<p> In a bid to end India’s dependency on imported high-end machines, domestic machine tool companies are gearing up on innovation and technology.<br /><br /></p>.<p> Developing new products and introducing innovative technologies will be the key strategy for them to enhance their market share and also compete with their overseas peers.<br /><br />India is the fifth largest global consumer of machine tools and seventh largest market for machine tools and manufacturing solutions. However, the country still imports close to 70 per cent of its requirements. For example, India imported Rs 7,722 crore worth of machines in 2010-11, a growth of 36.7 per cent over the previous year. A large portion of this is accounted by the large and special purpose machines, which are highly sophisticated.<br /><br />“The critical technology required by the Indian automobile and auto components makers are largely being catered from the imported machines. The Indian companies are restricting themselves to producing peripheral machines only,” an industry analyst said.<br /><br />Domestic market<br />According to a survey by Modern Machine Tools, the demand for sophisticated technology has reduced Indian machine tool industry’s domestic market share in the last decade. The share has dropped from around 70 per cent in 2000 to just about 30 per cent in 2010.<br /><br />About 70 per cent of the companies are shedding conventional methods and adopting new technologies. Around 20 per cent SMEs still need to update their processes in terms of latest technologies, the survey added. Some of the Indian companies that are investing a considerable amount of money and time on developing new technology machines include ETA Technology Pvt Ltd, ABI Machines, ARM Welders, Electropneumatics & Hydraulics (India) Pvt Ltd and ISGEC Heavy Engineering Ltd among others.<br /><br />Talking to Deccan Herald, Bangalore-based ETA Technology Pvt Ltd Managing Director P S Nair said: “Since 1991 we started producing friction welding machines which were not made in India and imported from UK. Today, ETA is a leading manufacturer of friction welding machines and producing more than 20 machines every year catering to our customers’ requirements in India, Turkey and China.”<br /><br />“To be in the business we have to innovate with price competitiveness. We don’t see competition from Indian companies but from overseas companies from the US and UK,” Nair added.<br /><br />Delhi-based ABI Machines Managing Director Achal Nath said: “Till 1988-89 CNC Turret Punch Presses were imported. We are the first to make these machines to help the local industry. We provide latest technology at 50 per cent less cost compared to overseas companies.” <br /><br />Automobile hub<br />Pune-based ARM Welders, manufacturer of resistance welding equipment and automation solutions Assistant Manager (Sales) Ravindra Shinde said: “Pune being an automobile hub, we are catering to the needs of the local automobile manufacturers who were earlier dependent on overseas companies.”<br /><br />Noida-based ISGEC Heavy Engineering Ltd is the first Indian company to develop an indigenous technology in the area of servo presses for automotive applications. It has developed the country’s first 400 tonne Servo Mechanical Press with a feature of hydraulic press, which is used for making door frame assembly of a passenger car.<br />The Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association has also urged the Centre to set up a dedicated Technology Fund with a corpus of Rs 1,000 crore to help companies design and develop innovative products and solutions. <br /><br />This would help them access sophisticated latest technologies from abroad as well as enter into tie ups with foreign companies for transfer of technology among others.<br /></p>
<p> In a bid to end India’s dependency on imported high-end machines, domestic machine tool companies are gearing up on innovation and technology.<br /><br /></p>.<p> Developing new products and introducing innovative technologies will be the key strategy for them to enhance their market share and also compete with their overseas peers.<br /><br />India is the fifth largest global consumer of machine tools and seventh largest market for machine tools and manufacturing solutions. However, the country still imports close to 70 per cent of its requirements. For example, India imported Rs 7,722 crore worth of machines in 2010-11, a growth of 36.7 per cent over the previous year. A large portion of this is accounted by the large and special purpose machines, which are highly sophisticated.<br /><br />“The critical technology required by the Indian automobile and auto components makers are largely being catered from the imported machines. The Indian companies are restricting themselves to producing peripheral machines only,” an industry analyst said.<br /><br />Domestic market<br />According to a survey by Modern Machine Tools, the demand for sophisticated technology has reduced Indian machine tool industry’s domestic market share in the last decade. The share has dropped from around 70 per cent in 2000 to just about 30 per cent in 2010.<br /><br />About 70 per cent of the companies are shedding conventional methods and adopting new technologies. Around 20 per cent SMEs still need to update their processes in terms of latest technologies, the survey added. Some of the Indian companies that are investing a considerable amount of money and time on developing new technology machines include ETA Technology Pvt Ltd, ABI Machines, ARM Welders, Electropneumatics & Hydraulics (India) Pvt Ltd and ISGEC Heavy Engineering Ltd among others.<br /><br />Talking to Deccan Herald, Bangalore-based ETA Technology Pvt Ltd Managing Director P S Nair said: “Since 1991 we started producing friction welding machines which were not made in India and imported from UK. Today, ETA is a leading manufacturer of friction welding machines and producing more than 20 machines every year catering to our customers’ requirements in India, Turkey and China.”<br /><br />“To be in the business we have to innovate with price competitiveness. We don’t see competition from Indian companies but from overseas companies from the US and UK,” Nair added.<br /><br />Delhi-based ABI Machines Managing Director Achal Nath said: “Till 1988-89 CNC Turret Punch Presses were imported. We are the first to make these machines to help the local industry. We provide latest technology at 50 per cent less cost compared to overseas companies.” <br /><br />Automobile hub<br />Pune-based ARM Welders, manufacturer of resistance welding equipment and automation solutions Assistant Manager (Sales) Ravindra Shinde said: “Pune being an automobile hub, we are catering to the needs of the local automobile manufacturers who were earlier dependent on overseas companies.”<br /><br />Noida-based ISGEC Heavy Engineering Ltd is the first Indian company to develop an indigenous technology in the area of servo presses for automotive applications. It has developed the country’s first 400 tonne Servo Mechanical Press with a feature of hydraulic press, which is used for making door frame assembly of a passenger car.<br />The Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association has also urged the Centre to set up a dedicated Technology Fund with a corpus of Rs 1,000 crore to help companies design and develop innovative products and solutions. <br /><br />This would help them access sophisticated latest technologies from abroad as well as enter into tie ups with foreign companies for transfer of technology among others.<br /></p>