Indian machine tool industry is experiencing a good run, in consumption and production. Order booking for the forthcoming quarters looks promising. Machine tools are once again getting attention from the manufacturing community. Industry’s aspirations can be realised only when machine tools offer superior performance and features that cater to the needs of multiple industry sectors. 

India’s factory activity expanded at its fastest pace in three months while consumer inflation eased significantly in October to 6.77 per cent, indicating that prices may moderate. India’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) improved to 55.7 in November as against 55.3 in October, as per data compiled by S&P Global.

Machine tool industry sentiments are positive as Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA) prepares to organise the 20th edition of South and South East Asia’s biggest exhibition on metal cutting and manufacturing technologies at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bengaluru.

IMTEX 2023 will have Tooltech and Digital Manufacturing as concurrent shows. The exhibition will be brimming with activities as an estimated 90,000 business visitors participate in the show which runs from January 19-25, 2023.

With around 77,000 sq m of exhibition area in 5 Halls representing more than 850 exhibitors from 23 countries, the exhibition will showcase products and solutions that offer the quickest and most efficient means of solving the challenges faced by the manufacturing industry. 

Trends in machine tools and manufacturing technologies

Exhibitors from across the world will showcase new products such as smart and intelligent machines, high-precision, high performance, multi-tasking and special purpose machines, robots, cobots, tools, accessories, manufacturing software, 3D printing solutions, evolving Industry 4.0 hardware, software, and solutions, and much more. OEMs, suppliers, manufacturers, sourcing agents, investors, researchers, among others will be at the exhibition to connect with end users and offer products and solutions to various user sectors.

What makes IMTEX crucial?

The machine tool industry plays a pivotal role in the growth of the capital goods sector which contributes to the economic growth of a country. IMTEX brings national and international companies on a unified platform for business-to-business deliberations and closer interaction between vendors and customers and facilitates networking among all stakeholders. The turnout of a large number of visitors to the show proves that IMTEX is an important show that one cannot miss, according to Ravi Raghavan, President, IMTMA.

As against other exhibitions organised by specialised event firms, IMTEX is organised by an industry association in a purpose-built venue. IMTMA holds this exhibition not only for the benefit of its member companies but for the entire manufacturing community in India, said Jibak Dasgupta, Director General & CEO, IMTMA and BIEC.

The exhibition is a confluence of minds that are visionary, focused, and innovative, which helps business entities remain relevant in the changing times and stay ahead of the technology curve. For many of the small and medium-scale enterprises, IMTEX is the best avenue to find prospective buyers as they may have limited funds for marketing, added Dasgupta.

A sneak peek

The exhibition, which is being held after a span of four years, is attracting excitement across a cross-section of industry sectors who haven’t had the opportunity to perhaps see each other in person and shake hands for quite some time.

IMTEX 2023 has 850+ exhibitors from 23 countries of which close to 240 exhibitors are from overseas. Exhibitors from Australia, Austria, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Singapore, Slovania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, and USA are showcasing their products and solutions during IMTEX 2023. China, Germany, Korea, Spain, Taiwan, and USA will have country pavilions.

International seminar on manufacturing technologies will be held on January 18, 2023, one day prior to IMTEX. The objective of this international seminar is to present the latest technological developments in manufacturing and allied technologies that users can adopt in their production processes. The seminar will have concurrent sessions on machining, work holding & tooling, additive manufacturing, enabling technologies, emerging trends, and automation.

Fruitful collaboration between industry and academia, when put to good use, can nurture technology development, resulting in industries enhancing their capacities to manufacture high-tech products, bring product diversification, and help localize imports. At i2 Academia Pavilion, a platform for research institutions to present their findings to industries, premier institutions, including IITs, will be presenting their R&D.

To promote exports of machine tools and to facilitate market linkages for machine tool exports from India to other countries, IMTMA is organizing an international buyer seller meet during IMTEX 2023. The International Buyer-Seller meet provides a platform for B2B meetings between international and national players, explore the different market needs and opportunities.

Under a special initiative, Jagruti, students will be given a guided tour of entire IMTEX including a visit to the IMTMA Technology Centre in BIEC. Students from select engineering institutions will be a part of the 15th Jagruti-IMTMA Youth Programme, scheduled on January 21-22, 2023.

Connect, a forum to meet and hire young engineers, on January 22, 2023 during IMTEX 2023. Connect is a networking platform for machine tool industries and next generation engineers. It provides an opportunity for them to demonstrate their capabilities, skills, and competitiveness to get inducted into machine tool companies.

The best is on its way

Sentiments are highly optimistic in the post-pandemic period, and exhibitors are excited to leverage the buoyant ambiance at IMTEX 2023 to showcase their products and explain their services in person to potential buyers once again, which will positively impact their business. Certainly, more collaborations, investments, and trade are needed despite the prevailing geopolitical challenges. “We are confident that IMTEX 2023 will provide a platform for industries to explore more avenues during the show,” said the organiser in a press statement.