What are your expectations from Imtex 2015?
With so many IMTEXs behind us and this being a bi-annual event the buzz will definitely be there. Even in terms of product development and technology advancement we expect to see the latest this being a benchmark event. The event is also a good platform for the country-industry showcase for India in the global arena. From a technology perspective we will see the latest technology updates at IMTEX as always.
Shed some light on current industry/market sentiments.
Number wise this year is better than last year. The number of orders and dispatches has definitely gone up. The buzz is there in the market and sentiments are high. The industry faced tough times in the last two years and we are seeing the signs of recovery.
Further the new government is making the right moves, but at the ground level we don't see a significant change. Inflation has come down but it still lacks the physical corrections. The funds flow issues continues to dampen the market which can become a matter of concern going ahead. Clients who have access to funds have now started mobilizing them but at a slow pace. It seems that after March 2015 the industry will move ahead at a faster pace but we may still be below the desired levels.
Along with a rise in demand for automation, what technology trends do you foresee at IMTEX?
Nowadays customers are looking for machines with more capabilities, intelligent and smart machines. The move is towards self-diagnostic machines.
Presently, we see that there is unavailability of sufficient number of good operators. Particularly in the SME sector, there is a lot of problem due to lack of trained manpower and this directly affects productivity of the company. This will lead to demand for machines that have more automation and reduced human intervention. IMTEX is a good platform to showcase some of these products and solutions.
Further, with more impetus on cost effectiveness and productivity we are seeing design changes and optimization of existing technology. Earlier people would buy machines but now the trend is to look for complete solutions.
Recently we have seen the technology of rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing displayed at a well-known international industry event. Manufacturers are really trying to push the technology forward. We can expect to see some these solutions to be displayed at IMTEX as well.
One key feature of IMTEX is that we see more commercially-ready technology for people to adopt rather than speak of research and development of technology.
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