The ACMA Cluster Conference 2026 was the first-ever conference of its kind, hosted in Pune by the ACMA Mobility Foundation to mark 25 years of the ACMA Cluster Movement. It brought policymakers, vehicle makers, component suppliers and technology leaders together around one question: how do we build a globally competitive automotive supply chain? ScaleB was proud to be there, both as a sponsor and as an active voice in the conversation.
This is the ScaleB recap of the ACMA Cluster Conference - the theme, the numbers, the recognition, and the practical takeaways suppliers can act on right now.
What the ACMA Cluster Conference 2026 Was About
Twenty-five years ago, ACMA launched the Cluster Movement on a simple belief: companies grow faster when they learn, benchmark and improve together. Over two and a half decades, that idea has built a culture of knowledge-sharing and operational excellence across India's auto-component sector. This inaugural ACMA Cluster Conference was the movement's silver-jubilee milestone.
Pune was a fitting host for the ACMA Cluster Conference. Widely regarded as India's automotive manufacturing capital, the city is home to more than 4,000 automobile and auto-component units and has grown into a hub for engineering, R&D, EV technology, precision manufacturing and advanced automation.
The Theme of the ACMA Cluster Conference
"Building World-Class Automotive Supply Chain - The ACMA Way"
The ACMA Cluster Conference centred on the levers that actually move the needle for suppliers: continuous improvement, innovation, digital transformation, lean manufacturing and industry collaboration - with a sharp focus on how structured, cluster-based learning helps MSMEs lift productivity, quality and global competitiveness.
ACMA Cluster Conference 2026: By the Numbers
ACMA President Vikrampati Singhania (Managing Director, JK Fenner (India) Ltd) framed the industry's momentum with some striking figures:
His message was clear: sustaining this trajectory will depend on continued investment in advanced manufacturing technology, engineering capability, quality, innovation and skilled talent.
Voices from the ACMA Stage
The Cluster Movement was launched on the belief that companies could achieve greater success by learning, improving and innovating together - building a culture of knowledge-sharing, benchmarking and operational excellence. - Vikrampati Singhania, President, ACMA & MD, JK Fenner (India) Ltd
Sriram Viji (President-Designate, ACMA & MD, Brakes India Pvt. Ltd.) stressed that deeper collaboration between industry, government, academia and technology providers is essential to building resilient, globally competitive supply chains - and that the ACMA Cluster Movement has been especially powerful in helping MSMEs adopt lean practices, improve quality and embrace digital technologies.
In the keynote, Vinamra Mishra, Joint Secretary (Administration & Technology), Ministry of MSME, outlined stronger government support through the Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) and Lean Manufacturing programmes - with higher incentives for technology upgrades, quality certification, market access and international outreach.
A high-powered panel - with leaders from Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, VE Commercial Vehicles, JSW Motors, TVS Motor Company and Cummins India - dug into localisation, supply-chain resilience, digital manufacturing and sustainability as the defining themes of the road ahead.
Awards & Recognition at the ACMA Cluster Conference
The silver jubilee was celebrated in style. As part of the ACMA Cluster Conference programme, ACMA:
- Released a commemorative film documenting the 25-year journey of the ACMA Cluster Movement.
- Launched a special edition of its publication IMPACT, capturing milestones, success stories and best practices.
- Honoured the Cluster Star Performer Companies for excellence in manufacturing, productivity and continuous improvement.
Closing the ACMA Cluster Conference, Vinnie Mehta, Director General of ACMA, noted that the industry continues to benefit from strong domestic demand, sustained technology investment and growing global confidence - and that over 25 years the ACMA Cluster Movement has supported more than 2,500 plants and thousands of professionals.
ScaleB at the ACMA Cluster Conference
ScaleB didn't just attend the ACMA Cluster Conference - we participated. ScaleB was one of the conference sponsors, sharing the sponsor board with names like JK Fenner, Cummins and JK Maini, and we brought our Supplier-First PLM story directly to the people building India's supply chain.
During the ACMA Cluster Conference session, ScaleB walked the room through the exact problem the conference kept circling back to - disconnected, Excel-driven engineering data - and showed how ScaleB replaces it with one controlled platform:
Engineering Control
A single source of truth for Parts, BOMs, CAD and documents, with version & revision control and controlled release.
Change & Compliance
Structured ECR → ECO → ECN workflows, impact analysis and a complete audit trail for every change.
Add-ons
EBOM → MBOM transformation, process planning and ERP-ready data with quality tools (PFMEA, CAPA, 8D); plus RFQ management, milestone tracking and PPAP / FAI readiness for end-to-end lifecycle visibility.
The ScaleB Business Value
The theme of the ACMA Cluster Conference was building a world-class supply chain. That doesn't start at the OEM - it starts with suppliers who can respond fast, change safely and prove quality on demand. That is precisely the gap ScaleB is built to close:
- From Excel chaos to a single source of truth - no more wrong drawings on the shop floor or BOM mismatches.
- Faster, controlled engineering changes - structured workflows with full impact analysis, so there are no late-stage surprises.
- Always audit-ready - IATF 16949 and PPAP evidence generated as a by-product of daily work, not a week-long scramble.
- RFQ-to-PPAP continuity - faster RFQ response, better on-time delivery and stronger OEM confidence.
- Built for suppliers, not just OEMs - affordable, configurable and scalable, on the Aras Innovator platform.
Key Takeaways from the ACMA Cluster Conference 2026
- Collaboration is still the winning strategy. Twenty-five years on, the ACMA Cluster Movement proves suppliers grow faster together than alone.
- Digital transformation is now table stakes. Lean and quality remain vital - but the digital backbone underneath them is what makes them scale.
- MSMEs are the centre of gravity. Policy (ZED, Lean incentives) and technology are converging to lift small and mid-size suppliers.
- Audit-readiness is a competitive advantage. The suppliers who can prove control instantly are the ones who win OEM trust.
- The next 25 years belong to the connected supplier. One digital thread from RFQ to PPAP is no longer a "nice to have."
About ScaleB
ScaleB is a Supplier-First PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) solution built on Aras Innovator and designed for automotive component manufacturers. ScaleB connects the entire product lifecycle - from RFQ to Design, Change, Manufacturing, Quality and PPAP - in a single, scalable system, replacing Excel-driven, disconnected processes with a structured digital backbone. To everyone who stopped by the ScaleB stand at the ACMA Cluster Conference and traded notes on the future of supplier PLM: thank you. This is exactly the community ScaleB was built to serve.
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