ITMACH India 2019 Once Again Proves To Be An Effective Business Platform

Event & Conferences

ITMACH India 2019 Once Again Proves To Be An Effective Business Platform

On-the-spot orders, new launches, serious enquiries, happy exhibitors, were the highlights of the third edition of ITMACH India 2019. ITMACH India 2019 emerged a winner once again. The bearish market sentiments did not deter exhibitors and visitors, who turned out in huge numbers to participate in the show. The third edition of ITMACH India, from December 5-8, 2019, at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, attracted over 150 exhibitors, from spinning, weaving, processing, digital & rotary printing, and accessories sectors. The 14,500 visitors were from India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Middle East, among others. And as always, ITMACH India, this time too, attracted only serious visitors; some of them even booked machines on the spot. [caption id="attachment_17753" align="alignleft" width="150"] Gaurav Parmar[/caption] According to Gaurav Parmar, Director, Rimtex Group, "Looking at the market conditions, I would say the response was better than expected. We met many of our existing customers, and had many new introductions too. We got good number of serious enquiries." The company has added to its existing portfolio under the Radius arm. This includes fabric dyeing machines and card clothing. "Response here was good. Of course, there aren't many new projects lined up in processing and dyeing, but definitely this sector is doing better than spinning," said Parmar. Speaking about the visitors at ITMACH India, Gaurav said, "We had a lot of serious visitors to our booth. ITMACH India is growing in importance. Gujarat as the location is perfect as this is an important textile producing state. Also the two bordering states - Rajasthan and Maharashtra have a strong industry. In fact, we received most of our visitors from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and surprisingly also from Tamil Nadu." Rimtex has been busy with order fulfillments after ITMA 2019. "We had met many potential customers. Moreover, the overseas markets are better, the Indian market is expected to gain momentum by mid next year." [caption id="attachment_17754" align="alignleft" width="250"] Khushi Palkhiwala & Laxmikant Rathi[/caption] Ideal Group too received good response. According to Laxmikant Rathi, President, Ideal Group Of Companies, "It is indeed amazing to receive this kind of visitors at a time when the markets are quite dull. But we are seeing a turnaround." According to Khushi Palkhiwala, Chairman and Executive Director, Ideal Group Of Companies, "We expected this to be a slow show, for obvious reasons. It is in these market conditions that it's important to make our presence felt at the show and to our customers. We are happy to be at ITMACH India." [caption id="attachment_17755" align="alignright" width="121"] C. Dhandayuthapani[/caption] For Coimbatore based Mag Solvics, the show was a good one. "There is a downturn in the market, but it should pick up soon. Despite that we got good response. We are promoting our yarn evenness tester. Our focus is also on fabric testing," said C. Dhandayuthapani, Director, Mag Solvics. [caption id="attachment_17756" align="alignleft" width="121"] Tanmay Pandya[/caption] A similar response was received from Texfab Engineers. According to Tanmay Pandya, Director, Texfab Engineers, "The show was good and we received several serious buyers and have generated good number of enquiries." Picanol Shows Smart Shed For First Time In India [caption id="attachment_17757" align="alignleft" width="150"] Picanol P. Kasiviswanathan[/caption] Similar sentiments were shared by other exhibitors too. According to P Kasiviswanathan, Director, Picanol, "The response has been quite good, especially looking at the market situation." For Mr Kasiviswanathan, virtual response is even more important. "We are increasingly moving towards a digital marketplace. Social media plays a very important role here. And the response we received on the virtual platform to our showcasings at ITMACH India are phenomenal." Picanol displayed the Smart Shed, which was shown in India for the first time at ITMACH. The company had launched the product at ITMA 2019 in Barcelona. "The industry loves this machine. Running at 1090 rpm, this is a truly resource efficient machine with remarkable productivity. I'm happy to note that the show and our booth attracted pure technicians and weavers who were very interested to know about this technology." For Picanol, 2019 has been the best year in the last five years. "We sold 1050 looms in India this year. Comparatively, investment in weaving is better than in spinning. We are optimistic about 2020 too." Itema sells record number of machines in 2019 [caption id="attachment_17758" align="alignleft" width="150"] ITEMA Group Sameer Kulkarni[/caption] For Itema too, India has been a good market in 2019. According to Sameer Kulkarni, GM, Sales, "We sold record number of machines - around 250-260 rapier looms - in Surat this year compared to past years. In fact, Surat is also investing in airjets for viscose fabrics. Ichalkaranji too is a good market now, for airjet looms. Ichalkaranji powerlooms are upgrading to high speed machines for cotton based gray fabrics, shirting fabrics. We are booked till May." The company sold a few machines in the Bhiwandi powerloom cluster too. For Itema, response at ITMACH India was very encouraging. "We received a lot of good enquiries. We are optimistic about the Indian market. Investments, especially in the central and western regions are good, northern region has slowed down significantly," said Sameer. Post-ITMA 2019, the company has sold close to 400 looms of the new generation airjet machines. "The industry is in need of machines which offer low cost of production, and