The Automation series of International Automation Exhibition & Conference has carved a niche for itself as a successful event since the inaugural show in the year 2002. The event is the brainchild of M Arokiaswamy, Managing Director, IED Communications Ltd, the organiser. Arokiaswamy is also the Editor and Publisher of Industrial Automation, an industrial publication with automation as the key focus. In the initial years, the show was a biennial event and five editions were held till the year 2010, after which it has become an annual show. The 8th edition was held in September 2013 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre at Goregaon, Mumbai.

Automation 2013 was inaugurated by Dr Gunther Kegel, CEO, Pepperl+Fuchs Global, on the 23rd of September and the Guests of Honour were Dr Peter Martin, Vice President - Invensys; Larry O'Brien, ARC Advisory Group; and Richard Timoney, CEO -Foundation Fieldbus.

The show was held in Hall 1 with a total area of 22300 sq.m where 396 stalls were occupied by 779 participants, including co-exhibitors and represented companies. The previous edition, Automation 2012, was held in two halls, viz., Hall 5 and Hall 6, over an area of 21, 000 sq m with 360 stalls and 696 participants, co-exhibitors and represented companies. So despite the slowdown in the economy, the event actually improved upon its previous performance. Some of the exhibitors have endorsed their support to this series of shows by their repeated participation and with increase in stall areas. Approved by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), Automation 2013 was supported by Instrumentation & Control Society of Malaysia; Instrumentation Experts Club; All India Association of Industries; Profibus; CAN in Automation and a few other organisations and institutes.

Concurrently, a 2-day conference was held on the 23rd of September on Latest in Automation Technologies where some of the leading world renowned experts shared their views on the future of automation. A Foundation Fieldbus conference was also organised by the Foundation Fieldbus India Committee on the 24th of September 2013.

There was an exponential growth of visitors too, as compared to previous editions, which indicates the growing popularity and spread of automation even in the SME segment now. Automation 2013 attracted 46036 visitors over four days the event was staged. The organisers were successful in attracting major decision makers to the show. Among the visitors to this event were presidents, managing directors and CEOs; plant managers, R&D experts, project design engineers; manufacturers, dealers, consultants, contractors, business managers, purchase managers, decision-makers from several companies including public sector companies like BARC, railways, defence organisations, and other industry segments like telecommunications, power; fertilizers, chemicals and petro-chemicals, refineries, cement plants; and representatives of various associations and institutions related to the industry. A good number of overseas buyers were also visiting, scouting for opportunities in contract manufacturing. The organiser, IED Communications Ltd, has already announced the schedule for Automation 2014, which will be the 9th International Exhibition & Conference. This is scheduled for October 15-18, 2014 at Hall 1, Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC), NSE Complex, Mumbai.