Vector Consulting Group

Production incidents in pharma aren’t rare but the scale at which they persist is the real concern. In many plants, 50–100 incidents remain open at any time, some for over 90 days. The impact? Delayed batch releases, stretched QA teams, management bandwidth getting consumed, and a slow but steady erosion of compliance and efficiency. And this continues despite structured systems like doer-checker being in place. This article by Vivek Karan, explains how: •⁠ ⁠operators and supervisors are stuck in reinforcing loops of inefficiency •⁠ ⁠human errors (making up 50%–60% of incidents) driven by multitasking and cognitive overload It also outlines a practical, GMP-aligned approach to move from constant firefighting to stable, high-performance operations that will reduce incidents and speed up closures. Visit our website to read the full article: From errors to excellence. A GMP-aligned approach to reducing incidents.

What if the real constraint isn’t capability but ambition? In this clip, Madhukar Kotwal reflects on a key gap in how many Indian engineering firms approach growth thinking locally, when the real opportunity lies in competing globally. The issue isn’t talent or technical strength. It’s the willingness to step out, benchmark against the best, and build for a larger stage. Because scaling up isn’t just about doing more, it’s about thinking bigger. In conversation with Satyashri Mohanty, this episode explores what holds firms back and what it takes to move forward.

What does it take to deliver 100% on-time performance in a complex, high-SKU manufacturing environment? In this case study, Mihir Jayaraman, CEO, @Aditya_Auto shares how they reimagined their supply chain by shifting from forecast-based planning to real-time consumption. With this they also standardised materials to reduce SKU complexity and costs. Here are the results: •⁠ ⁠Significant reduction in working capital •⁠ ⁠Near elimination of premium costs •⁠ ⁠Higher agility to meet fluctuating OEM demand •⁠ ⁠Improved customer satisfaction A powerful example of how operational simplicity can unlock both efficiency and growth. To watch more such case study videos, visit our website.

A disruption thousands of kilometres away is now testing the resilience of India’s pharma supply chains. The ongoing conflict in West Asia is beginning to impact exports, with industry estimates suggesting a potential hit of $300–$500 million. Interestingly, the challenge isn’t on the manufacturing side but in logistics: rising freight costs, shipment refusals, and uncertainty across key Gulf routes. In conversation with Rica Bhattacharyya, Senior Editor, @EconomicTimes, Chandrachur Datta, Partner, Vector Consulting Group, shares how these disruptions are forcing companies to rethink their approach from holding higher inventories to building more responsive and resilient supply chains. It’s a reminder that in today’s environment, competitive advantage is no longer just about production efficiency but about how quickly and effectively you can respond to disruption. Read the full article, navigate to media section on our website.

Are retail shelves quietly losing more money than earning? Our whitepaper, The ticking shelf: the overlooked economics of store performance, highlights a hidden issue in retail—ageing inventory and its impact on store profitability. In the latest podcast, Dr. Shelja Jose Kuruvilla, Head of Research & Knowledge, unpacks the idea of the ‘ticking shelf’ where everyday shelf decisions have a large impact on business outcomes. Listen to the full podcast to know more about this white paper. Visit our channel on Spotify or navigate counterpoint podcast on our website.

Complexity in projects isn’t the problem. How it is managed makes all the difference. In this short, Kaustubh Sanzgiri, Consultant, Vector Consulting Group, suggests a simple solution - breaking projects into phases. Implementing this, organisations have been able to double their output without adding resources. It may sound counterintuitive. But the real story lies in how this approach impacts timelines, execution, and ultimately cash flows. Watch the full podcast to understand what truly drives these results. Visit our website.

In this article with ET Pharma, Vivek Karan delves into the fact that in pharma manufacturing, when delays occur, QC comes under scrutiny. But the issue may not be QC itself. It may lie in how its performance is defined and managed. The article highlights a structural conflict with commonly used metrics that can increase delays rather than reduce them, and raises a broader question about what QC should actually be optimised for. To know more about rethinking performance measurement in pharmaceutical quality control, navigate to media section on our website.

40%–54% of new FMCG products across categories are discontinued within two years of launch! This level of attrition, despite extensive product testing before launch, suggests the problem is not product quality alone, but how launches are designed and executed. Implications: The damage extends far beyond wasted R&D. Retailer trust erodes and working capital is further tied up in dead stock. Revenue gaps created by discontinued SKUs must be filled since growth targets remain unchanged. The response is often more launches to compensate, which further raises the possibility of failure. Dilemma: Issues that often drive product launch failure, such as unpredictable demand, operational weaknesses, and supply chain instability, can be addressed through a phased rollout that allows testing and course correction before scaling. However, delaying a national launch risks ceding first-mover advantage and allowing competitors to capture early market share, which can be equally damaging to product success. Can companies secure first-mover advantage without increasing the risk of launch-driven product failure? Learn more, visit our website and read the article: Acing new product launches.

In the equipment and custom manufacturing industry, delivery timelines often collide with unpredictable project schedules. For institutional buyers setting up warehouses or factories, equipment arriving too early can create storage and capital challenges, while delays can hold back the start of operations. In this video, Prasad Bhoite, Partner, Vector Consulting Group, discusses why delivery timing and order flexibility have become critical considerations in the equipment manufacturing industry, and what it means for manufacturers competing in this space. To explore more insights on the equipment manufacturing industry, visit our website.

