A group of enthusiastic representatives from AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology just returned from IMTEX 2023, one of the largest manufacturing technology shows in South Asia. The January event, which drew 96,000 visitors to Bengaluru, India, made one point very clear: there’s a lot of opportunity for American manufacturing technology companies to support the booming manufacturing market in India.
China’s recent announcement about its population decline has set up workforce-rich India to be the next big Asian-based manufacturing hub.
“There's tremendous opportunity for AMT members to sell their products to companies making things in India and to move some production from other Asian countries to India to take advantage of lower labor costs,” says Bill Herman, vice president of sales and membership at AMT. “India is becoming one of the most attractive locations to invest in the manufacturing industry.”
At IMTEX 2023, which is hosted by the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA), 15 U.S.-based manufacturers had booths in the AMT-sponsored USA Pavilion. The companies were a combination of those that have operated successfully in India for years and those just exploring India for the first time.
“AMT’s team in India provided an overview of the market, generated leads, and made important supplier and people referrals and introductions,” says John Boland, president of Momentum North America, an exhibitor in the USA Pavilion. “In short, they made it easy for us. I strongly encourage members to take advantage of the group’s resources.”
At the AMT booth, team members met with American-based and Indian-based manufacturers to make connections and share enthusiasm for the prospects. Allison Konczyk, director of exhibitions operations at AMT, visited India for the first time for the event.
“At first the high volume of people and the traffic was a shock, but it was a good experience,” Konczyk says. “Everyone was incredibly welcoming and excited to have us there. IMTMA rolled out the red carpet and included us in many of the events surrounding the show.”
AMT is committed to helping members grow in the Indian market with the AMT Chennai Technology Center (CTC) in India.
“The CTC helps our members gain a foothold in this exciting emerging market and build relationships with India’s top manufacturers,” says Edward Christopher, vice president of global services at AMT. “Users can get support inmarket access, sales services, technical support, channel development, hiring services, and more.”
“The strength of India’s manufacturing sector is a testament to the Indian government, industry, and people working together toward a common goal,” says Doug Woods, AMT president. “AMT applauds that continued commitment to world-class manufacturing and the rapid response to the manufacturing transformation occurring around the world.”
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