Powering the Edge: Insights from India's Electronics Manufacturing Leadership Roundtable

#LeadershipInsights #SustainableManufacturing #SmartFactory #ElectronicsManufacturingIndia #DigitalTransformation #OperationalExcellence #ManufacturingReimagined #OEE

A leadership dialogue on driving the next wave of productivity and innovation in electronics manufacturing.

November 2025 : An exclusive virtual roundtable titled "Manufacturing Re-Imagined: Driving Efficiency, Profitability & Competitive Edge in Electronics Operations" brought together leading voices from the electronics manufacturing sector in India. Organized recently by Pro MFG Media and powered by metaSMART Industrial Solutions, this closed-door session explored the rapidly evolving landscape of electronics manufacturing, discussing practical strategies to overcome challenges and seize opportunities for growth.

Suresh KV, Co-Founder of metaSMART Industrial Solutions set the context emphasizing the momentous growth trajectory of electronics manufacturing in India. He highlighted key demand drivers including government initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, investments in new technology, and expanding end-user sectors like consumer electronics, electric vehicles, aerospace, and smart factories. This environment of accelerated demand makes it critical for manufacturers to enhance operational efficiency and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) to meet competitive global standards.

Manish Kulkarni, Co-founder and Director of Pro MFG Media, moderated the roundtable discussion. The roundtable featured an exceptional mix of thought leaders who each brought unique perspectives on productivity, digital transformation, and sustainable manufacturing practices. Amit Pradhan from Dixon Technologies focused on the importance of operator-friendly, low-code digital solutions that empower shop floor workers to drive continuous improvement. He underscored how practical digital tools aligned with worker needs serve as catalysts for operational excellence.

Muneesh Chellani of SFO Technologies cautioned against common organizational hurdles, emphasizing technological adoption challenges and the cultural mindset required for transformation. He shared how cultivating an innovation-driven culture and process discipline unlock hidden potential and accelerate productivity gains.

Arun Sonar representing Centum Electronics spoke extensively on leveraging operational data for actionable insights. He elaborated on the abundant and rich operational data when properly cultivated through analytics, enables measurable improvements in throughput, cost reduction, and quality.

Amit Sen from Radhika Opto illustrated the value of industrial automation and connected ecosystems. He emphasized the role of digitalization combined with artificial intelligence in augmenting manufacturer competitiveness by enabling predictive maintenance and smart decision-making.

Sumit Maini of Westway Electronics highlighted the direct business impact of productivity gaps seen in increased costs, wastage, and lost throughput. He stressed the urgency of addressing these issues through focused operational strategies to maintain a competitive edge.

Nandini B from TESCOM Pvt Ltd discussed the limitations of traditional Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), citing misalignments between system design and user adoption. She advocated for MES platforms designed with operator-first usability and integration ease to truly boost productivity.

Suresh KV of metaSMART reflected on strategic change management, emphasizing that sustainable improvements require ongoing executive commitment, clear vision alignment, and continuous skill development to bridge performance gaps.

Swarna Banerjee, Co-founder of metaSMART Industrial Solutions, described first-hand experiences of digitizing shop floor operations by implementing advanced Manufacturing Execution Systems and data-driven solutions. He highlighted the importance of overcoming resistance to change through targeted training and clear demonstration of business value.

Throughout the discussions, common themes emerged around the synergy of technology, process optimization, and culture in driving manufacturing excellence. Panelists concurred that while digital tools hold enormous potential, their success depends on user-centric design and organizational readiness. Aligning leadership vision with shop floor realities is essential to unlock latent productivity and realize measurable business outcomes.

The roundtable concluded with a collective call to action: Indian electronics manufacturers must continue embracing digital transformation, invest in workforce enablement, and nurture innovation to sustain profitable growth. This event underscored that re-imagining manufacturing today will define the competitive edge tomorrow. Institute partners supporting this initiative were AMTDC – IIT Madras and Drishti CPS - IIT Indore.

The dialogue set a benchmark for future collaboration that will propel the sector towards global leadership in efficiency, quality, and innovation.

Pro MFG Media Newsletter

Get regular manufacturing insights that matter and enable business.