The ITMACH 2014 Exhibition, its maiden 3-day run at Bhiwandi near Thane in Maharashtra recently had 99 exhibitors and attracted 19,842 visitors. The exhibitors were enthusiastic since the exhibition attracted a very good quality crowd, and the organisers felt that it benefited the whole gamut of textile industry in the country, especially the Western India.
While visitors from Bhiwandi were there, business delegates also came in from Ichalkaranji, Malegaon, Solapur, Ujjain, Ludhiana, Panipat, and also from southern India. Exhibitors received serious enquiries during the first two days of the show. Many business deals have been finalised. There was a lot of interest in weaving and allied technologies, especially of Indian origin. Weavers were finding these machines to be a good fit for their upgradation needs towards shuttleless looms, in terms of productivity, price, and service. International exhibitors too have received good response.
"The local industry and exhibitors have evinced keen interest in such sustained efforts. The industry in Bhiwandi has given us whole-hearted support in this venture. We will therefore strive to make this a regular event, with the objective of helping the industrys upgradation process," said the organisers.
Companies showcasing Indian made and Chinese machines, in particular, have booked many orders at the show. According to Hemnt Shah, Director, Manisha Overseas, "We have showcased waterjet looms and other very unique technologies for the Bhiwandi and the decentralised powerloom sector. These machines have been developed in China, and so are very cost-effective, while also improving productivity and quality. Response has been overwhelming. Bhiwandi weavers need to be made aware of the various technologies in the market, and this show has fulfilled this objective. This is a much needed show in Bhiwandi."
Hasmukh Textile Works is another company that offers rapier machines and other weaving and processing machines, imported from China. "There is a great deal of interest in these machines from the decentralised sector. We have received visitors from Solapur, Kolhapur, Bhiwandi, and other parts of the country. The machines are cost-effective, have good performance, and are well-suited to the needs of the powerloom sector. This sector still hesitates to invest in high-end technology. The medium range Chinese machines are much in demand here. It will take some more years for this industry to upgrade to higher technology levels."
Surjit Singh Mahajan, Director, Staubli India Pvt Ltd says that the decentralised market has begun enquiring about European high end machines too. "We do have some installations in Bhiwandi, these are very few now. For Staubli, Bhiwandi is a potential market, and we expect to see a lot of improvement here over the next few years."
The exhibition showcased technologies and machines related to weaving and weaving preparatory, spinning, processing and finishing, printing, and other related segments.