Following the postponement last year, Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA) has had to reschedule the IMTEX 2022 to a future date due to the sudden rise in omicron cases. Despite all the uncertainties surrounding the new-found virant of COVID that has forced multiple states to impose varied levels of restrictions, the association is committed to holding the exhibition in the near future with utmost health and safety precautions.
In an exclusive interview with the Manufacturing Today, V Anbu, Director General & CEO, IMTMA and BIEC talks about the rationale behind rescheduling the event and various other pressing issues that the industry has been facing.
Here are the excepts:
What prompted you to take this decision to reschedule the event to a later date?
IMTMA has arrived at this decision following the recent spike of Covid / Omricon related cases at multiple geographical regions in India. The exhibition has been rescheduled and the new dates will be announced shortly. We believes that the decision will help exhibitors and user segments to recover well from the Covid impact, leading to maximum participation and high quality business outcomes.
Tell us what kind of preparations you are having to make sure the event becomes a huge success despite all the challenges while at the same time ensuring health and safety of participants?
IMTEX 2022 had to be rescheduled due to the prevailing uncertainties and the changing dynamics of the market. As we plan to hold the event on a new date to be decided soon, IMTMA will be taking all the safety precautions such as mandatory online and pre-registration of exhibitors, visitors, and service personnel. Other safety precautions like mandatory face masks, thermal scanning, entry to people who have taken double vaccination, payments through digital platforms, maintaining social distancing, etc. are being practised.
We are confident of holding the event safely at a later date, as our venue Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) has the experience of hosting the prestigious India International Jewellery Show 2022 and the Green Vehicle Expo 2021 safely.
What to expect this year from IMTEX as it has set a benchmark over the years? Talk us through the 50-year-old legacy of IMTEX and its role in bringing/connecting the industry players together.
This show is unique as we will be organising a combined metal working exhibition, showcasing metal cutting, metal forming, tooltech and digital technologies.
IMTEX 2022 will have exhibitors displaying transformations in metal cutting and metal forming. Concurrent show Tooltech will showcase machine tool accessories, metrology and CAD / CAM cutting tools, tooling systems, etc.
In 2019 when we celebrated 50 years of IMTEX, two new pavilions were introduced to cover additive manufacturing under the banner of Additive Manufacturing Expo and Industry 4.0 under the banner of Factory of the Future. In IMTEX 2022 & IMTEX FORMING 2022, these two pavilions will be brought under the banner ‘Digital Manufacturing’. This time we are also planning to showcase products and technologies developed indigenously as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat in a special stall.
Machine tool industry currently faces numerous challenges in regards to supply of raw materials, working capital, tariff protection, import regulations, etc. What role do you expect IMTMA to play to tackle these challenges?
The primary focus is on capturing and sustaining business, tackling challenges pertaining to supply chain, delivery, working capital logistics, dealing with the increase in cost of raw materials, etc.
IMTMA has a strong policy mechanism for addressing policy related aspects and industry concerns which takes up the issues concerning the industry and provides suggestions to the Ministry of Heavy Industries and other ministries such as Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. The Association is also part of various committees of the Confederation of Indian Industry and continuously interacts with Automotive Component Manufacturers Association, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, and other premier industrial associations to address various issues concerning the machine tool industry cohesively and comprehensively.
IMTMA conducted ‘Desktop Research’ on some of the champion sectors such as electronics, railways, medical devices, agriculture, furniture, earthmoving, defence and aerospace, etc. to find newer business opportunities for its member companies. Special groups called ‘Task Forces’ were formed to formulate a strategy to address customers in these sectors. Members of these task forces interact with the respective associations of these industries, undertake factory visits to capture, address and build / offer sector specific solutions and products.
Furthermore, IMTMA member companies are building advanced technology products and machines and are offering automated solutions for emerging sectors such as electronics, toys, agriculture machinery, mobile manufacturing, etc. to meet their latent requirements. Task forces are visiting these industries and holding one-on-one discussions for configuring solutions for their requirements.
Apart from these, IMTMA has formed regional councils across India and specific clusters to capture demographic as well as sector specific issues to support our membership at regional and national levels.
What’s your thoughts on the government’s recent policy decisions and initiatives – how are they going to impact the machine tool industry?
The Government of India has identified and listed more than 6,000 projects under its Rs.111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline in order to attract investments in infrastructure development. The union government has also introduced 14 PLI schemes and identified several champion sectors besides the various other schemes brought in from time to time which are expected to propel investment creating demand for the Capital Goods sector.
What are the key drivers of growth for the industry? How do you expect the machine tool industry to perform in 2022 and beyond?
While retaining and serving the auto sector, the machine tool industry is also widening its horizons and tapping into new and emerging sectors such as electronics, toys, furniture, railways, defence, aerospace, agriculture, etc. IMTMA has formed sectoral task forces to understand the sectoral needs of various industries and offer not just machines but total solutions. With this I am very confident that the machine tool industry outlook for this year and the next two years will be very positive and optimistic.
We are hopeful that some of the stimulus measures announced by the Government of India will aid the growth of the machine tool industry in India. Business activities are expected to gain more traction in 2022 and in 2023 with many of the champion sectors identified by the government propelling manufacturing potential for exports and employment generation. Greater collaboration between industry and academia will help in developing technological competencies, especially in application innovation and process innovation. The launch of six technology innovation platforms with focus on development of technologies will facilitate the development of the key ‘mother’ manufacturing technologies’ indigenously and help achieve the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat and a globally competitive manufacturing sector in India.