Dr. Hasan Shaikh, Immediate Past Vice President (South) of the Indian Institute of Welding, Retired Scientist from Indira gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam. Presently, Proprietor, Industrial Training and Consultancy Services, Chennai
Could you brief us on WELD INDIA 2017 expo? What is the exhibition all about?
On the occasion of International Congress 2017, the Indian Institute of Welding is organizing an International Welding Exhibition, known as WELD INDIA 2017, during 07-09 December 2017 at Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai. WELD INDIA is back after a gap of 6 years in Chennai, which was the venue to India’s largest welding technology exhibition till date, WELD INDIA 2011.
WELD INDIA 2017 will present an opportunity for the leaders in welding consumables, equipments and automation, and other allied industries such as NDT, microstructural and properties characterization, to display their wares to attract the prospective Indian consumer and gain a foothold in the India of the future.
What would be the key focus areas?
WELD INDIA 2017 is targeting manufacturers and dealers of conventional and advanced welding equipments and consumables; electron beam, laser, magnetic pulse and diffusion welding equipments; equipments for joining of nano materials, ceramics, plastics etc., welding and hardfacing consumables; weld repair and maintenance equipments; computer aided welding equipments; welding robots and CNC machines; soldering and brazing equipments; gas, plasma and laser cutting machines; gas equipments and accessories; grinding and cutting tools; heat treatment furnaces; industrial gases; manufacturing and fabrication technologies; materials including steels, stainless steels, aluminum and other advanced materials; welding safety equipments; non-destructive inspection and testing equipments; electron and optical microscopes; welding education, training and consultancy, to display the latest in the area of welding and its allied technologies.
How is the Welding market in India?
A number of world leaders in the automobile industry have their base in India. The amount of welding consumables to be used is expected to rise by about 20% in the next two years. In years to come, the Indian welding market envisages extensive use of high strength steel & cross country welding consumables, low alloy electrodes with low impurities and high end grades, surfacing consumables for high temperature, shear blades, steel mill roll surfacing, and stainless steel solid/FCAW wires, electrodes for duplex stainless steel and Ni alloys and chrome-moly MIG / MAG / SAW wires. The potential requirements of the Indian welding industry in welding equipment and machinery in the near future involves low cost automation aids that increase productivity, automatic welding machines for cross country pipe lines, portable trouble free inverters for SMAW/TIG, low cost, low power consuming MIG machine and equipments for Laser/EBW and other exotic processes.
According to you, how will WELD INDIA 2017 stand out to be a great platform for both the exhibitors and visitors?
Weld India is a standalone exhibition for the welding industry. It is not coupled with any other engineering sector.
WELD INDIA exhibitions in Chennai have always been successful. This is because Chennai is a major manufacturing hub of the country. A lot of welding related activities happen in Chennai. This is because of the industrialization of Chennai with the presence of power production centres, such as Madras Atomic Power Station, Ennore Thermal Plant; manufacturing and infrastructure giants, such as L&T; petrochemical plants, such as Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd; Railways production shops, such as Integral Coach Factory; Defence Production Units, such as as Heavy Vehicles Factory; automobile giants, such as Ford, Hyundai, Rennault Nissan, TVS Motors; Major research centres, such as Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment; Educational Institutions, such as Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Anna University and a number of leading engineering colleges; welding consumables and equipment manufacturers, such as ESAB India Ltd., Fronius, Kemppi, Veejay Electrodes, are all located in and around Chennai. Also, BHEL, NLC and SPIC are located in towns and cities close to Chennai. With the presence of such a wide range of industries, the welding sector has always been successful in Chennai.
Exhibitors and business visitors will gain a lot with their participation in WELD INDIA 2017. There were nearly 200 exhibitors displaying over 5,400 sq. m. of exhibiting space, with live demonstrations, in WELD INDIA 2011. Nearly, 8,000 business visitors came to the exhibition over the three days. Lot of business was transacted at the exhibition. We expect a very similar response in WELD INDIA 2017.
How has been the response so far from the exhibitors?
Response from the exhibitors has been good so far. A number of new companies have booked space in WELD INDIA 2017.
As compared to last year, what are your expectations from WELD INDIA 2017?
WELD INDIA 2017 will be an exhibition for exhibitors to display their latest wares, particularly in the field of welding automation. Visitors will benefit a lot from the exhibition. Students of engineering colleges will learn a lot from the exhibition. I expect the WELD INDIA 2017 Exhibition to be a grand success with everyone participating in it and being a winner.
Around 200 high profile exhibitors across the globe and over 7000+ industry visitors are expected at WELD INDIA 2017 Exhibition, which will bring together raw material producers, consumables and equipment suppliers, end-users and the Industry at large under one roof to provide for a comprehensive insight of technology and markets.
Closing message.
I invite everyone to participate as an exhibitor or visitor in WELD INDIA 2017. The success of the exhibition depends on their participation. Block your dates 07-09 December 2017 to be in the enticing city of Chennai.
