2. Our integrated performance
  3. Intellectual capital

Intellectual capital

Innovating in India
for the world

We take pride in our culture of excellence in R&D and innovation. Our focus is to provide 'local solutions using global technology' at higher speed to the market. We are building and strengthening our competencies to drive innovation ideas from the proof-of-concept stage to the product development stage. Our aim is to deploy valuable customer insights for creating products that fulfil their requirements.

In the short term, we will continue to invest in our R&D capabilities in India to enhance our local product development. We want to scale up our competence and capabilities in the areas of mechatronics and software development to cater to the global market. We are working together with our parent to provide engineering support to the global R&D centres.

Our focus
  • Become self-sufficient in R&D for India (local for local)
  • Facilitate 'local for global' R&D from India
  • Improve customers' confidence in local R&D
  • Launch new innovative products
Ramping up our future technology capabilities in India

Established technologies

Future technologies

Invention disclosures | Total

Progress of localised R&D in 2019
  • Low cost, high speed automatic transmission for two and three wheelers which will boost the battery operating range by at least about 10%
  • Advanced coating for bearings to reduce friction by 30-40%
  • Development of current insulated bearings for the local market
  • Best-in-class, locally manufactured Tapered Roller Bearings (TAROL) having applications in Indian and North American railways
  • Axle box housings and adapters for application in railways

Case Study: Idea management

Objectives

  • A global platform for sharing ideas, which when implemented leads to success for both the employee and the organisation
  • Employees take part in the company’s business and managers can utilise their collective knowledge.

Idea management process

1

Person submitting the idea

enters the idea directly in the software

2

Submitter's immediate superior

checks the idea and determines the special contribution factor

3

Submitter or reviewer of the beneficiary department

reviews the idea, initiates the implementation (if applicable) and carries out a saving analysis

4

Superior of the reviewer, controlling committee

checks the idea and saving analysis (depending on the amount of bonus payments and net savings)

5

Idea manager

verifies and finalises the idea process

Continuous support of the process by the idea management department

Impact

People engagement 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
No. of ideas generated 3,031 2,037 2,244 2,985 2,614
Cost savings ( ` in million) 43 45 45 31 16