CEAT’s Chennai tyre manufacturing plant has been recognised by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as a Global Lighthouse Network member, the first tyre brand globally to achieve this twice.
This recognition highlights CEAT’s successful implementation of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies, leading to significant improvements in operational efficiency, sustainability, and workforce digital enablement. The Chennai plant joins CEAT’s Halol facility in this network, demonstrating the company’s commitment to advanced digital manufacturing.
This recognition from WEF showcases CEAT’s dedication to innovation and operational excellence within the manufacturing sector. The company’s strategic use of 4IR technologies like AI, IIoT, robotics, and advanced analytics has yielded quantifiable improvements across multiple areas.
Anant Goenka, Vice Chairman, RPG Group, said, “The recognition of our Chennai plant as a WEF Lighthouse is a remarkable milestone for CEAT, marking our second facility to join this prestigious network. The deployment of advanced digital solutions has improved dispatch turn around by 54% and labour productivity by 25%. This underscores our continued commitment to leveraging digital transformation to drive operational excellence, sustainability, and innovation across our manufacturing units.”
Sustainability and workforce empowerment
The Global Lighthouse Network identifies and celebrates manufacturing facilities that have effectively implemented 4IR technologies to achieve transformative results. These facilities serve as examples for others in the industry.
CEAT’s Chennai plant demonstrates improved operational efficiency. The use of advanced analytics and real-time monitoring systems has led to an 18% reduction in cycle times. Operational costs have also been improved by 31%, the company said in a media release.
The company has also prioritised sustainability. The Chennai plant has achieved a 47% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions through eco-efficiency initiatives focused on energy and water usage. This aligns with CEAT’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing.
CEAT has also focused on workforce digital enablement. Over 80% of the workforce at the Chennai plant is equipped with digital tools. This empowers data-driven decision-making and automation-enhanced workflows.
Jayasankar Kuruppal, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing, CEAT stated “This recognition underscores our vision of establishing intelligent factories that not only deliver business value but also contribute meaningfully to environmental sustainability. The Chennai plant has redefined benchmarks in productivity through the seamless integration of advanced technologies while maintaining a strong focus on resource efficiency. This accomplishment reaffirms CEAT’s role as a global leader in manufacturing excellence, setting a benchmark for future readiness and innovation.”
The Chennai plant’s inclusion signifies its achievement in transforming manufacturing processes through technology integration. This recognition highlights the plant’s success in achieving measurable improvements.
The WEF Global Lighthouse Network provides a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing among industry leaders. CEAT’s membership facilitates the exchange of best practices and fosters innovation.
Kiva Allgood, Head, Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains, World Economic Forum said, “Across our Global Lighthouse Network, digital technologies are revolutionizing production ecosystems. From AI-driven control towers to zero-code workflows, Lighthouses exemplify sustainable innovation, setting benchmarks millions can follow to drive transformational change across the entire ecosystem.”
As a distinguished member of the WEF Global Lighthouse Network, CEAT gains access to unparalleled opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange with other global leaders in manufacturing excellence. This achievement not only reinforces CEAT’s stature within the global manufacturing ecosystem but also sets the stage for replicating these best practices across its other facilities, further strengthening its position as a pioneer in sustainable and technologically advanced manufacturing.
