SBL to chug fast on rail track

27 November 2004

Chennai: The city-based Sundaram Brake Linings Limited (SBL) is looking at the non-automotive sectors as a part of its client diversification programme. The Rs120-crore- turnover-company has entered the railway composite brake block business.

The company has supplied 1,800 pieces of brake linings to the Indian Railways and is confident of getting around Rs9 crore business in three years time.

"The directed objective is to be a cost-effective supplier of quality products to one of the largest public transportation service in the world," says K Mahesh, chairman and managing director, SBL.

SBL is also gearing up to meet the challenge of extensive introduction of commercial vehicle disc brake pads in European Union countries.

With continuous growth in passenger vehicles and utility vehicles (multi and sports) the need for disc brake pads is expected to increase substantially. SBL intends to emerge a major supplier in this segment of the expanding global market.

About the changes ushered in to the company's quality systems post-Deming, he says, "We have initiated processes like lean manufacturing in addition to total quality management (TQM) to achieve a synchronous, smooth flow from our suppliers to customers."