Autocar Professional magazine, June 15 issue preview

The lead stories in the mid-month issue are about innovation, quality and kaizen. Not for nothing is Robert Bosch Engineering & Business Solutions (RBEI) known as the technology powerhouse for Bosch in India. Our cover story, which includes an interview with Vijay Ratnaparkhe, president and MD, reveals how an ambitious RBEI is driving new gains in its powertrain electronics business, particularly with OEMs in BRIC markets.

The Rane Group prides itself for its top-notch quality products. Group company and Tier 1 supplier Rane Brake Lining bagged the ultimate quality accolade – the Deming Grand Prize – last year. We visit the award-winning Trichy plant which oozes quality from every pore and product.

Maruti’s going to Gujarat for its new plant is already big news and long-time supplier to the carmaker, Technico Industries is investing Rs 200 crore in a new project there for manufacturing hinges and sheet metal stampings.

We’ve also got three riveting interviews with captains of industry: Takashi Hata, the senior VP and chairman of the newly created AMI (Africa, Middle East, India) business region of Nissan Motor Corp, speaks candidly about re-energising the carmaker’s sales drive in the Indian market; Kel Kearns, director (Manufacturing), Sanand Vehicle Assembly & Engine Plant, Ford India, speaks about how the upcoming plant will embody the best of Ford; and Christophe Dalby, director (Human Resources), Renault-Nissan India, reveals how the Alliance is staffing its India operations, what India offers the company and the importance of diversity.

Meanwhile, Suzuki’s two-wheeler arm in India is showing a new face with plans to double exports, add 400 new dealers, and a new targets of a five percent market share by end-2014-15.  And, in the monthly ASEAN Auto Market Trends report, we find out whether Thailand should be worried about a fast-rising Indonesia?

Lots of action in the news pages up front including Comstar Automotive Technologies’ plans on setting up an assembly plant in Thailand, ACMA pushing for inclusion of aftermarket norms in the Motor Vehicle Act, and Tata Motors making only the Nano Twist at the Sanand plant and suspending production of the other variants.

All this and much more in the latest issue.