Itema strives to work towards this." [caption id="attachment_17759" align="alignleft" width="150"] Staubli S. S. Mahajan[/caption] Staubli's latest knotting machine shown for the first time in India For S. S. Mahajan, Director, Staubli India Pvt Ltd, the show was akin to an international textile exhibition, it was well organised, and attracted good quality visitors, despite the bearish market sentiments. "We are very impressed with the infrastructure, the organisation and the venue." Staubli showcased among others, its latest electronic knotting machine, which is now very easy to operate. The machine was first launched at ITMA 2019, and was showcased in India for the first time at ITMACH India 2019. The machine generated a lot of interest among visitors. Mr Mahajan believes that market sentiments will improve soon. Schoch Reeds is upbeat about Indian market [caption id="attachment_17760" align="alignleft" width="150"] Matteo Schoch[/caption] For Matteo Schoch, CEO, Schoch & Co. Srl, India is the only textile market in the world that has shown a bit of growth and momentum, and China remains stable. "All other markets are down," he says. For Schoch Reeds, the show was a bit slow. "But this was expected looking at the market condition. However, 2019 was a record year for us in India. Going forward, I think the Indian market will be back to normal in another six months. We are very positive about India for the next two years. Our quality, coupled with our service has placed us in an enviable position in the Indian market." Meanwhile, the company has been busy increasing sales and deliveries after ITMA 2019. Schoch is also optimistic about having Itema as an important investor in the company. "For the customer, there will be no change in terms of sales, structure, etc. The difference will be in terms of better market and financial support from Itema. And Itema gets to buy its accessories requirements in-house, instead of sourcing from very limited number of quality suppliers." [caption id="attachment_17762" align="alignleft" width="173"] Rajesh Giri & R. K. Yadav[/caption] For Groz Beckert too, the market improvement is well in sight. Speaking on the sidelines of the show, Rajesh Giri and R. K Yadav, from Weaving Division, said, "Textile stocks are getting adjusted, and this will bring in new orders soon. Given the current market situation, response at ITMACH India was average, which we expected given the market conditions." Amar Jacquard sold two machines at the show [caption id="attachment_17763" align="alignleft" width="140"] Harvinde Singh[/caption] Amar Jacquard sold two machines at ITMACH India, and received many orders and serious enquiries. "The market is certainly good, and we expect more growth in the coming years." This is indeed good news for Indian-make machines, which are gaining acceptance not just in India but also internationally. Amar Jacquard exports to Bangladesh, the Middle East, and also the US. "Most of the machines go to the decentralised sector, but we do have corporate clients too. We are investing in upgrading our technology, as the Indian weaving sector is upgrading too," said Harvinder Singh, Director, Amar Jacquard. [caption id="attachment_17764" align="alignleft" width="125"] Han Yuxia[/caption] China plays the price card For Han Yuxia of China's Qingdao Huaxin Machinery Co. Ltd, the response at the show was good, and the company generated orders too. "We will maybe participate in the next ITMACH show," said Han. The company has been selling waterjet looms in the Indian market for the last four years, and has seen its market grow steadily. "Price is our forte." Exciting times for fabric printing technology suppliers Fabric printing technology suppliers - both digital and rotary - are upbeat about the Indian market. There is a clear trend towards digital printing, even as rotary printing maintains its share. Higher productivity, lower cost of machines compared to digital printers has meant that fabric printers still opt for rotary screen printing machines. Reckon meets serious buyers at ITMACH India [caption id="attachment_17765" align="alignleft" width="150"] Abhishek Pachauri[/caption] According to Abhishek Pachauri, MD, Reckon Industries, "This was a very good show. We were able to meet genuine visitors, who had projects in the pipeline. This is very important for any exhibitor. We received a lot of serious enquiries." He further added, "We hope ITMACH continues on its successful journey. We are very happy to be a part of ITMACH." The company offers a range of steamers, washing machines, dyeing machines for both digital and conventional printers, and exports to over 27 countries including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, etc. "Market is okay for us, but we have to be very innovative. We have to help clients to cut costs and improvise their existing machines and products; that's the only way to survive and grow." Talking about the perception of Indian make machines, he said, "The perception is changing today. Indian manufacturers have improved quality and performance manifold, we know and understand technology. At Reckon, we offer the latest IoT and other automations, which are today needed by the industry." Orange O Tec sells three machines at the show [caption id="attachment_17766" align="alignleft" width="150"] Girish Khainar[/caption] Orange O Tec sold three machines at the fair. "Response was amazing, we had 20-25 genuine customers each day. We received customers from all over India, and also from the Middle East," said sales executive, Girish Khairnar. Orange showcased its sublimation digital printing machines at the show. The company offers two brands MS from Italy, and Colorix from China. The company, established in 2008, has sold 150 machines till date all over India. According to Girish, "The industry in India is inclined towards sublimation technology because cost of