India ITME - International Textile Machinery Exibition in India

Preamble

Effective display of products in the exhibitions - international exposition in particular - is the most prominent and long standing activity in marketing. A number of exhibitions - both national and international - are organized at different places and at different intervals. "Textile Machinery" being one of the important engineering products, its exposition particularly at international level, motivates both the global manufacturers of machinery and equipment to display their latest technologies and the end-users to view them at one place and co-operate in deciding their future modernization and expansion strategies. In this respect, the first International Textile Machinery Exhibition was organized by nine European Textile Machinery Associations under the umbrella, CEMATEX in 1951 at Lille (France). This expo is commonly known as ITMA and is held once in every four years. There are other international textile machinery exhibitions like American Textile Machinery Exhibition-International (ATME), Korean International Textile Machinery Exhibition, China Textile Machinery Exhibition (CTME), etc., but ITMA is leading among them and attracts number of participants from the globe.

Textile machinery manufacturing in India was practically started in the post independence era. It was of course initiated during the pre-independence period. The problems faced by the Indian textile industry in repairing and maintenance of the imported machines from U.K. were the compelling factors in establishment of machinery manufacturing units. As the textile industry started growing, growth of domestic textile machinery manufacturing took place. During 60s complete range of spinning machinery, weaving machinery and limited range of processing machinery were being manufactured.

Technology Scene

Major innovations in the textile machinery manufacturing came into being during 80s. Most of the European machinery manufacturers, namely, Rieter, Trutzschler, Suessen, Karl Mayer, Sulzer, Picanol, Vamatex, etc. came up with high speed micro-processor controlled machinery in spinning, weaving, processing, knitting, etc. Though the continuous research was going on during 70s, the manufacturers could showcase their high tech products at international textile machinery exhibition at ITMA 1983 at Milan, Italy. The effect of these developments also reached India and there were many foreign collaborations in the manufacture of spinning, weaving and processing machinery during this period. There were also indigenous manufacturers who developed machinery by way of re-engineering. This happened specifically in processing machinery and weaving preparatory and weaving machinery.

The International Textile Machinery Exhibition held in the year 1987 at Paris showed more automation in the textile machinery. More and more stress was given by the European manufacturers to improve the productivity and quality of the product with electronic controls. It could be said that there was another technical revolution during 80s. It also created new opportunity for the domestic textile industry. The Modernisation Scheme of the Government of India also helped in modernizing many textile units in the country during the period. The vision expressed in the 1985 Textile Policy of the Government helped the textile industry to consolidate its position. Demand for textile machinery was showing a positive trend. This also helped the domestic textile machinery manufacturing industry.

INDIA - ITME

The machinery industry felt the need to project its technology before the domestic textile industry. First effort was in the form of an exhibition which took place in 1971 at Backbay Reclamation Ground in Mumbai. The growth of the textile machinery industry was substantial during late 70s and the manufacturers felt it necessary to have a large forum and conduct textile machinery exhibitions of international standard in India. A plan for establishing an organization for holding international textile machinery exhibitions in India was conceived in 1978-79 by TMMA. It was decided to set up an Organisation Committee consisting of representatives of TMMA, the Association of Merchants and Manufacturers of Textile Stores & Machinery (India) (now ITAMMA), Indian Cotton Mills' Federation (now CITI), Textile Association (India), Indian Standards Institution (now BIS).

The Organisation Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri Suresh Mehta suggested that international textile machinery exhibitions be organized in India in the name and style, 'India-ITME' and a separate Society with the above five organizations as sponsors be formed to hold such exhibitions every four years i.e. in the year following ITMA. The Organisation Committee also constituted a Steering Committee consisting of -

A constitution was accordingly drawn up for the India-ITME Society with the aims and objectives and rules and regulations. In addition to holding international textile machinery exhibitions, the India-ITME Society incorporated the following objectives:-

The details of the promoters at present are as under:

The Steering Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri Suresh Mehta and with the assistance of the other Office Bearers and the appointed Executive Director initiated action to organize the first India-ITME.

It was decided to hold the first India-International Textile Machinery Exhibition during the year 1980 at Bandra Reclamation Ground, Bandra, Mumbai. Prior to that, the International Textile Machinery Exhibition (ITMA) was held at Hannover during 1979. This was visited by India-ITME Society as well as members of both the Machinery Manufacturers' Associations to have a first hand experience as to how the exhibition could be made successful. The first exhibition at Bandra Reclamation Ground was held from 30th November to 9th December, 1980. Shri Hidayatullah, Vice-President of India inaugurated the exhibition. Being the first endeavour of India-ITME Society, the 1980 exhibition was a grand success.

Shri Suresh Mehta's stewardship and foresightedness made it possible for the India-ITME Society to move forward and conduct successfully the second exhibition at Godrej Complex, Vikhroli during 1984. Thereafter the India-ITME Society did not look back. It went ahead from strength to strength.

Following are the details of Exhibitions held by ITMA and INDIA-ITME:-

While Shri Atul Bhagwati was the Chairman for the India-ITME during 1988, the exhibitions during 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 were held under the Chairmanship of late Rasik Parekh, late N.C. Dalal, Shri Narendra L. Shah and Shri G.T. Dembla respectively.

INDIA-ITME attracts not only Indian and foreign machinery manufacturers to display their latest technologies at one venue but also a large number of visitors from the domestic and foreign textile industry, as the manufacturing of textiles is now shifted to the East.

Shri Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu took the reins from Shri Dembla after the India-ITME 2004. Under his Chairmanship, India-ITME Society would be organizing one of the largest international exhibitions from 15th to 22nd November, 2008 in the state-of-the-art exhibition center at BIEC, Tumkur Road, Bangalore covering a total area of 45,000 sq.mtrs. and 750 exhibitors. The India-ITME Society has received overwhelming response for space booking inasmuch as the organizers have to provide a fourth hall to accommodate the participants. All facilities required to hold an international exhibition are provided besides giving free space to the sponsoring organizations, the Textile Research Associations, IIT-B, the Press-Media, etc. etc.

Conclusion

It is needless to mention that India-ITME Society and its main constituent organistions, namely, TMMA and ITAMMA and other sponsoring organistions are promoting the cause of the textile machinery manufacturers in India as well as the domestic textile industry. It has created an undisputed platform for show-casing the domestic as well as international textile machinery. It has the desire to promote an international standard machinery exhibitions center in India. We hope that the desire bears its fruits in the years to come.