Successfully Regained Lost Market through Application of FMEA to Identify Key Issues Involved and QFD to Identify Design Characteristics to Revamp Design of Single Phase Induction Motor that Helped Kirloskar Electric to Regain the Lost Domestic and Export Markets | Chapter 11 | Current Strategies in Economics and Management Vol. 1

Kirloskar Electric Co was a leading manufacturer of Electrical Products in India around 1960s. It had about 28% to 30% Domestic Market share with No. 1 position in the country in field of Induction Motors and Alternators (AC Generators). However, one of its products Single Phase Induction Motor got skidded in Domestic Market and Export Market as well. While the exact reasons for not being accepted in the Market were not known except a feeble voiced complaint that Motor start Capacitor had to be replaced and that did not lead to any particular conclusion. Hence, the Top Management assigned the responsibility of identifying the problem and then evolving appropriate solution to overcome the issues involved to me. I went to Market in different cities in the country to identify the real issues. Through use of FMEA tool (not a well-known quality tool in 1960s in India) identified issues and then I evolved long term solutions to counter the problems faced through using QFD (also not well known quality tool in those days) tool to select New Design Characteristics to serve the customer better. 
With this, the new design evolved for the product became the basic solution to the problem that the customer had faced in both National and International Markets. The new design concepts used became the base for revamping the entire Series of Single Phase Induction Motor. New range of product was welcomed by both National and International Markets and there by original Market share was not only regained, but got enhanced by about 60%.

Author(s) Details

Gururaj Kulkarni
Kirloskar Electric Co., Bangalore and Hubli, India, Crompton Greaves Ltd., Mumbai, India, Prince Containers Pvt. Ltd./Prince Multiplast Pvt. Ltd. Mumbai, India, JASANZ (Joint Accreditation Scheme for Australia and New Zealand), Canberra, Australia and Quality Council of India at National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies, New Delhi (based in Mumbai), India.

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