Continental India Bags ACMA Excellence Award 2023
Technology Company Continental’s Bangalore Plant won the ACMA Excellence Award 2023 and secured Bronze trophies for both “Excellence in Manufacturing” and “Excellence in Digitalization”. The 58th edition of ACMA Excellence Awards & 9th Technology Summit recognizes the steadfast commitment and innovation of Indian auto component producers. The awards are a testimony to Continental’s digitization, sustainability efforts and commitment towards localization in manufacturing.
Out of 344 nominations, ACMA honored the outstanding accomplishments and efforts of 59 renowned auto component makers, who took home a total of 112 prizes across categories. This honor acknowledges Continental’s years of hard work in manufacturing combined with digitalization which will further advance the company’s future-focused strategy, “Ready for the Future.”
Expressing his delight, Prashanth Doreswamy, President and CEO, Continental India said, “This award is a statement that testifies Continental India’s efforts towards localization and digitalization. As an organization we follow, ‘in the market, for the market’ approach, focusing on localizing the entire value chain to suit the needs and demands of the customers. The award not only recognizes our commitment to localization but also acknowledges the dedication and innovation of our team at the Bangalore Plant.”
He further added, “The Bangalore Plant is our largest electronics manufacturing plant in India and plays a major role in our growth strategy and digitization efforts. We have been continuously investing in the country to enhance the localization of safety and connected car technologies at the Bangalore Plant. Continental is ‘Ready for the Future,’ and this honor reinforces our determination to advance our localization efforts and contribute to the overall growth and sustainability in the automotive industry.”
Phanindra Karody, Head of the Bengaluru Plant, Continental Automotive India, said, “We are grateful for the recognition and are immensely proud. This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. These achievements reaffirm Continental’s leadership in harnessing cutting-edge technologies to drive efficiency and quality in our operations. We extend our gratitude to our dedicated team whose hard work and dedication have made this success possible.”
Bangalore Plant
Continental has embraced the digitization and automation of diverse processes in pursuit of creating a sustainable manufacturing ecosystem. Symbolic of a smart factory, Continental’s Bangalore Plant is the largest electronics manufacturing facility of Continental in India. Cutting-edge technologies, including collaborative robots (Cobots), Augmented Reality (AR), Artificial Intelligence (AI) for face recognition, automated replenishment systems, automated optical inspection, and Big Data applications, have been seamlessly integrated into the shop floor of the Bangalore Plant. These innovations contribute to operational efficiency, ensure adherence to quality standards, maintain precision and consistency, and also uphold a high level of transparency throughout the manufacturing process.
Phanindra also added, “At our state-of-the-art plant, we embrace Industry 4.0 practices, ensuring smart manufacturing and data-driven operational management in every aspect. The Bangalore Plant stands as a shining example of our commitment to localization in manufacturing. This award is a celebration of our efforts and a reaffirmation of our commitment to setting industry standards for excellence.”
Over the years, the Bangalore Plant has introduced various measures to ensure high levels of energy efficiency. The solar panels and a 5MW solar plant installed by Continental ensures that over 93 percent of energy for the plant is sourced from renewable sources. Additionally, the energy-efficient chiller facility has reduced the energy consumption by 5.6 percent and annually saves up to 5,400,000 units.
Past Accolades
The plant is ISO 50001:2018 certified for Energy Management System. Last year, the Bangalore Plant achieved a gold certification in Green Plant Labeling. After the Regensburg plant in Germany, it is the second location to receive a gold certification within Continental among 58 automotive plants globally. In the past, Continental has also won an award at the 4th VDMA Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2021 in the category ‘Energy Efficiency and Conservation’. The award recognizes the German Engineering Federation “Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau” (VDMA) members who have implemented sustainable manufacturing processes and creates a platform to share best practices for a better environment. The plant has also been recognized with a Level 5 Rating of sustainability by one of the top Indian automotive OEMs in 2020.
Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2023, Continental generated sales of €41.4 billion and currently employs around 200,000 people in 56 countries and markets.
The company has been present in India for close to 50 years through technology partnerships (Continental Tires since 1974) and joint ventures for its various businesses. Today, the tier 1 automotive supplier, tire manufacturer, and industrial partner operate across India – with about 10,000 employees across 13 locations, including seven plants that cater to the Indian market and a Technical Center that supports Continental’s global R&D activities.
