Over the last few decades the textile technology fair ITME, held every four years, has acquired a reputation of being a ‘must visit’ platform for textile industry to see and acquire new technology from all-over the world. The organizers, India International Textile Machinery Exhibitions Society (India ITME Society), have strived to make the fair bigger, more relevant and interactive this year with many new initiatives, adding new dimension to the event. Amongst the most significant addition is the inclusion of garment technology providers to the event, extending the scope of the fair over the complete supply chain of textile and apparel. Indeed the 9th India International Textile Machinery Exhibition is being positioned as the most important platform for everyone associated with textile industry. No wonder, India-ITME 2012, Executive Director, Seema Srivastava is very excited with the preparations and the industry feedback…
Preparations for the event are on in full swing and the bookings were closed as early as November 2011, just 9 months after they were opened for registration. “The enthusiasm for the event is very palpable and since the market conditions are slow, more companies are interested to promote their new innovations and showcase to the industry what value they can give to their operations,” says Seema. To be held from 2nd Dec. to 7th Dec. 2012 at Mumbai, the fair will showcase textile technology, garment machinery, accessories and services of 620 exhibitors from 42 countries. “We initially had 45,000 sq. metres of space, but only recently we have been able to acquire an additional 5,000 sq. metres and are looking to add a few more companies from our 350 waiting list,” informs Seema.
One of the highlights of the participation is the inclusion of technology providers from six new countries – Pakistan, Thailand, Slovakia, Netherland, Indonesia and Malaysia, all of which have never exhibited in India before. “We are encouraging product launches and many of the companies have already announced the same. To give maximum exposure to the launches we are tying up with an IT provider to give them live coverage on our websites, so those who are not able to be present at the event can witness the launch on the internet,” avers Seema.
Very upbeat of the preparations Seema says, “The idea is to ensure that everyone who comes to the fair, whether as an exhibitor or as a visitor gets value and takes back some learning from the fair. This is very important as research in this industry is not a strong element and there are few avenues for knowledge dissemination.” In pursuance of the objective, the six-day event will see technical seminars on three days where many renowned names from the global textile industry will talk on various relevant topics. Though the final speaker list is being finalized, Seema assures that it will have many international famed names.
The organizers are also working to match exhibitor profile with visitors’ needs in advance so that no company goes back without meeting people who match their requirements. “In large fairs while the visitors get confused, small participants get lost, so we are working at pre-fixing business meetings so that people don’t waste time searching for right partners/technology providers,” informs Seema. Many participants are from the textile chemical segment and the organizers are actively publishing this so that people looking for solutions in those areas can also visit the fair.
With the online registration for visitation already happening, the response so far has been mostly from international visitors. “We expect around 1,00,000 visitors and as the show comes nearer the registrations will quicken, as most Indian visitors are late comers,” says Seema. Special cultural programs, with days dedicated to specific states and a craft bazaar are planned for our international guests to acquaint them on the true India image and its diverse cultures. “We want to build the India brand and send a clear message that we have a very vibrant industry, which is second largest in the world and a growing economic stature as a modern industry looking for latest technology,” says Seema.
All efforts are on to make the event a truly international experience and Seema appealed to all participants to follow all the rules stringently to ensure that no last minute glitches spoil the show. A well equipped media room is already earmarked and spacious parking arrangements and food courts are but only a few of the value adds. The road shows in India are already underway in all major textile and garment hubs and plans are for similar shows in Bangladesh.
Going forward, India ITME Society is participating in the bi-annual Vibrant Gujarat event in Ahmedabad in the first week of January 2013, where shortlisted participants who do not get an opportunity to showcase in Mumbai will be allotted booths. “Gujarat is aggressively promoting the State for the textile industry and we want a share in that growth, that is why we are building a world class exhibition centre in Ahmedabad to hold bigger events in the future,” says Seema.
With all the groundwork in place Seema is very confident that the show will raise the bar of exhibitions in India. “The event is a catalyst for growth in the textile industry and with integration happening within the industry, the expanded scope of the fair will only be that more important,” concludes Seema.
