Project Overview
Hiotron deployed its Traceability System in a newly built, ₹500+ crore dedicated Ford export shop designed to supply 100% of its parts to the US market. Built as a greenfield project with world-class automation and robotics, the facility demanded a digital system that could match the same level of reliability, speed, and control. Hiotron delivered that layer through a plant-wide traceability implementation that became the final quality and compliance gatekeeper for the entire operation.
Business Challenge
In a high-value export environment, even a single faulty part can create serious quality, compliance, and commercial risk. The shop needed a robust traceability backbone that could connect a highly automated plant, manage data accuracy across multiple vendor systems, and ensure that every part moving out of the facility could be tracked with confidence.
- High-stakes export quality requirements: Since the plant ships 100% of its output to the US, traceability had to operate as a dependable final control layer for every dispatched part.
- Greenfield plant complexity: Although the facility was brand new and highly automated, it brought together a large number of machines, vendors, and automation systems that had to work as one connected environment.
- Multi-vendor integration challenge: The project required seamless integration of 110 machines from more than 20 vendors, including Felsomate, Unimet, Abro, Marposs, LMW, Ace Micromatic, Makino, Mazak, Micrologic, Technofour, GH Induction India, SP, Technomac, and Eco-clean, among others.
- Very short implementation timeline: The entire plant-level traceability and networking setup had to be completed at exceptional speed without compromising system reliability.
- Need for complete plant-level visibility: The facility needed a unified system that could connect machine data, process flow, and part-level traceability across the full shopfloor.
Hiotron Solution
Hiotron implemented a full plant-level Traceability System for the Ford export shop, connecting the complete machine environment into one reliable digital framework. The solution delivered the same core value as the Rico implementation, but at a much larger scale in a greenfield, export-critical environment.
- Plant-wide traceability deployment: Hiotron established an end-to-end traceability layer across the shop so every part could be tracked with confidence through the manufacturing journey.
- Final gatekeeper for exports: The system acted as the critical final gatekeeper for the facility, helping ensure that only traceable and compliant parts moved toward dispatch.
- 110-machine multi-vendor integration: Hiotron connected 110 machines from 20+ vendors into a unified traceability architecture, despite the complexity of different machine types, control systems, and communication environments.
- Full plant-level networking: Beyond machine integration, Hiotron delivered complete plant-level networking required to support reliable data flow across the facility.
- Rapid execution: The complete project was delivered in just 28 days, making it the fastest traceability project delivered by Hiotron so far.
- Greenfield-ready digital foundation: In a brand new automated plant, Hiotron ensured that traceability was not treated as an afterthought, but as a core operational control system from the start.
Business Impact
The implementation gave the Ford export shop a strong digital assurance layer in an environment where quality and traceability are business-critical. During a recent high-profile visit, CIE Automotive Group CEO Mr. Ander Arenaza Álvarez recognized Hiotron’s Traceability System as the critical final gatekeeper for the facility. While the shopfloor itself represented world-class automation and robotics, Hiotron’s system stood out as the control point that delivered confidence, visibility, and peace of mind for export operations. The project also demonstrated Hiotron’s ability to execute highly complex, multi-vendor traceability deployments at exceptional speed and scale.
