L Krishnan, President, IMTMA & MD, TaeguTech India Pvt P Ltd
What are the current trends in Indian machine tool industry?
Effects of slowdown in the manufacturing sector in the country have trickled down to machine tool industry. Going by the current trends, we expect production of machine tools will decrease by about 10 per cent during the current fiscal 2013-14 even though we see a steady hike in the orders for new machines.
What’s the market size of Indian metalworking industry and share of metal forming in overall Indian machine tool industry?
Market size of total metal working machines in India during FY13 was about Rs 11,300 crore of which metal forming machines constituted about 22 per cent.
How was the year 2013 for the industry?
2013 was a challenging year for the industry. Slowdown in economy at large and manufacturing sector in particular resulted in reduced demand for machines. The year began with restricted inflow of orders into the industry. However, in the recent past industry has witnessed marginal growth in orders for new machines.
How do you see the year 2014? What kind of growth are you expecting?
The downturn in the economy has bottomed out and with the appreciation in rupee; setting up of new manufacturing units across emerging sectors combined with an increase in demand for machines from existing manufacturing sectors will spur the growth of machine tool production in India.
What are the challenges faced by the Indian industry? Why is India still dependent on import for some specific technologies?
The Indian industry faces many challenges compared to its foreign counterparts. To mention a few:-
- High cost discourages investment in research and development.
- Large import dependency due to technology gap in Indian manufacturing.
- Government tender terms place Indian manufacturers at a disadvantage against imported machine tools.
- The spree of FTAs and PTAs that are being signed is leading to a situation of inverted duty structure.
These are also the reasons that force us to depend on imports of major technology to satisfy the local needs.
Do you think south eastern/Asian countries (Taiwan, China, S Korea, Singapore, etc) are giving India a tough competition? Is it a challenge for Indian manufacturers?
Yes, we do face a stiff challenge due to imports of machines from countries like Taiwan and Korea. We need to develop our technology in machine segments like high precision multi tasking machines, laser cutting technology etc., to match with international standards to arrest this trend. Industry has identified this and is now working to bridge this gap.
How can India become developed machine tool country?
India can become a developed machine tool country by enhancing the production capacity and exports along with focusing on technology and design. This can be achieved by:
- Increased investments on R&D to upgrade their technological levels by working with the institutions of excellence.
- Acquiring latest technologies through JVs and acquisition of foreign companies.
- Development of demand for ‘Made in India’ brand in other parts of the world.
- Skill development of the workforce in the machine tool industry in India.
What are some of the initiatives taken by IMTMA to train engineers?
IMTMA Technology centre’ conducts around 150 seminars and training programmes every year for the benefit of metal working industry. Courses like ‘Finishing School’ help fresh engineers to have ‘hands on’ experience that they will need to perform on shop floors. IMTMA Technology centre also provides training on various aspects of machine design development, through its ‘Design Institute’. Plans are also underway to develop such Technology centers in Pune and Delhi regions also.
How important it is for Indian manufacturers to participate in IMTEX?
IMTEX is a platform where entire machine tool manufacturers’ fraternity from around the world comes to present their latest products and services. This provides huge opportunity for the exhibitors to meet a number of potential customers and dealers under one roof. Visitors in turn learn about new technologies available around the world. Hence, if anyone, who is from the machine tool sector or metal working industry, cannot afford to miss IMTEX.
nishant@mfgtechupdate.com
