ACC and Forbes Gokak may insist that they aren't part of the Tata group, but Voltas with its headquarters a kilometre away at Henley House on Ballard Estate, doesn't seem to have that identity crisis anymore. Over the past year, this former Swiss trading firm has become more "Tata" than ever.
Despite Tata's 22 per cent shareholding, a Voltas veteran of 25 years says, "Bombay House for us was another planet." That's changed. "Today," he says, "we get to hear what the group chairman has to say about Voltas, and thatis motivating."
But integration goes beyond the Tata chairman's comments. Of the 20 key people who constitute the Tata strategic management group two are from Voltas. This group meets every quarter in stock-taking exercise that also allows group companies to draw on each other's best practices. Voltas, for instance, has adapted Tata Steel's strategic planning model. "We are more accountable to our promoters," admits Bir Singh, executive vice-president of Voltas.
Voltas has also adopted the JRD QV, a quality improvement programme which is mandatory for all group companies. Voltas first adopted the programme in 1995. But it was then optional for any of the 14 independent businesses to use it or not. As a result, only four divisions took to the programme. From last year, the entire organisation joined the programme.
Then again, Voltas always had a strategic management group to chart out its plans. This was done independently of Bombay House. Today, Voltas is an active member of the Tata Business Review committee.
This greater closeness to Bombay House is something many managers are still coming to terms with at Voltas. But it's probably been made easier by the fact Voltas has more Tata men at the helm. Managing director Nawzer D Khurody, 62, is a Tata Administrative Services man and he's served on Telco, Tata Finlay and Merind.
Despite those Tata credentials Khurody insists, "I never talk business after hours." He counts artists and gardeninng enthusiasts among his friends and, despite his age, is a keen trekker.
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