Sales Strategy of Toyota in India Essay Example

Filler and coating grade clay is available under the trademark 'KCG' as lumps, powder, and pre-dispersed spray dried powder. Additionally, EICL produces Calcined Clay as a substitute for Titanium Dioxide in paints, paper, detergents, and other niche markets.

China Clay is commonly used in various industries as both a pigment and extender in paper and paints, as well as a filler in the production of plastics, detergents, rubber goods, and paper. Glass and ceramic industries also utilize it as a raw material for manufacturing fiberglass and porcelain. The soap industry benefits from its use as an additive, while the paper industry employs it for specialty coating purposes to enhance paper strength, shine, and water repellent qualities. EICL produces several China Clay-based products and adheres to specific operational procedures at its Thonnakkal (Specialty Products Division) plant.

The raw material used for the plant is raw clay, which can be sourced from captive mines or vendor mines. Raw clay is also commonly known as KAOLIN (AL2O3. 2SIO2).

The clay matrix used in production (2H20) is available in various grades based on its clay content and brightness factor. The grading system includes High White (85 brightness, 60% recovery), White (84 brightness, 60% recovery), Grey (81 brightness, 60% recovery), Pink (79 brightness, 60% recovery), and Sandy White (84 brightness, 25% recovery). The availability of these clay varieties varies with White/High White being the least available and Pink and Sandy White being the most available. However, the consumption of White/High White matrix is the highest among them all.

To produce the end product, a mixture of clay grades is blended in differing ratios. The materials are initially gathered at a yard based

on their respective grades, and thereafter, they proceed to the refining process. Refining involves the removal of sand, iron components and graphite components from the clay, completed in two stages. The first stage involves blunging and sand removal, which aims to eliminate small lumps in the clay and combine them into a consistent mixture.

The slurry delivered from the blunger is channeled to Bowl Rake Classifiers (BRCs), where gravity causes the heavier sandy particles to settle. Hydro-cyclones are also utilized to refine the slurry by reducing sand content. During the second refining phase, sodium silicate is introduced to increase the pH of the slurry. This process, known as bleaching, aims to eliminate iron in clay.

After bleaching, the slurry is stored in tanks before undergoing drying processes that use either rotary or spray techniques. Following refinement and screening, the slurry is sent for hydraulic pressing. This process removes moisture and results in a product with a moisture content between 18-22%.

This involves drying the product in a chamber kept at 1100C, during which time steam and fine china clay are extracted and passed through a bag filter to collect the dust. The dust is then expelled using 6 units of air pressure.

The product has a pressure of 5 kg/cm2 and a moisture content of 8-12%. Next, it is processed in an attriter mill to decrease the moisture level by 3%. Afterward, the product is sent to four 30MT silos that each have two bagging spouts. Plastic bags are stored at each spout for packing and dispatch.

Once the bags are filled at each spout, they are transferred to a horizontal conveyor located below. An inclined conveyor is also

utilized alongside the horizontal conveyor so that the bags are positioned towards the body of the truck for easy pick up by the load man. While the company focuses on producing products for sensitive fields, it is important to maintain strict adherence to quality standards. It is worth noting that the final quality of the output is heavily influenced by the quality of inputs used.

The primary input at the processing plant is raw clay that is fed into the blunger for the production of various grades of clay. Despite the presence of chemicals, furnace oil, and other inputs, raw clay is considered the main input. The quality of the clay matrix entering the blunger may also vary greatly due to inconsistencies in the clay bench across different mines.

There are differences in opinion between processing laboratories and mines regarding the variation in the quality of the product due to the white clay matrix. The consumption of white matrix comprises 63% of the total consumption, while only 18% of it is available at the mines. The company strives to preserve reserves as a policy. However, processing labs insist on receiving more white matrix, and mining teams experience difficulties in fulfilling this request due to statutory obligations and other considerations.

In terms of practicality, the mines team sends clay matrix that does not fully meet technical specifications and is labeled as white. This use of substandard material results in product quality issues. To remedy this, it is essential to have proper coordination and planning between the two departments and ensure that both are fully briefed on product requirements.

 It is important to proactively address any potential issues and have contingency

plans in place for unexpected orders. Below are suggested plans for both the short and long term. Plan 1:

The product requirements should be communicated to both the processing lab team and the mines team ahead of time, with proper coordination between the teams being crucial.

It is recommended that the Mines team strictly follows the supply plan while the R&D team explores ways to reduce the use of rare commodities. By implementing these actions, conflicts can be avoided more effectively.