India’s textile machinery market is presently witnessing a business boom worth about US$ 5 billion and this industry is highlighting its efforts in the second edition of the three-day Global Textile Technology & Engineering Show 2019 that will commence January 18.

“India exports textile machinery products and related accessories that range from a simple needle to huge machines used in every aspect of spinning, weaving of textiles,” said Ketan Sanghvi, Treasurer, India ITME Society. “Besides the textile machinery manufacturers associations, almost all export promotion councils associated with the textile industry are supporting the Show, while about 18 promotions have been done for this event in India and abroad, which will also highlight this industry’s latest efforts that include reducing noise emission, increase safety and stricter adoption of related ISO standards and inputs required for new identified subjects like ‘Embroidery Machines’ and “Baby Diaper-making machines,” he said.

Noting that the Industry is conducting training to improve the skills of this sector, Sanghvi said clusters of many textile machinery manufacturers in places like Bhiwandi, Malegaon and elsewhere send their technicians for training and live demonstrations of the various technologies used on this platform. “This  is a good opportunity for this sector to make eco-friendly products by using jute, cotton and other simpler options, including those good for one-time usage,” he added.

He said over 400 exhibitors and more than 44 countries are participating in this Show – which is held every four years while also becoming the gateway to India – and has achieved a 26% growth rate besides attracting about 168 companies as first-time participants including Sri Lanka, Slovenia, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, japan, Spain, Turkey, UK, USA, Taiwan, among others. “First-time industry delegates are coming from Chile, Abu Dhabi, Sudan, Ghana, Nepal, Tanzania, Morocco, Algeria, Djibouti, Kuwait, Azerbaijan, Kyrgzstan, Senegal, Palestine etc, while a ministerial delegation from Ethiopia will be available for one-on-one discussion on ‘Investment & Incentives’ offered by the Ethiopian Government,” he said.

“GTTES 2019 will facilitate interaction with all Export Promotion Councils that will highlight export opportunities, various Government subsidies, market initiative schemes for Indian manufacturers and other information including developing new opportunities for exports from India. Roadshows too were held in India and abroad, besides every major hub in the country being tapped by the Society,” he said.

Describing the 2019 Show as “a Huge Leap Forward,” Sanjiv Lathia, Past Chairman, ITME, said the Indian textile manufacturing sector is witnessing an incredible change from the past — where such machinery engineers and technicians did not get much maintenance experience on  imported machinery then – to the present where they work on both imported and “Make in India’ machines.

“China exports eight to ten times more textile machinery and products than the size of our exports, but there are many product export gaps left open by them that can be consolidated upon by the concerned Indian industry including in garments manufacturing sector,” he said while noting that India has a large pool of labour to concentrate in this direction.

Pointing out that the Indian textile machinery industry produces the ‘entire spectrum’ of machinery including through ‘Make in India’, Lathia said much more needed to be done ‘capture’ the international sector while also concentrating more on contributing to the foreign market.

Disclosing the position of this industry in 1980, G T Dembla, Past Chairman, ITME, described the European Textile Machinery Exhibition held in 1975 where his company was the first such Indian one to participate in that Show.

Narendra Shah recalled the past where all items related to the textile industry were imported, as there was no local industry that could meet the needs of the Indian market.

Seema Srivastava, Executive Director, India ITME Society, pointed out India’s uniqueness in the fact that while it took 12 countries to come together in organizing such an international Exhibition abroad, India was capable of organizing this show on its own. “We are the world’s second largest textile industry, though China is the largest global player in this regard,” she said.