the machine is lower than direct-to-fabric digital printers. Also, demand for polyesters in home furnishings, etc is on the rise, & sublimation technology is most suited for this." Talking about the cost difference, he said that while a sublimation printer would cost between Rs 35-55 lakh, direct-to fabric printers start at Rs 98 lakh. China is usually known for low-priced machines. According to Girish, "China makes all ranges of machines. Colorix is a high end machine. And we offer 24x7 service, we have a team of 27 engineers stationed in Surat alone. Colorix is a well accepted brand in India today." While 75% of Orange's machines are sold in Surat, other important markets include Tirupur, Panipat, Noida. Stovec receives visitors from J&K [caption id="attachment_17767" align="alignleft" width="150"] Stovec Industries Nitin Gavade[/caption] For Stovec too, the show was a good one. "The show was well organised, we received a lot of customers. We got good enquiries from existing customers and new customers. We had visitors from south and north, and surprisingly also from J&K. And a lot of buyers came from Bangladesh," said Nitin Gavade, Sales - Capital Products. Stovec displayed its latest rotary screen printing machine, alongwith digital printers. "The market has been a little slow now, mainly due to financing issues, which resulted in project delays. But we see an improvement, and demand is picking up. Next year will be a better one. We expect the new policy too will help." Meanwhile, the company has been busy with successfully converting enquiries into orders, post ITMA 2019. [caption id="attachment_17768" align="alignleft" width="150"] Sunil Malvankar[/caption] JISL launches high speed digital printer at ITMACH India Jay Instruments And Systems showcased its main products - printing inks, and digital printers, alongwith testing equipment at ITMACH India 2019. The company introduced its high speed digital printing machine at the show. "This machine has a speed of 9000 meters per day. It's a transfer printing machine. We received very good response. We had quality visitors at the show," said Sunil Malvankar, DGM, Sales, JISL. The company also offers direct-to-fabric digital printers. "Digital printing is the solution for the textile printer today. It effectively addresses the issues of pollution, water consumption." The company also offers printing inks. "This is in fact our main business. We first standardised the inks. While a customer can use any ink in our printer, we offer warranty for our inks only. We export our inks to many countries today. We do not export the machines, as this requires a strong service network, which we have in India. We enjoy a good market share in India." True Colors promotes Chinese digital printing machines [caption id="attachment_17769" align="alignleft" width="156"] Udit Das[/caption] True Colors on the other hand offers Chinese and Japanese digital printing machines in the Indian market. Udit Das, was not too happy with the visitor turnout, which he blamed on the lack of promotions by organisers rather than the market conditions. "The market is fine. We did receive some enquiries, but not as per our expectations," said Udit Das, Manager, Sales, True Colors. According to Das, "Digital printing market, especially polyester and synthetics, is very good today. The future is digital printing. Conventional printing will be slowly wiped out." The company has been offering these machines in the Indian market for the last 5-6 years. "The cost of digital printing machines may be high, but is is leveling off. Today the difference between digital printing and rotary printing machine is about 20-30%, but the advantages of digital printing far outweigh the cost. Also production speeds are increasing. Initially, I had machines with speed of 1200 meters per day, now it is 6000-9000 meters per day." He believes there is immense scope in the Indian market. "Today just 2-5% of the fabric printing market is covered by digital printing. So the opportunities are immense." On the acceptance of Chinese machines he said, "These are cost effective machines. Indian machines do not match the technology levels of European machines, and do not have that acceptance in the market yet. Of the total market for digital printing, just 5% of the market is serviced by Indian machines. While more than 90% of the market uses Chinese machines. This is because the quality and performance of the Indian machines is not so good." Sunshine backs rotary screen printing Rotary screen printing machine manufacturer Sunshine Engineering believes that Indian make machines have come of age. Almost 70% of rotary machines in Panipat are supplied by Sunshine. Thirty-five Sunshine machines are installed in Erode. Surat is also an important market for this Surat-based company. And the company has finalised its first export order to Bangkok, a few weeks ago. [caption id="attachment_17770" align="alignleft" width="250"] Dinesh Kamanwar with his son[/caption] According to Dinesh Kamanwar, Director, Sunshine Engineering, "The perception that Indian make machines do not perform well is not true. We offer high quality machines with excellent performance. Many European customers who visited our plant have admired our technology and machines. My request to the industry is-Don't compare us to the European suppliers, trust us, we can do better than them, & cost-effectively." Sunshine is a first-time participant in ITMACH India. "We are happy to be able to explore the Ahmedabad market too through this show. Other emerging markets for us are Rajasthan, UP, Tamil Nadu." Speaking about the USP of the machine, Keyur said Sunshine machines are fully automatic & very easy to operate. "This cuts down the cost of labour, significantly." He believes that rotary printing will continue to have a market as digital printing has its limitations in terms of production & cost.