Huge crowds and on-the-spot signing of purchase contracts were the order of the day at ITMACH India 2014, in Ahmedabad. The four-day event, from 10-13 December, 2014 was the first focused textile machinery exhibition in Ahmedabad region at a brand-new, state-of-the-art exhibition centre in Gandhinagar.
ITMACH India 2014: Gujarat’s Textile Investment Surge
The international textile machinery exhibition hosted around 200 exhibitors and 21,487 visitors during the four days of the show. Exhibitors are satisfied with the quality of visitors and investment enquiries. ITMACH India 2014 attracted serious visitors and decision makers from the textile industry, from across the country. International visitors were from Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Nigeria, and Pakistan. The success of the ITMACH India 2014 establishes the need of a large textile machinery exhibition beyond Mumbai and presence of the country’s largest exhibition centre.
During the inauguration of the show and the concurrently held international textile conference, `India’ – Opportunities for Global Textile Investments, Saurabhbhai Patel, Minister of Finance, Energy & Petrochemicals, Government of Gujarat, said, “Gujarat is moving towards becoming the textile manufacturing hub of the country. At such a time, an exhibition like ITMACH India is very much the need of the hour. We hope that ITMACH India will be an annual event in Gandhinagar’s Exhibition Centre, which is a world class exhibition facility. I hope to see ITMACH India show grows from one hall today to several in the next one year, with full support of the state government.”
Gujarat is fast becoming the textile manufacturing hub of the country, with several prestigious projects coming up in the state. This makes Ahmedabad the preferred location for an international machinery exhibition like ITMACH India.
Exhibitors and visitors have evinced satisfaction with the show. According to Ramesh Brahmbhatt, Yamuna Machine Works Ltd, “ITMACH India 2014 is a very well organised show. We are happy to be here, and to meet our existing customers, and some new customers too.”
A similar feedback was received from Sagar Group. The company represents a large number of international and Indian machinery makers. Says Varishensagar Shah, “We are happy to participate in ITMACH India 2014. We got a lot of leads at the show, while also meeting with our existing clients. With the industry in investment mode, this is the right time and place to organise a machinery show.”
Another exhibitor Hemnt Shah of Manisha Overseas stated, “ITMACH India 2014 did not attract visitors, the show attracted buyers. Those visiting the show were serious about doing business at the show, and were able to meet not just their existing suppliers, but also new suppliers. This was a win-win show for both exhibitors and visitors.”
Says Natascha R Meier, Head, Sales & Marketing, Graf Group, “We are very happy to be at the show. The response is beyond expectations. We had not expected an international class show when we decided to participate in ITMACH India 2014. We were able to meet new, serious clients during the four day event.”
While some exhibitors were able to clinch business deals at the show, almost all the exhibitors were confident of bagging orders as a result of the show.
Textile investments on the rise
Gujarat-based Sintex Industries has announced plans of setting up a Greenfield textile composite mill near Pipavav port with an investment of Rs 5,500 crore. “We would be investing Rs 5,500 crore to set up this project, which is located 6 kms away from Pipavav port in Amreli district,” Sintex Industries MD Amit Patel said.
“We intend to complete this project by 2017-18. We will be focusing on spinning, weaving, knitting and processing in this facility,” he said, adding Sintex Industries has already been into textile business in Gujarat with one of their plants located in Kalol town near Gandhinagar.
The upcoming Pipavav unit will be the 10th plant of Sintex Industries in the country, and will be set up in phase-wise manner. Patel also said that Pipavav plant will have one million spindles, 2,400 weaving machines and a capacity to churn out 600 tonnes of knits.
“Phase-one of Pipavav textile manufacturing plant will be operationalised by March 2015 and we will be adding one lakh spindles every two months and then finish the project till 2017-18,” he said. Patel said the plant will generate employment opportunities for around 8,000 persons and around 40-50% of the employees will be women. “We expect a turnover of Rs 9,000-10,000 crore for the company after the Pipavav plant will run at its full capacity,” Patel said, adding that the company’s turnover was Rs 6,400 crore during the last fiscal with the growth rate of 20%. “Products will not only range up to cotton but will also include multiple products like polyester yarns, viscose yarn, Lycra, etc,” Patel said, adding that 60-80% of the products will be exported. “Besides, there is a huge opportunity globally in this sector, especially as the space is being vacated by China.
Meanwhile, Welspun has also announced its expansion plans at its Anjar facility.
