Exclusive Interview with Arvind Goel, Chairman, Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd

Mr. Arvind Goel is the Chairman of Tata AutoComp Systems Limited, a leading global auto component conglomerate. With his passion for automotive technology, he has been serving the automotive industry for more than 4 decades.

Mr. Goel was appointed as Chairman of Tata AutoComp Systems Limited in January 2023 after having served as MD & CEO of Tata AutoComp Systems since 2018. In his career span of over 15 years at Tata AutoComp, he has held several leadership positions as COO and President of Tata AutoComp.

He has been instrumental in creating and expanding Tata AutoComp Systems’ Global footprint. Under his leadership Tata AutoComp has entered into 6 Joint Ventures, 3 Technology Agreements and acquisition of TitanX - a global leader in engine cooling system based in Sweden which helped in boosting Tata AutoComp Systems’ global footprint beyond China. Mr. Goel has fortified Tata AutoComp’s growth by constantly aiming to be future ready and has realigned its focus on Electric Vehicles components. With his relentless efforts Tata AutoComp today offers solutions in the entire value chain of Electric Vehicles and for all segments ranging from Two Wheelers to Buses.

Mr. Goel has been an active member of various industry bodies and currently serves as Board Member of Maratha Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), Executive Committee member of Western Region Automotive Components Manufacturers Association (ACMA), Elected Member of CII Western Regional Council.

In a recent interaction with Urban Transport News, Mr. Goel shares his vision with Tata AutoComp Systems Limited and the company’s contribution in the Transportation industry.

How does TATA AutoComp Systems actively contribute to the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiatives set forth by the Government of India?

Tata AutoComp has been a pioneer in bringing many technologies in India that help enhance the aesthetics and haptics, improve functionality as well as help in lightweighting the vehicle. Off late, Tata AutoComp has pioneered the journey of Electrification of vehicles by offering a wide range of components and solutions that are need for an electric vehicle from Charge to Drive. Under the Make in India initiative, we are investing in building facilities that will manufacture Cameras, various electronic components.

Given the ongoing revolution in mobility, could you provide insights into how Tata AutoComp Systems envisions shaping the future of the mobility industry?

Our brand promise, “Enabling Mobility Solutions”, encompasses how we are working with the mobility industry.We are working closely with some OEMs on developing solutions for Hydrogen fuel cell. We are also partnering with companies that serve the Indian Railway segment. For example, the Vande Bharat range of trains has our seating systems and  berths. We also work with OEMs in the metro rail segment     to provide various solutions that are aimed at light weighting.

Certainly. Could you elaborate on how the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Tata AutoComp Systems and Skoda for the Vande Bharat Train Projects aligns with Tata AutoComp's broader contributions to the transportation and mobility sector?

Skoda has a wide range of drivetrain products that are being used by many railway companies globally. As the Indian Railways and the mobility industry, which includes metros, and buses, modernize, we believe that there is a scope for these advanced technologies in powertrain and electronics that will help improve the safety and efficiency of these mobility solutions. Our partnership with Skoda aims to explore this emerging mobility segment and offer these advanced solutions to this industry.

Mr. Goel, your professional journey spans nearly four decades in the automotive industry. Could you share some pivotal moments or experiences that have significantly shaped your trajectory and contributed to your leadership role at Tata AutoComp Systems?

In 2016, the auto industry was facing 4 new technological trends. These were Connected Vehicles, Autonomous driving, Shared Mobility and Electrification – popularly known as “CASE”. At Tata      AutoComp, we identified that Electrification of vehicles would be the trend that would be adopted quickly and we augmented our strategy to ensure that we have a play in this new trend. Our vision was to provide solutions across the value chain – from Charge to Drive. We immediately started looking for technology and started partnering with various global Tier 1s that would enable us to offer solutions across this value chain. This was a pivotal decision as we could gain a pioneering position in the industry and our customers started viewing us as a technology company.

As the Chairman of Tata AutoComp Systems, what is your overarching vision for the company's growth and impact on the global automotive component landscape? How do you plan to steer the company toward achieving its goals while maintaining its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and excellence?

Tata AutoComp is committed to a growth story by serving all segments of the mobility market with innovative and sustainable products and solutions. We constantly innovate our product portfolio to ensure that we offer our customers latest technologies suited for the markets they operate in globally. We have adopted TQM as our journey towards excellence. We are committed to the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Make in India and hence are working hard to localize a lot of components and solutions. While doing all of this, we are committed to our sustainability journey. We aim to ensure that all our operations achieve carbon zero by 2045 along with the Tata Group’s sustainable journey and have already implemented strategies towards this goal.

In the dynamic landscape of the automobile industry, various challenges often arise. Could you shed light on some of the key challenges you've encountered during your tenure as Chairman of Tata AutoComp Systems and how you and your team have effectively navigated them to ensure sustained growth and success for the company?

The greatest challenge we faced was during the pandemic. Besides the challenges that most companies faced like keeping the employees engaged and ensuring their safety, we were setting up 3 new plants in the domain of EV Technologies during the peak of the second wave. Our technology partners could not travel and we had to rely on digital forms of communication to gain the manufacturing knowledge and technology. We had to also ensure the safety of  employees involved in the setting up of the plants. Fortunately, with the great support of our employees and their dedication, we could achieve the various milestones in time and support our customers with timely launches of their electric vehicles.

The recent launch of the PM eBus seva featuring 1000 electric buses has garnered attention as a significant development in the transportation sector. In this context, I'd like to ask about your perspective on this initiative and how Tata AutoComp Systems is strategically positioning itself to engage with such transformative projects in the electric mobility domain.

This is a great initiative by the Government to boost sustainable transportation in India. While the electric buses for the PM eBus seva would be supplied by the OEMs, we at Tata AutoComp are currently engaged with these OEMs to provide the requisite technology and product solutions required to build these electric buses.

The implementation of the FAME 2 policy by the government has brought about notable changes in the electric mobility landscape. Could you share your insights on this policy and how Tata AutoComp Systems stands to benefit from it? Specifically, how does the policy align with Tata AutoComp's strategies and contribute to its advancements in the field of electric mobility?

FAME 2 policy was aimed at promoting a faster adoption of electric mobility in the country. While some of the benefits accrued to the OEMs and customers, component manufacturers like us benefited from the PLI scheme which promoted make in India. Tata AutoComp has taken benefit of this scheme.

Could you please share your thoughts on the impact of our online publication Urban Transport News, in terms of their role in facilitating knowledge exchange, collaboration, and progress within the urban infrastructure and transportation sectors?

I must compliment this publication for the in-depth coverage of the news, trends and current happenings in the entire transportation industry. While we do have multiple sources of information for the auto industry, this is a unique platform covering the entire transportation industry. It certainly helps in keeping abreast of the latest happenings in this industry and facilitates in our strategic planning.

Could you provide insights into how Tata AutoComp Systems plans to engage in the upcoming CII NexGen Mobility Show? Are there any specific initiatives, launches, or contributions that Tata AutoComp is gearing up for during the event?

The CII NexGen Mobility show will be a great platform to interact with the entire mobility industry. We are planning to showcase some of our products and technologies, in particular our offerings in the Electric Vehicle space.