India’s retail growth story is entering a new phase, with much of the momentum now coming from Tier II and Tier III cities rather than traditional metro markets. As consumer demand expands beyond large urban centres, retailers are being pushed to rethink how they plan, supply, and respond to these evolving markets. In her story titled “How India’s Tier II & III Are Powering the Next Phase of Retail Expansion,” Richa Fulara, @Indian_Retailer explores how this shift is reshaping the retail landscape. Anubha Gupta, Principal Consultant, Vector Consulting Group, shares her perspective in the story on why traditional forecasting-heavy retail models are increasingly struggling in this environment, and why agility and responsiveness in supply chains are becoming critical for retailers looking to stay competitive. Read the full story here, visit the media section on our website.

Is tonnage the right metric for steel fabrication industry? In this short, Kaustubh Sanzgiri, Consultant, Vector Consulting Group, highlights why the common practice of managing projects purely through tonnage or revenue per kg is flawed and hides a bigger reality. While it helps compare orders quickly, it often overlooks project complexity, novelty, and the time required for execution. The result? Companies chase orders that look attractive on paper but end up stretching timelines, straining manpower, and squeezing margins. Watch the video to understand why project throughput may be the real indicator of capacity and profitability in steel fabrication.

Part 2 Our latest white paper, 'The Ticking Shelf. The Overlooked Economics of Store Performance,' explores a critical but often overlooked aspect of retail: how everyday shelf management directly impacts store performance and profitability. When products sit unsold for too long, they occupy valuable space, delay new launches, and reduce the chances of selling at full price. Over time, this quietly affects both revenue and margins at the store level. The white paper takes a closer look at this hidden issue and examines how retailers can start looking at shelf performance more systematically. Read the full white paper to understand the problem in detail and explore possible ways to address it.

Our latest white paper, 'The Ticking Shelf. The Overlooked Economics of Store Performance,' explores a critical but often overlooked aspect of retail: how everyday shelf management directly impacts store performance and profitability. When products sit unsold for too long, they occupy valuable space, delay new launches, and reduce the chances of selling at full price. Over time, this quietly affects both revenue and margins at the store level. The white paper takes a closer look at this hidden issue and examines how retailers can start looking at shelf performance more systematically. Read the full white paper to understand the problem in detail and explore possible ways to address it. Visit our website.

In New Product Development, measuring individual productivity seems logical. But most common metrics i.e. tasks completed, hours logged, drawings released; assume engineering work is linear and execution-driven. In reality, design work is uncertain, iterative, and heavily dependent on learning and problem-solving. This often creates misleading signals: productivity can appear high when real progress hasn’t happened, and look low when engineers are actually resolving complex risks or dependencies. The result is a system that sometimes rewards visible activity rather than meaningful progress. In this article, we explore why productivity metrics in NPD generate these false signals and how leaders can shift the focus from scoring individuals to improving the flow of work. Read the full article to understand the challenge and the way forward, visit the website.

How seasonal demand turns inventory management into a high-stakes gamble! Some products experience seasonal demand spikes, though the exact magnitude is uncertain. Production and supply chains often lack the capacity to manufacture and ship these items during the season, forcing companies to forecast and build inventory beforehand. However, such projections are inherently inaccurate. This often results in one of two costly outcomes: - Excess stock of certain SKUs, leading to discounting, margin erosion, and tied-up capital. -Shortages of other SKUs, causing stockouts, lost sales, and dissatisfied customers. Dilemma: This creates a paradox where forecasting is both indispensable and unreliable. So, what can firms do to build a supply chain that ensures product availability during seasons? Explore our website to know more.

Our event collaboration in Indonesia. At Customer Connect 2026 – AI in Action, Business in Motion, hosted by Yonyou Network Indonesia, industry leaders came together to discuss how AI is shaping the future of business and operations. We are happy to have collaborated with Yonyou at this platform, bringing together perspectives on how technology and management thinking can drive meaningful transformation for businesses. Congratulations to Vector’s team in Indonesia, for enabling and leading this collaboration. Partnerships like these help expand the conversation on operational excellence and innovation across markets. Looking forward to many more such engagements and global dialogues.

In a manufacturing industry, sourcing teams often struggle to strike a balance between two mandates: ​ ​ On one side: Daily firefighting such as processing purchase orders, resolving supplier issues, expediting materials. ​ ​ The result? Production losses and delayed customer deliveries.​ ​ On the other side: Strategic impact such as value creation, sourcing for New Product Development, import localisation, and cost reduction through value engineering.​ ​ But urgent operational demands often take precedence, leaving little bandwidth for the sourcing teams to focus on the critical, long-term initiatives.​ ​ This article explains how repetitive tasks like reviewing critical orders and resolving complex vendor issues can be systematically moved to back-end teams without adding headcount, freeing up to 50% of strategic capacity per day.​ ​ Because procurement should drive organisational value, not just chase orders.​ To learn more, read the full article. Visit our website.

We often diagnose infrastructure problems at the execution stage. But many infrastructure execution disruptions originate well before construction begins. Poor-quality DPRs leave land and RoW risks unresolved, which surface only once work starts, forcing stoppages, rework, and cascading delays. Our whitepaper examines how structural weaknesses in project planning embed risk into projects before construction even begins. When planning is under-scoped, underpriced, or commercially distorted, land issues, funding stress, and rework are not surprises. They are predictable outcomes. If India wants faster, more reliable infrastructure delivery, the reform must start upstream. Read the full research and insights in our white paper, visit our website.

We recently concluded our second upgrade session in the 'Project environment' domain. At Vector, each domain conducts two structured upgrade sessions every year to deepen expertise and sharpen execution capabilities. These bi-annual forums bring together teams across projects to exchange insights, decode evolving business environments, reflect on chronic project challenges, and share practical solution approaches that strengthen our collective knowledge and delivery. Continuous learning and skill upgradation are integral to how we operate at Vector. Sharing a few snippets from the session. Curious to know how we think and work? Visit our website.