Never staying in her comfort zone, Archana Sonawane thrives on challenges. She forges her own path, rarely taken by others. She grabs the opportunities which come in her way and suggests to utilise our potentials to its fullest. Her confidence and journey in the industry, speaks volumes about her achievements and the footprints which she has left behind.
Archana Sonawane, the Senior manager of Endurance Technologies Limited, has done MTech in Manufacturing and Automation from COEP Technological University in 2011. After graduation, she got an opportunity to be a trainee of a project with Accurate Technology for six months, which is into manufacturing measuring systems. She then worked with Anand Group in October 2011, where her actual professional journey started. There she was part of the Central Technical Resource Team until 2016.
During this time her responsibilities involved providing technical services across 24 companies under Anand Group. In 2016 she then joined Gabriel India where she was leading the manufacturing engineering team across seven plants. There her focus was on industrial engineering, manpower optimization and implementation of manufacturing excellence strategies.
In 2022, she then became part of Endurance Technologies, where she handled the manufacturing engineering department, focusing on die casting, machining and assembly lines for major OEMs like TATA Motors and Mahindra. Archana oversees CAPEX, plant layouts, expansions, engineering changes, and new product development, ensuring smooth project execution from RFQ to production. Additionally, she conducts post-project reviews to optimize profitability and efficiency.
Reflecting on her journey, she notes, “From my previous organization, there is a lot of change in terms of the environment, culture, and the role I am playing across.”
Accepting women in Manufacturing Industry is still Developing
Archana believes that women in manufacturing are still rare and reaching a leadership position is even more rare. She says, “Everything is within us. Even today I face issues”. According to her, society still struggles to accept women as leaders in the manufacturing industry, often creating challenging situations for them. So, it’s not the fault of society, it’s just new for them. But she eventually learned that working closely with her team, understanding their concerns, supporting them, and earning their trust could resolve these issues. Slowly a mutual understanding develops and the resistance fades.
She further adds that change won’t happen overnight, but as more women enter manufacturing, people will gradually accept them in these roles.
Her reason for taking three female GDs is that even females are capable of handling the manufacturing industry. Skill matters. She says, “It’s okay if the tool and holder is heavy, if they have passion, they can do it and are doing it. And if they can do this, they get trained and can definitely take the charge of a supervisor.”
She even shows concern about how students nowadays are not taking interest to stand on the machine, to understand the program, but if they show interest then the future of manufacturing is secure.
The First Engineer from her Village
Archana’s journey took shape with her family’s support. As the first engineer from her village in Nashik, she built everything from scratch without a ready-made platform.
Despite challenges, she always chose the tougher path, taking roles that pushed her beyond her comfort zone. For Archana, the transition from a stable role at Anand Group to a completely different culture in manufacturing was tough. She recalls immersing herself in work, making sacrifices, and achieving an excellent performance rating within just eight months—something that usually takes years.
Balancing extensive travel across India white ensuring her family’s care was never easy for her. She believes that women who are entering the manufacturing industry should be smart, proactive and adaptable. And now the industry has changed where opportunities are vast for those willing to learn, innovate and leave a strong mark behind. She says, “I have made mistakes, learned from them and kept moving forward, and thats what has brought me to where I am today”.
Mentors who Guide the Path
Dr. Anand Deshpande mentored her and played a crucial role in shaping her perspective on business when she joined the industry. She shares, “He guided me in understanding that running a company is not just about technical expertise but also about financial acumen. From day one, he encouraged me to think beyond my technical role and helped me grasp the financial implications of every decision. His mentorship gave me a well-rounded understanding of business management.”
She also had the opportunity to work closely with senior management during her early days in Anand Group. Observing their leadership and decision-making processes inspired her to set goals for herself. She continues, “Since then, I have always continued to improve and work towards reaching higher levels.”
Archana uses a beautiful metaphor of a newborn baby to career growth. She explains, “just as a baby needs nine months of proper nourishment, professionals must gradually build their skills before taking on leading roles. If someone jumps into leadership without a strong foundation, they are likely to face challenges. That’s why I believe in the importance of hands-on experience on the shop floor. By learning step by step, starting from quality, moving to production, programming and NPD, I developed a well-rounded skill set that strengthens my decision-making”.
She believes that sudden growth can be risky. If one rises too quickly, without learning the fundamentals, they may struggle and fall just as fast. On the contrary, gradual and steady growth ensures long term success. Strengthening one’s basics is especially important in manufacturing, where practical hands-on learning is irreplaceable. She gives an example from the COVID times where everything became work from home, even education, hence there is a lack of understanding the practicality, especially on the shop floor.
The message by Archana for women who aspire to enter the manufacturing industry is, “Accept the challenges, step out of your comfort zone and grab the opportunities”. She adds, we are naturally gifted with strong skills and it is up to us to utilise them, instead of staying in a comfortable position”.
