Curtains To Go Up On Machine Tools Fair Today

Minister of state for power and science & technology Y K Alagh today is to inaugurate Imtex 98 and Tooltech 98, the largest manufacturing technology fair in South and South-East Asia.

The show promises to match world-class exhibitions like the EMO in Europe, the IMTS in Chicago and the JIMTOF in Japan in terms of participation, scope, coverage and recognition.

The eight-day exposition will be on till March 3 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi and is being organised by the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers Association, an affiliated organisation of Confederation of Indian Industry.

A larger area has been booked for the show this time, covering 55,000 square metres. The overseas participation, which had occupied 17 per cent of the total area in Imtex 95, has increased to 35 per cent of the total area this time. The number of visitors has increased over the years and about 2 lakh people are expected to visit the twin expos.

Imtex chairman Jamshyd N Godrej, who is also the managing director of Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co Ltd, at a press conference yesterday stated that the production of metal cutting and metal forming machines had reached Rs 850 crore in 1997, a significant increase from Rs 499 crore in 1992.

The consumption of machine tools has reached Rs 1,815 crore, indicating that the gap is being met mostly by imports.

This also indicates tremendous opportunity for the indigenous industry to bridge the gap by enhancing their capacities and by entering into strategic alliances.

Imtex 98 and Tooltech 98 would showcase about 3,500 machines weighing almost 4,000 tonnes and powered by 13 mw of electricity.

A comparison with previous fairs reveals that the number of machines on display has increased almost four-fold from 900 machines in 1992.

The Indian participation at Imtex 98 would be spearheaded by HMT, Mysore Kirloskar, Lakshmi Machine Works, Premier Automobiles, Bharat Fritz Werner, Batliboi, Ace Designers, Electronica and Widia (India).

Prominent among the Tooltech 98 participants are Sandvik Asia, Grindwell Norton, Mannesman Rexroth, MICO, Vickers International, Jaya Hind Sciaky and Yuken India.