Target 2020

Maruti Suzuki is speeding closer to its 20 lakh annual sales goal by focusing on modern technology and aggressive marketing.

- Munish Shekhavat

Maruti Suzuki India's mega carfactories in Gurugram (for-merly Gurgaon) and Manesar are embracing new technologies to keep pace with demands of the 21st century. With over 2,400 robots aiding 20,000 workers, one car is rolling out of Maruti's plant every 12 seconds. It is a far cry from nearly 35 years ago, when the company had first rolled out the now-discontinued iconic M800 model with around 900 people and negligible automation at the then Gurgaon factory.

Over 4,000 trucks criss-cross the premises, supplying components and picking up fully-built vehicles. The two factories are abuzz with activity for 280 days a year to roll out over 15 lakh units of 16 models with 1,100-plus variants. The over Rs 66,900-crore company has already started looking beyond 2020, by when it is targeting to sell 20 lakh units annually. In fact, the country's largest car manufacturer is aiming for annual sales of 30 lakh units in the next decade.

Tech-driven

According to Maruti Suzuki India Executive Director (Production) Rajiv Gandhi, the challenge for manufacturing operations to meet the demands of maintaining dominant market position is enormous. Almost every second passenger vehicle sold in India is from the stable of Maruti Suzuki. It calls for modern technologies that assist operators, improve their efficiencies and bring down fatigue to keep the factories running flawlessly. "In order to handle the complexity in manufacturing, we have invested in deploying new technologies on the shop floor," adds Mr Gandhi.