Tamil Nadu has created right kind of investment climate over the years for manufacturing, metal working and automotive induries. Though the 2012 has elicited great investment pouring into Tamil Nadu, but more need to be done to gather more momentum. With the excellent growth of the global industry, along with burgeoning demands and challenges, Tamil Nadu has to go that extra mile to establish itself as a compelling investment destination.
ACMEE 2012 started off with a right note on June 14, at Chennai Trade Centre, with MC Sampath, Minister of Rural Industries and Noon Meal formally inaugurating the fair. Also present were dignitaries including Dr Niranjan Mardi, Principal Secretary, MSME Dpartment; Hans Raj Varma, CMD, TANSIDCO; P Sriram, Chairman, Chennai Institute of Technology; Satish Sadasivan, Managing Director of Schunk India; John Donlon, Executive Vice President of HURCO; Brijesh Agarwal, COO of Indiamart.com; P Ramdas, Managing Director of ACE; RSS Satish Babu, Chairman of ATC and K Ayyappan, President of AIEMA.
While addressing the gathering at the inaugural event, MV Robert, Chairman of ACMEE said: "The Government of Tamil Nadu had recently unveiled its Vision 2023, focusing on the twin strategic initiatives of upgradation of manufacturing technology and MSME development. What is more, ACME 2012 is also working towards the same objective ad we are putting all our might behind this initiative".
Robert continued: "I am happy to note that ACMEE 2012, with 440 participants covering in excess of 18,000 square metres exhibition space, is showcasing the latest in manufacturing technology available in different parts of the world. The list of participants include 120 firms from 30 nations including Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Norway, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Thailand, Turkey, the UAE, the UK and the US."
Robert said that for the first time, ACMEE was featuring Korea and Taiwan Pavilions. "Korea Pavilion is organised by Korea Machine Tool Manufacturers Association and Taiwan Pavilion by Taiwan External Trade Development Council. Besides a large number of visitors from across the country, deleages from abroad have registered their names for visiting the event. An estimated 50,000 business visitors are likely to visit the five day event", Robert pointed out.
While informing the audience that Ambattur Industrial Estate Manufacturers Association and AIEMA Technology Cenre had been organising ACMEE series of exhibigions biennially from 1994, the official added: "In the beginning, ACMEE was a general engineering exhibition. Over the years, it evolved as an event exclusively dedicated to Manufacturing Technology".
He said ACMEE 2012 has immensely benefitted from the sponsorship support extended by different organisations. "Concurrent with the exposition, an International Conference on Advances in Manufacturing Technology is also being lined up by Chennai Institute of Techology, Academic Partner of the event. While ACMEE 2012 is presenting the latest in Manufacturing Technology, the Conference is presenting the emerging and futuristic trends in manufacturing technology", Robert said thanking the ACMEE Organising Committee members, who had contributed at each stage of the fair.
While delivering the inagural address, Sampath said: "We are witnessing a rampant growth in the Ambattur Industrial Estate. Ambattur being one of the oldest estates in the small and medium sector, it offers direct and indirect employment to an estimated 280,000 people and having a turnover of around Rs 8,000 crore. AIEMA has been set up to champion the cause of the small and medium sector, in order to help in voicing their grievances in their day to day business operations and further laising with the State and central Government agencies to provide suitable soluitions. I am also happy to see heavy presence of overseas delegates and the participation firms from across India".
After the inauguration of the opening ceremony, the Minister also opened the exhibition and releasing the ACMEE 2012 Directory. Several dignitaries of the event had sent in their messages. In his message, S Chandrasekaran, the Convenor of the event said that with 440 participants sincluding 120 from 30 contries, ACMEE 2012 was all set to be the biggest trade show on manufacturing technology in this part of the country.
"While the list of participants and their exhibit profile make a very interesting reading, the visitor response gives immense satisfaction. Our publicy campaign in leading dailies, trade journals, TV business channels, e-mail campaigns and more importantly, the invitations mailed by the participants have greatly contributed to this overwhelming visitor response. As a member of the organising team, I would like to assure that we have taken all steps necessary to make the event successful. In particular, I must mention the care taken on publicity campaign, fair layout, in-hall exhibit handling, facilities at the fair, visitor registeration and social evenings".
Ayyapan said: "Ambattur Industrial Estate has nearly 2,000 manufacturing units engaged in diverse manufacturing activities from engineering goods, IT, to consumer goods. More than 280,000 persons are directly employed in these units, which boasts of an annual turnover in excess of $ 1500 million. AIEMA, as the representative body of the units in the estate, has been pursuing major issues relating to the development of Industrial Estate, particularly on the infrastructural requirements. AIEMA Technology Centre, an arm of AIEMA has been engaged in HRD, Business Information Services, besides organising the ACMEE series of exhibitions, once in two years".
The official further said that ACMEE 2012 with 440 exhibitors was the largest exhibition in the series. He expressed his confidence that the expo would greatly facilitate in business development.
Stating that AIEMA would be completing 50 years of service next year, Ayyapan added: "A wide range of activities and programmes are being planned as part of Golden Jubilee Celebrations of AIEMA. What is more, AIEMA booth in ACMEE 2012 is giving a glimpse of the evolution of the estate over the years and the plans for the future".
RSS Sathish Babu, Chairman of ATC said: "AIEMA Technology Centre, a wing of Ambattur Industrial Estate Manufacturers Association has been orginising ACMEE series of exhibitions since 1994. For the past 20 months, an exlusive team headed by MV Robert has been fully involved in organising ACMEE 2012".
The product profile of the participants indicate that the event will focus on the lates in manufacturing and will be the venue for sourcing the most update in machine tools, presses, cutting tools and industrial automation. ATC has a modern CNC Training Centre, welding training shop for giving hands on training to workmen. ATC's Calibration Centre meets the calibration requirements of member units. ATC also organises workshops and seminars on current topics of interest to members. Sports events are also organised by ATC regularly. "Team ACMEE 2012 deserves all appreciation for the excellent work thy have done in ensuring the success of the event. I am sure, all the participants and visitors will take full advantage of ACME 2012 in furthering their business", Babu added.
