ITMA 2015 Has Been A Great Experience For A.T.E. And Our Principals

Rendezvous

ITMA 2015 Has Been A Great Experience For A.T.E. And Our Principals

Working closely with every segment of the textile chain, A.T.E. has been pioneering many changes within every sector of the industry. Basking in the success of ITMA, Gurudas Aras, Director, Textile Engineering Group, A.T.E. Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. talks about their concerns to introduce more positivity and progress at every segment of the textile chain.

Let's begin with the ITMA response for A.T.E.

In terms of technology, we are present across the entire textile value chain. If I talk cumulatively considering all aspects of the business, then I would definitely like to sound content and say that we have had a very good response. It has been a great ITMA presence for A.T.E. It has been a highly positive exhibition for both A.T.E. and our principals.

How was the country specific response for A.T.E.'s principals?

Our principals have accounted for a satisfactory response and post Diwali, we had record visitor strength from India, which only grew every passing day. As far as China is concerned, it seems they have virtually disappeared. No significant visitors, no significant exhibitors from China. Even when I spoke to our principals and customers, we only got a reaffirmation that India is topping the list.

Could you elaborate more on Indian market for your principals?

Most of our principals are quite hopeful about the business scenario in India and they are eyeing the Indian market with an extremely lucrative perspective. Many of them are hoping that their business share in the Indian market will increase in the coming future. The Indian spinning sector has been doing very good for a few years now. But now the primary focus is on the weaving and processing sectors. Our principals catering to this segment are very hopeful, that over the next few years this industry will flourish. Modernisation as far as processing is concerned was quite negligible owing to a backlog. This backlog is bound to get cleared in sometime. The investment has already begun.

ETP norms are the biggest challenge that the processing industry faces. Do you think it is necessary for the principals to responsibly partner their customers and guide them through to see whether the laid out environment pollution guidelines are being abided by or not?

Yes definitely. And we do try to educate the customers in every possible way, so that the ETP norms are always kept under check. But we still face a challenge in making the unorganised sector of the industry aware of the existing laws and gaining their support towards the same is still a difficulty, and processing is still an unorganised sector. Over the years the ETP norms have become stricter and many mandates have also been implemented. Owing to this factor, it has become a little easier on our part to partner the customers and help them comply by the norms. Today many companies are taking serious steps towards waste water management also and are even considering zero liquid discharge. The industry is aware today that proper effluent treatment will go a long way; otherwise running of process houses will never be possible in future. Other than that, scarcity of water is also a lurking worry of the present, which is bound to be a situation of the future. Owing to this, better groundwater management ways have been devised too. Having said this, I would still say that the unorganised sector has to go a long way as far as complying to the norms are concerned, while the bigger players are trying to align to the norms with some focussed efforts.

How hopeful is the sustainability scenario in India?

Sustainability is a global drive today, and Indians are not lagging. But in our country everything still operates on the backbone of mandates. Whenever you force someone to follow something, it becomes a lot easier. Even after the government introduced CETP, people still continuously laid out a lot of chemical wastes beyond set limits. So mandates and mentality are the big deciding factors when one addresses the context of sustainability in India. Also we at A.T.E. have special biological treatment for effluents. This cuts the chemical usage in the process of effluent treatment. As far as A.T.E. is concerned we are quite on our toes on the sustainability and environment protection front.

How according to you will the market progress in the coming months for India?

Market for the spinning industry is not going to improve much, owing to over capacity and the Chinese economy slowdown. Investments for weaving will increase definitely; value addition is looked upon as a welcome change today within the textile chain. Warp knitting is definitely going to see a growth in investments owing to a wider range of possibilities that it opens up. Processing will certainly capture a sustainable flow of investments. Finally, I feel the attention will shift to the garments and apparel sector. The highest value addition happens at the garment stage, but unfortunately unlike China, India suffers a weak link at this juncture. We produce great yarns, but we export the yarn. We do not produce good finished fabric, we do not produce ample garments. And whatever we end up making only reaches the basic market. As long as we do not fix every arena of the value chain, we will not be able to ultimately add any value or see any wholesome growth of the market.

And the market projections for Bangladesh?

Garment manufacturing and the denim industry is going to be the thriving force for the market in Bangladesh. We have started our own company in Bangladesh in 2005 in expectation of the growing market. The Bangladesh market has grown very well in the last decade due to capacity building in garment and denim. Bangladesh will continue to do well on the apparel front in view of cost advantage. TPP is likely to affect Bangladesh to some extent but still in my opinion the expertise and skill set in garment making which Bangladesh has developed will continue to make it an attractive investment for apparel manufacturing.