Latest news with #TQM
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
DriveX Mobility appoints Vinod Gupta as VP of manufacturing to enhance operational growth
DriveX Mobility has appointed Vinod Gupta as its Vice President of Manufacturing to spearhead growth and operational scaling as the company expands nationwide in the pre-owned two-wheeler market . Gupta, bringing 24 years of automotive quality and manufacturing experience from Honda Cars India and Altigreen, will oversee manufacturing and refurbishment operations. He will be focusing on scaling vehicle certification systems and improving delivery capabilities as DriveX aims to reach 500 retail outlets by 2027. His appointment is a strategic move to strengthen DriveX's commitment to operational excellence and growth-ready manufacturing capabilities. Past experience Vinod Gupta's extensive background includes significant roles at Honda Cars India and electric vehicle start-up Altigreen. His experience encompasses setting up new manufacturing plants, overseeing quality for export models, and building manufacturing quality systems from the ground up. At Honda, Gupta contributed to the company's consistent leadership in product quality rankings across India. He also played a key role in ensuring quality for export models across global markets. During his time at Altigreen, he successfully scaled operations to a high-volume annual capacity within two years. This involved combining start-up agility with structured execution. "This role represents a meaningful next step in my journey. I've worked on four-wheelers, electric three-wheelers, and component manufacturing, and now moving into the two-wheeler space adds a new dimension. I look forward to building processes that are lean, scalable, and rooted in trust, so that every refurbished vehicle we deliver reflects our commitment to quality," said Gupta. New roles In his new position, Gupta will be responsible for the company's end-to-end manufacturing and refurbishment operations. A key focus will be on scaling vehicle certification systems. He will also work to improve delivery capabilities. DriveX is currently preparing to expand its footprint significantly. The company aims to have 500 retail outlets by 2027. Narain Karthikeyan, Founder & Director of DriveX, said "We are delighted to have Vinod join the DriveX leadership team. He not only possesses deep technical skills, but also has a track record of creating high-quality systems that scale. As we expand across India, his expertise in manufacturing and process excellence will be instrumental in delivering the consistency and trust that DriveX is known for." Education background Gupta's educational background includes a degree in Mechanical Engineering from MNIT Jaipur. He also holds an Executive Post Graduate Diploma in International Business from IIFT, New Delhi. He is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Gupta has led initiatives across TQM, Quality 4.0, and enterprise-wide quality management systems.
The Age
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
This restaurateur gave his new eatery a colourful paint job. Now he faces a $6000 fine
When restaurateur Michael Fegent rebooted popular Paddington spot Tequila Mockingbird as an upmarket Venezuelan restaurant, TQM, last month, he hoped to make a splash by painting the facade bright yellow. But the new look drew the attention of Woollahra Council, which has ordered Fegent to repaint the Heeley Street property or risk a $6000 fine. Fegent, who owns the terrace building at the Five Ways intersection, said he wanted to bring warmth and vibrancy to the area. 'Yellow is the prominent colour of the Venezuelan flag, and I chose a colour listed as a heritage by the paint supplier,' he said. The restaurateur said he had no idea the paint job required prior approval, but felt he was being singled out nonetheless. 'There are lots of terrace houses in the Heritage Conservation Area with vibrant colours, including yellow – have they been issued notifications from council?' he said. He declined to name specific properties, to save them from facing the same issues he is.
Sydney Morning Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
This restaurateur gave his new eatery a colourful paint job. Now he faces a $6000 fine
When restaurateur Michael Fegent rebooted popular Paddington spot Tequila Mockingbird as an upmarket Venezuelan restaurant, TQM, last month, he hoped to make a splash by painting the facade bright yellow. But the new look drew the attention of Woollahra Council, which has ordered Fegent to repaint the Heeley Street property or risk a $6000 fine. Fegent, who owns the terrace building at the Five Ways intersection, said he wanted to bring warmth and vibrancy to the area. 'Yellow is the prominent colour of the Venezuelan flag, and I chose a colour listed as a heritage by the paint supplier,' he said. The restaurateur said he had no idea the paint job required prior approval, but felt he was being singled out nonetheless. 'There are lots of terrace houses in the Heritage Conservation Area with vibrant colours, including yellow – have they been issued notifications from council?' he said. He declined to name specific properties, to save them from facing the same issues he is.
