'Innovations to drive manufacturing'

The topic for discussion, being ‘manufacturing for digital age’, will see representatives from the fields of commerce and industry speaking about key issues related to emerging trends in design and manufacturing.

Speaking at the inaugural session, General Motors (GM) Private Limited President and Managing Director Karl Slym said that the contribution of the manufacturing sector in India’s GDP of 8.5 per cent had now touched double digits. India is  important for GM and it plans rolling out 6 new cars in the next 24 months, Slym said.

The company would also  introduce its commercial vehicles from the beginning of 2012 and for which it has spent $250 m to convert its Halol plant.  Dassault Systemes President Andy Kalambi stressed that due to  urbanisation, there was a strain on resources and society was in a mode of transformation.