Latest news with #ChamberofIndustrial&CommercialUndertakings
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Treat workers well, stop relying on jugaad: Jain
At a panel discussion organised by the Chamber of Industrial & Commercial Undertakings (CICU), industry leaders and experts called for a change in mindset, saying that world-class manufacturing was no longer a choice but a necessity. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Sachit Jain, vice-chairman and managing director (MD), Vardhman Special Steels, said that Ludhiana had no option but to comply with standards of world-class manufacturing. "It is no longer a matter of choice. The way the world is aligned, manufacturing is coming to India from China. Whether it was Covid or the shifting geopolitical landscape, the opportunity is ours to take," he said. Naming leading international companies, he said that the reason firms in Ludhiana were unable to match their stature was their mindset. "We here in Ludhiana think of jugaad, which won't take us there," he said. He called for replacing the culture of jugaad with systematic problem-solving. "In Japan, things run on time, while in Ludhiana we settle for somehow in time. That's where the shift must begin. Quality, safety and punctuality cannot be negotiable," he asserted. Drawing from his own practices, Jain shared that he meets at least six workers every day to understand their concerns and foster a culture of respect and safety. "If we want world-class output, we must treat our people in a world-class way. That's where the transformation begins," he said. David William Augustine, who heads the Ludhiana project of Tata Steel said that this was an exciting time for India. "The pandemic disrupted global supply chains and exposed over-dependence on China. With the ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade realignments, the world is looking at India to fill that gap," he said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The Japanese made quality a cultural value. That's what we must do in India. Quality has to become DNA," he said. Ambrish Jain, a leading industrialist, warned against resisting change. "In 2005, the world started talking about going paperless. We were scared. But we moved forward—started stapling wood, then scissors, blades, and now vacuum bottles. We now export to over 100 countries, with 90% revenue from our own brands." He said said the biggest barrier to growth was often the mindset of the owner. "If your systems and processes are not strong enough to function without you, your company cannot grow. The owner must become redundant for the company to scale," he said. Lokesh Jain, chairman, CII Ludhiana and director, TK Steels, spoke about ESG (environmental, social, and governance) responsibility. He said that sustainability was often reduced to paperwork and compliance, but it must become a lived value. "We planted over 18,000 native trees using the Miyawaki method. As a result, pollination of the native tree species is happening across a 10-kilometre radius. Giving back to society and the environment should not be a compliance report, it should be our culture and our own moral responsilbity without any need for a compliance or rule," he said.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
CICU bid to bridge skills-demand gap
Ludhiana: Taking a step forward towards aligning youth skills with modern industry demands, the Chamber of Industrial & Commercial Undertakings (CICU) started its reverse engineering course with the first batch of students at the CICU Complex Saturday. The two-month course titled 'Industrial Designer Reverse Engineering and New Product Development' has about 15 students in the maiden batch. Among them are also BTech graduates, who want hands-on training, besides others who aim to float their own entrepreneurial ventures. The eligibility for the course is Class XII pass. The programme offers training in measuring instruments, 2D and 3D design using SolidWorks, basics of surface modeling, 3D scanning, and reverse engineering of part designs. Participants also learn 3D printing techniques and apply their learnings in a capstone project, which involves designing a toy from scratch. This comprehensive approach is intended to help learners grasp the complete product development cycle from analysis to design and finally, to fabrication. Satisfied with the enthusiastic participation of students, CICU president Upkar Singh Ahuja underlined the significance of skill-based education.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
AI-driven quality control systems and mfg solutions focus of CICU workshop
Ludhiana: It's no secret that AI is set to revolutionise manufacturing, like every other sphere of life and work. At a workshop organised at the Chamber of Industrial & Commercial Undertakings (CICU) recently, the transformative role of AI in modern manufacturing was discussed at length. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The focus was on how AI is revolutionising industrial practices by enhancing operational efficiency, enabling predictive maintenance, and driving automation, thereby improving overall productivity and significantly reducing costs. Application of machine learning in production processes and real-time data analysis, insights into deep learning, emphasising AI-driven quality control systems and intelligent manufacturing solutions were explained and discussed by the participants, while exploring the role of generative AI, with a focus on natural language processing and the capabilities of various foundation models. Another key area of discussion was prompt engineering and a comparative analysis between OpenAI tools and proprietary AI solutions. The workshop also addressed the importance of security and compliance frameworks for industries and presented suggested proprietary models to tackle sector-specific challenges. In addition, the integration of AWS tools into routine industrial operations was demonstrated, showcasing how cloud-based solutions are enhancing efficiency across different verticals. The event saw active participation and enthusiasm from all attendees, underlining the growing interest in adopting AI-driven technologies in industry. Ashwani Muraal, founder & CEO of Kare Technologies; Priyanka Goswami, senior product specialist ( technical support at PTC); and Abhay Gupta, business strategist at Ingram Micro India shared their insights and expertise. Upkar Singh Ahuja, president of CICU, presented a token of gratitude to the faculty.
