Published on March 28, 2024
Titan, along with Tata iQ Bengaluru, successfully hosted the fifth Tata Supply Chain Forum Meet on February 22-23, 2024. With an active participation of 35 senior supply chain practitioners from 19 Tata companies, the two-day event fostered collaboration and learning within the Tata group's supply chain ecosystem.
The event kicked off at Titan’s facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, with welcome addresses by Deepak Deshpande, VP, Tata Business Excellence Group (TBExG); NE Sridhar, Chief Sustainability Officer & BE Head, Titan; and Sanjay Ranawade, CMO & SVP, Jewellery Division, Titan. The Titan jewellery team, led by C Panneer Selvam, Head - SCM & Material Procurement, provided an insightful overview of the integrated supply chain management process at the jewellery division. They delved into various aspects including demand planning, recall and redistribution, theory of constraints, warehouse & logistics, customer order management, and sustainability. Following classroom sessions, participants had the opportunity to enrich their understanding with a visit to the Titan jewellery manufacturing shop floor. They also received detailed sessions on watch manufacturing, including NPD, movement, case plant, and assembly, gaining valuable insights into the supply chain at the watches division of Titan.
The second day began at Tata iQ, Bengaluru, with a welcome address by Tarun George, CEO, Tata IQ. Raja S, GM - Chief Strategic Initiatives, Tata iQ then shared insights on leveraging data analytics for forecasting, production planning, and logistics. This was followed by a session on optimisation and forecasting led by Satrajit Kar, Head - Advanced Analytics Solution; and Surjit Laha, Head - Supply Chain Analytics, Tata IQ; along with Manish Kumar, AGM - Rice Category, Rallis; and Basavaraja RH, Head - Sales - South West HUB and Domestic Institutional Business, Rallis, demonstrating real-world data-driven decision-making. A panel discussion featuring Prof Arshinder Kaur from IIT Madras; Dr Ashwin Ravindran, Unit Head, HP Singapore; and Dr Kavitha Balaiyan, GM - Ford Motor Company, delved into AI use cases and 3D printing. Brajesh Chandra, Consultant, TBExG concluded the day by showcasing the APQC performance benchmarking platform, emphasising its role in driving learning and collaboration within group companies. The Tata group's subscription to American Productivity and Quality Center (APQC) facilitates access to global best practices and benchmarks, yielding significant benefits in supply chain management performance benchmarking.
The two-day learning visits received positive feedback from participants, inspiring them to conceptualise, and implement the insights gained in their respective companies.