 150 commercial vehicle models with a range of light, medium to heavy-duty trucks, buses and tractor-trailers. Tata Motors is the second largest player in the domestic passenger car market in India. Two of its five passenger vehicle brands are among the top 10 selling models in India.