Indra’s Drishtikona (Viewpoint)

Indian Manufacturing and My Nightmare

Posted : May 31, 2006 at 5:54 am [IST]

My nightmare with Godrej 260 litres, 2-door, frost-free refrigerator (bought at Rs. 17,500 in 2001) and its repair services continues. My allusion with the quality level of today’s manufacture persists. My dream of seeing India as a strong manufacturing base or hub alludes. It is more than 20 days that the fridge stopped cooling. The repair mechanic firstly filled gas, then suggested and got an external condenser fixed, and finally changed even the compressor, but they failed to make it to cool. They have brought in and taken the machine back twice. It clearly questions the job knowledge of the maintenance men. And this is for a product manufactured by a reputed big company of the country- Godrej. The refrigerator gave me problem every summer.

As claimed and reported extensively through our highly vocal media, Indian manufacturing companies, in the last five years, have continuously improved product quality and productivity through reengineered shop floor activities and management strategies. The objective is to be globally competitive. Every now and then, the media reports about the poorer Chinese product quality, and claims Indian product quality better. Sometimes I doubt. The opinions may be biased. My present experience with Godrej refrigerator is a proof. Is it because in process of updating the technologies in line with the competitors, Godrej made some mess up of quality? I had Godrej single door for years in Calcutta. I don’t remember of any repair requirement or gas refill. Perhaps, the design was robust enough to last long, though the look might not be so much attractive.

While talking about refrigerator, the name of a Chinese company comes to my mind. As reported, Haier turned itself from a bankrupt refrigerator unit two decades back into China’s largest- and the world’s fifth largest- household appliances maker with global revenue of $12.8 billion (in 2005) and presence in more than 20 countries with 16 R&D centers and 13 manufacturing units across the world. I am sure and so will be anyone else that without superior quality and excellent after sales services, Haier would not have reached to that stage. Why couldn’t Godrej do it? And it had all the resources to become big and global backed the skill and talent of Indian human resources. Still some consultants and experts say, “India is better in terms of engineering skills, innovations, R&D and testing (than China) in high end manufacturing”. Unless we establish a reputation for world-class quality in domestic market, India can’t hope of getting into making manufacturing as its major strength. And all the dreams of National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council, Fiici, CII, and above all of the Indian government will remain only some sweet wishful thinking.

I am sure Godrej will be seeing some reasoning in improving its product quality and reliability and also after sales services for the domestic customers. Its media savvy CEO will have ambition to become big.

And for me, if they fail to do a right job this time for a nominal cost (I have already spent Rs 2000), I shall have to use it as shoe cabinet or wait for winter discount exchange sale when I may get some thousand rupees reduction in MRP.

Some Good readings of the day:
The economics and politics of growth: Business functions in a democracy of quality and politics in a democracy of quantity- RAHUL BAJAJ
Asian countries have not lost out to China -JOHN WHALLEY

- Indra

Category: Manufacturing |