Tata Steel India has become the first integrated steel maker in the world outside Japan, to be awarded the Deming Application Prize for excellence in Total Quality Management.

The company won the award for the year 2008. The award was announced today by the Deming Prize Committee instituted by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE), the apex body spearheading the quality movement.

While expressing satisfaction over this accomplishment, B Muthuraman, managing director, Tata Steel, said, ''No other activity made us think so deeply about our business and relationships than the process of applying for the Deming Prize.

The formal award ceremony will take place on 12 November 2008 in Tokyo.

"Total Quality Management (TQM) is a fundamental way of managing business and every organization can gain from institutionalizing the culture necessary to win this prize," Muthuraman said.

Tata Steel Group (including Corus) is the world's sixth largest steel producer and the world's second most geographically diversified steel producer, with operations in 24 countries and ereported a turnover of $33 billion in 2007-2008. The company was established in 1907 as Asia's first integrated private sector steel company, and today has a crude steel capacity of over 28 million tonnes.

The Deming prize, established in December 1950 in honor of W Edwards Deming, was originally designed to reward Japan companies for major advances in quality improvement. It has grown, under the guidance of JUSE and is now also available to an individual or company and other operating organisations and factories located outside Japan.

The Deming Prize for individuals has been awarded to Masahiro Sakane, chairman, Komatsu Limited won the prize for 2008.

Globally, 160 companies have won the Deming Application Prize since it was instituted. Of these 15 companies are from India, primarily from the automotive sector.

Among them are the TVS Group companies, Sundaram Clayton in 1998, Sundaram Brake Linings Limited in 2001, TVS Motors Limited in 2002, Brakes India Limited's foundry division in 2003, and  Lucas TVS Limited in 2004. Some of the other winners include Mahindra & Mahindra (farm equipment and tractor division), Sona Koyo Steering Systems, and Grasim Industries (Birla Cellousic, Kharach unit, Quality Control Award for operations business units).