Rengith Balachandran

• Lead cross-functional product development activities for cooking appliances, managing projects from concept development through Engineering Trial (ET), Production Trial (PT), and production release.

• Design and develop new product concepts using CREO CAD, supporting prototype development, testing, validation, and manufacturing readiness.

• Define test plans, requirements, and success criteria with Engineering, Compliance, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Supply Chain teams to ensure alignment with project objectives and LFPD principles.

• Successfully led three Engineering Trial (ET) builds as Build Lead, coordinating subsystem owners, manufacturing teams, procurement, and suppliers to achieve build milestones and project deliverables.

• Managed build readiness by ensuring manufacturing tooling, assembly fixtures, purchased components, assembly documentation, and production resources were available before build execution.

• Developed contingency plans to mitigate material shortages and supply chain risks, ensuring engineering builds remained on schedule.

• Served as BOM Lead for multiple product development projects, coordinating BOM creation, validation, configuration control, and post-build updates to improve manufacturing accuracy and product representation.

• Led issue management processes during engineering builds, establishing issue registers, assigning ownership, tracking actions, and driving closure of design, manufacturing, and process-related concerns.

• Conducted regular K-Review meetings with stakeholders to monitor project progress, identify risks, review technical learnings, and ensure project milestones were achieved.

• Worked with Engineering, Procurement, and Commercial teams to develop Total Value Cost (TVC) models for current and future product designs, supporting business case development, market pricing strategies, and demand forecasting.

• Supported New Product Introduction (NPI) and manufacturing relocation activities by managing engineering change processes, identifying obsolete components, and coordinating implementation plans with Procurement and Supply Chain teams.

• Collaborated with global manufacturing sites in Thailand and Mexico to ensure successful product industrialisation, manufacturing readiness, and production launch.

• Performed root cause investigations, risk assessments, and continuous improvement activities using structured problem-solving tools, including FMEA, Pareto Analysis, Fishbone Diagrams, and Minitab.

Key Achievements:
• Led 3 Engineering Trial builds across multiple product development programs.
• BOM Lead for 2 major NPI projects.
• Implemented manufacturing readiness and built governance processes that improved cross-functional coordination and execution.
• Drove cost, supply chain, and product lifecycle decisions through TVC analysis, ECNs, and stakeholder reviews.

• Product Development

• Analyse and document the test results, identified defects and present findings via K- Reviews (Knowledge Gap Reviews) to the development team via online/in person meetings, enabling timely issue resolution.
• Work with compliance team to ensure products developed are compliant with the rules and regulations of local consumer markets (China, USA, Australia and Canada etc.)
• Work closely with Thailand and Mexico manufacturing teams to ensure smooth and successful manufacturing of the product for the consumer markets.
• Products that I have worked on include cooktops (gas and induction), pro range induction, outdoor grills and ovens for consumer markets in US, UK, Australasia, China and Singapore
• Root cause analysis for product failures and compliance failures using Minitab (Pareto Charts, Fishbone Diagram, Failure mode and effect analysis and Scatter Plot Diagram).
• Gas Lab Management and Maintenance
• Implemented TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) plan for product testing lab.
• Implemented LEAN 5S for product testing lab.
• Created ETP (Engineering Test Procedures) for major product testing.
• Created user friendly Power Apps for documenting and sharing test reports for product testing lab.
• Ensured hazards in the testing lab are monitored and mitigations are in place, incidents are reported and investigated.
• Responsible for Gas Training (beginners, intermediate, and advanced) for all new employees.
• Maintain and calibrate laboratory test equipment, ensuring accurate and consistent test results.

• Operating & monitoring food production and packing machines and undertaking training
• Lean manufacturing to reduce waste.
• Training temporary staff and new recruits when required.
• H&S rep and First Aider for the group, voluntary fire warden for the group
• Occasionally work with engineering department to maintain food processing equipment.
• Health & Safety
• Identify hazards and risks in workshop, sort them based on severance (Low/Medium/High)
• Monitor existing control measures and identify any further measures required.
• Brief H&S practices to improve workplace safety (LOTO, PPE, SDS, RISK Assessments, Near Miss, etc) and ensure they are followed.
• Inspect and access workplace to check H&S procedures have been implemented.

• Meeting and greeting customers, collecting and recording information regarding service requirements. Completing necessary repairs, test driving and returning the vehicle on time
• Liaising with other team members to help run the business efficiently.

• Managed up to 25 staff which included technicians, senior mechanics, service advisors.
• Implemented Lean 5S for better workshop productivity.
• Maintained long term customer relations through quality service and thus managed to achieve monthly KPIs.
• Ensuring Health & Safety of the workplace & Staff
• Understand the customer needs and requirements and brief the repairs to be done to staff.
• Fault Diagnosing by scanning and briefing mechanics on the necessary repairs to be done on the vehicle.
• Organize service teams, monitor the progress, supervise if needed, and evaluate the work being done.
• Plan and prioritise daily activities to achieve deadlines and brief staff on daily plans at toolbox meetings.
• Provide detailed explanation and technical justification for additional repairs with cost estimate and obtain approval from customers.
• Estimating time, date of delivery foreseeing all possible difficulties and delays that may happen during repair and taking into consideration the customer’s requirements and follow up the same.
• Inspect the vehicles on job completion to ensure Quality Control prior to delivery of vehicles. Ensure the job delivery forms are completed and signed. If needed test drive the vehicle
• Prepare monthly/weekly reports including H&S reports for senior management.
• Http://www.etacars.com/home.aspx

• Http://www.saudbahwangroup.com/

• Http://www.popularmaruti.com/

• Developing 3D drawings as per requirements. Training new recruits on CATIA drawings software
• Https://www.tvsmotor.com/