Indigenous development amongst challenges : Munjal Showa Limited and the implementation of total productive maintenance

Purpose – The global manufacturing industry is becoming more competitive. Munjal Showa, a shock absorber manufacturer in India, is using indigenous development of technology by incorporating concepts of lean manufacturing, total productive maintenance (TPM) and low cost automation techniques to increase their competitiveness. This new approach helps the company to reduce cost of manufacturing and to increase the productivity by reducing cycle time and down time. The aim of this paper is to offer an in depth study of the four phases of indigenous development of machines at Munjal Showa Ltd. Design/methodology/approach – The paper offers an in depth study of the four phases of indigenous development of machines at Munjal Showa Ltd with the benefits and results. Findings – Proper understanding of process requirements and tool designing in accordance with process requirement are the two major factors which help to down size the machine and to identify unnecessary parts. By applying these techniques on BC‐21 machine, Munjal Showa is able to reduce the space used by 68 percent, break downs by 93 percent, cycle time by 48 percent and an increase in productivity by 52 percent. Research limitations/implications – The paper is looking at only one company as an example which is a limitation and cannot be generalized for all industries. Practical implications – Indigenous development enables company to reduce costs and service machines quickly as they themselves have developed the machines. Social implications – Physical fatigue of incumbents at the shop floor is considerably reduced by using concepts like cockpit layout and combining of processes on a single machine. Improves job satisfaction and productivity of shop floor employees. Originality/value – In India, this is one of its kind initiatives taken up by the business excellence team at Munjal Showa Ltd.