With more than 500 members, the Indian Textile Accessories and Machinery Manufacturers Association (ITAMMA) is rated among the world’s largest associations of textile machinery and component manufacturers. India undoubtedly has a very strong manufacturing base for textile components. It has some of the quality component manufacturers who are global leaders in their respective areas. Spinning machines and components have traditionally been India’s strengths, but it is also building very strong competency in components for other segments in the manufacturing value chain, like weaving, knitting, dyeing, processing and finishing.
ITAMMA has always played an active role in the growth of its member-companies by organising periodic seminars, conferences, sharing best practices, organising overseas delegations and participating in international shows. It has been fortunate to have a very active group of members who have willingly taken the responsibility and made meaningful contributions towards the overall growth of the association.
For 2015-16, Mr. Senthil Kumar, Managing Director of Simta Group of Companies, has been appointed the ITAMMA President. This is the first time that a person from the South has been appointed the Association chief.
Mr. Senthil Kumar is assuming office at a time when the new government is in place and its “Make-in-India” initiative is gaining momentum.
He said: “We want to showcase the capabilities of India’s textile engineering industry to the global textile community. In recent years our members have been participating in many international shows together as an association, and we will continue this trend in the current year also by participating in the DTG Dhaka show, Shanghaitex and the mother of all shows, ITMA Milan. We want to engage with the user community in other markets and also invite them to visit our member-companies”.
The Indian textile engineering industry can be compared with what the Indian auto component manufacturing was, say, 10 to 15 years back. With more global automotive OEMs entering the Indian market in the last decade, the quality and competency of Indian auto component manufacturers have become truly world-class, supplying to the best global brands like Daimler, Audi, BMW, Toyota, GM and others. Similarly, India is emerging as a destination for textile machinery manufacturing. Global companies are setting up assembly and manufacturing units in spinning, weaving, warp knitting, dyeing and processing segments. Over a period of time, these manufacturers are expected to raise the level of indigenisation of their machines by sourcing components locally. This will offer huge opportunity for Indian companies and will help further improve the quality and competency of the textile engineering industry.
According to Mr. Senthil Kumar, there has been a steady increase in the number of members. In the current year another 100-150 members are expected to join ITAMMA which also works very closely with the Textile Machinery Manufacturers Association (TMMA) in representing the industry as a whole to the government for issues related to policy changes and help further promote the cause of the industry.
“We are quite happy that the present government has been very receptive to our suggestions and is acting very swiftly to provide corrective action. We are optimistic about the growth prospects for the Indian textile industry in the coming years”, he added.