Synopsis:

• M&M’s FES is the world’s first tractor manufacturer to win the Japan Quality Medal (JQM)
• Mr. Anjanikumar Choudhari, President, FES, received the JQM at a special ceremony in Tokyo
• FES is now the only tractor manufacturing company to win both the Deming Application Prize & the Japan Quality Medal
• FES was awarded the JQM for excellence in quality & relentless customer focus
• FES is the 3rd largest tractor manufacturer in the world & aims to emerge as the global leader by 2009

Mumbai: Mahindra & Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector (FES), the third largest tractor manufacturer worldwide, was presented with the coveted Japan Quality Medal (JQM) on 14 Nov, 2007, at a glittering ceremony in Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Anjanikumar Choudhari, President, Farm Equipment Sector and Member of the Group Management Board, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., received the award on behalf of the company. Mr. Ashok Sharma, Senior VP, Business Excellence was also present on the occasion.

Mahindra is the first tractor manufacturing company in the world to win the JQM which is universally acclaimed as the highest award presented to a company following Total Quality Management (TQM) practices. JQM recognizes a high level of customer focus, improvements in overall quality and excellence in business processes. Incidentally, FES was also the first tractor company worldwide to win the Deming Application Prize in 2003 for excellence in quality, making it the only tractor manufacturer to receive both distinctions.

'I am extremely pleased that the Farm Equipment Sector has been bestowed with one of the highest quality accolades in the world. The Japan Quality Medal not only marks a significant milestone on the road to excellence in business processes but is also a clear validation of our relentless focus on the customer and his needs. My congratulations to each and every member of the FES for helping us win this award. I am sure it will inspire us even further to reach our goal of emerging as the world’s largest tractor company by 2009,' said Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group.

FES’ journey to JQM was led by Mr. Anjanikumar Choudhari and saw plenty of idea sharing across groups, organizational hierarchies and functions. The JQM journey involved intensive focus on key business processes such as new product development, lean manufacturing, sales, customer care, Human Resource and Supplier management and Kaizen, leading to improved business results. During the JQM examination, FES presented the advancements it had made in TQM post the Deming prize, to the examiners. The objective was to showcase how an Indian company has taken up the mission of customer satisfaction and its relentless efforts to achieve new heights in quality in all its processes.

Mahindra’s FES has held leadership position in the Indian tractor industry for the past 24 years and is historically known for the quality of its products and customer centric approach. In fact, the entire business process at FES is geared towards consistently creating customer delight. At every stage of its product and process development, FES follows a system that includes a customer feedback mechanism, i.e., an in-depth and focused interview of the customer, continuous feedback from suppliers, trade partners, customers, etc.

About The Mahindra Group

The US $6 billion Mahindra Group is among the top 10 industrial houses in India. Mahindra & Mahindra is the only Indian company among the top three tractor manufacturers in the world. Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector has recently won the Japan Quality Medal, the only tractor company worldwide to be bestowed this honour. It also holds the distinction of being the only tractor company worldwide to win the Deming Prize. Mahindra is the market leader in multi-utility vehicles in India. It made a milestone entry into the passenger car segment with the Logan.

The Group has a leading presence in key sectors of the Indian economy, including the financial services (Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd, Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd., Mahindra Rural Housing Ltd.), trade and logistics (Mahindra Intertrade Ltd., Mahindra Steel Service Ltd., Mahindra Middleeast Electrical Steel Service Centre FZE, Mahindra Logistics) automotive components, information technology (Tech Mahindra, Bristlecone), and infrastructure development (Mahindra Lifespaces, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd., Mahindra World City). With over 62 years of manufacturing experience, the Mahindra Group has built a strong base in technology, engineering, marketing and distribution which are key to its evolution as a customer-centric organization.

The Group employs over 50,000 people and has several state-of-the-art facilities in India and overseas. The Mahindra Group has ambitious global aspirations and has a presence on five continents. Mahindra products are today available on every continent except Antarctica. M&M has one tractor manufacturing plant in China, three assembly plants in the United States and one at Brisbane, Australia. It has made strategic acquisitions across the globe including Stokes Forgings (UK), Jeco Holding AG (Germany) and Schoneweiss & Co GmbH (Germany). Its global subsidiaries include Mahindra Europe Srl. based in Italy, Mahindra USA Inc. and Mahindra South Africa. M&M has entered into partnerships with international companies like Renault SA, France, and International Truck and Engine Corporation, USA. Forbes has ranked the Mahindra Group in its Top 200 list of the World’s Most Reputable Companies and in the Top 10 list of Most Reputable Indian companies. Mahindra has recently been honoured with the Bombay Chamber Good Corporate Citizen Award for 2006-07.