Time Out
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Paddington's Tequila Mockingbird has transformed into TQM, a golden-yellow restaurant led by a Michelin-rated Venezuelan chef
Paddo locals know Tequila Mockingbird well. For close to a decade, the heritage-listed 19th-century terrace was the go-to for Latin American-inspired fare and zesty, smashable Margs. Not wanting to rest on his laurels, owner Michael Fegent – of Atticus Hospitality, the group also behind the CBD's award-winning Esteban and Balmain's Casa Esquina – has closed Tequila Mockingbird for good. Now, you can say hello to TQM, a fresh, golden-yellow South American restaurant with a Michelin-rated Venezuelan chef at the helm. The vibrant facade is a nod to the Venezuelan flag, symbolising harmony, abundance and the warmth of the sun. Jose Garcia, whose Buenos Aires restaurant Fogón Asado was ranked the 36th best steak restaurant in the world by Michelin, has just landed in Sydney for the gig. At TQM, Garcia will be drawing on memories of cooking with his mum and grandmother, and will be serving up the flavours of Venezuela, alongside other dishes found throughout South America. Opening menu highlights include XO prawns with rice and lemon aioli; fried green plantain with smoked fish – a riff on a classic dish usually enjoyed by the beach in Venezuela; and blood sausage croquettes with a tamarind chutney – similar to ones Garcia enjoyed on road trips with his dad as a child. And of course, you can't spend six years at one of the world's best steakhouses and not put premium meat on the menu, so there's a cracking Wagyu enhanced by flames and served with grilled seasonal veg, too. In good news, fans of the Tequila Mockingbird Margarita (hello, most of Sydney) will be pleased to know it's staying on the menu, alongside punchy new cocktails including the Caribbean Queen (Plantation pineapple rum, Rhubi, Averna, strawberry and lime). Plus, wines by the glass start at $15. Fegent says: 'When opening Tequila Mockingbird almost a decade ago, I drew on experience gained from venturing through South America. Over the course of many trips, where I visited 30+ local restaurants, Jose's restaurant Fogón Asado was the absolute standout. I've never experienced anything like it before or since and striking up a friendship with Jose during my visit the conversation started about getting him over to Australia. I wanted to bring back the same passion and excitement I'd had opening Tequila Mockingbird ten years ago and I knew Jose was the right person to help me do that. I can't wait to showcase his extraordinary, world-class cooking from our little part of Sydney and give our customers something truly unique and special," he added.
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How AI Can Turbocharge Your TQM Program
Bankim Chandra is Director & CEO of Dotsquares. Always committed to innovative solutions and mentoring the next generation in the industry. Over the years, business owners and management professionals have been faced with an ever-increasing number of business process models, including Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen and total quality management (TQM), to name a few. All of this is further complicated by artificial intelligence (AI). The big question is: How will we use AI in these legacy models? What benefits can it offer, and how will those benefits manifest for end customers? Let's take a look at TQM and how it might benefit from AI. TQM is, as the name implies, focused on facilitating quality improvement. The International Organization for Standardization describes it as "a management approach of an organization centered on quality, based on the participation of all its members and aiming at long term success through customer satisfaction and benefits to all members of the organization and society." It is essentially a management approach that aims for long-term success through customer satisfaction. Key elements of this approach focus on strategy, data and effective communication to optimize processes, products, services and the culture of an organization. TQM also easily integrates with other approaches, such as Six Sigma, lean manufacturing and global ISO (9000 series) standards. Is it the data element of TQM that can be furthered by the adoption of AI? As we know, generative AI can sift through huge quantities of data quickly to derive insights from those datasets. For example, sifting through multiple communication channels, including social media, can help you discern what the customer actually wants. There are many ways in which AI could be a real game changer for TQM. AI can analyze any historic legacy data to accurately predict any potential quality issues before they occur. In manufacturing, cameras and sensors can identify defects much more efficiently than a human eye. As machine learning progresses, these quality management practices could become more accurate and efficient, spotting anomalies quickly and suggesting preventative measures. AI can also be tasked to look for the insights in customer feedback. By analyzing the data from reviews, surveys, social media and other sources, AI can quickly ascertain any trends and highlight potential areas for improvement. Similar processes can be used to identify and mitigate risks in the supply chain. But AI can also help in other areas of the business, such as identifying process improvements. By looking at legacy and current data, it can identify roadblocks in business processes and suggest improvements. This could lead to potential AI-designed 'experiments' in, for example, business process data flows. Two important elements need to be considered here. The quality of the data being is imperative, as is the choice of AI model the algorithm it applies. Combined, these can give businesses a great competitive advantage, providing key insights and allowing informed decisions to be made in real time. In software development, there is already a plethora of AI automated testing tools being used to both write and check code. Coding assistants such as GitHub Copilot and Google AI Studio are already prevalent in many organizations, allowing coders to concentrate on more intricate tasks. There are many AI tools available, and of course, choosing the right one for your industry and organization is going to be critical. Before you make your choice, you need a clear view of the challenges and goals that your implementation might face and achieve. Review current market offerings and their relevant case studies. Once you've narrowed down those offerings, evaluate your choices firsthand by trying them out. Pay close attention to the reputation ascribed by peers to the tools you review; that will tell you a lot about its market position and whether it will become one of the major players in its particular niche. Additionally, take into account the speed by which organizations are able to derive real value from the tool. Assess the migration potential for any legacy data that you'll need to import into the tool. Furthermore, assess the tool's security infrastructure and how safe that data is going to actually be. See how much support the vendor offers to those who use their tool, too. Any TQM program now has a wealth of resources available to them. With these tools, you can pull even more value from your data, which can help you build better relationships with customers, drive your bottom line and more. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
