3i EXPO & Conference— hosted by Industrial Products Finder (IPF) from May 20-21, 2022 in Mumbai—received an arousing response from the Indian manufacturing sectors with senior representatives from some of the leading companies like Emerson, Godrej & Boyce, Aditya Birla Group, Reliance Industries, Mitsubishi Electric, etc visiting the event. During the event, Industrial Products Finder presented the 6th IPF Industrial Excellence Awards to 19 SMEs across various industrial sectors.

The 3i EXPO (which stands for IPF for Industry 4.0 & Innovations Expo) was inaugurated by Sanjay Bhatia, Upa-Lokayukta, Government of Maharashtra, in the presence of Anna Lekvall, Consul General, Consulate General of Sweden; Mike Pal, Trade and Commercial Attache, Consulate General of Hungary; and Pratap Padode, Editor–In-Chief, Industrial Products Finder (IPF), and Managing Director, ASAPP Info Global Group (the publisher of IPF publication).

Highlighting the significance of 3i EXPO, Padode said “MSME units are capable to become a critical part of the manufacturing supply chain and be globally competitive because of their diverse offering ranging from intermediate to final products. The Ministry of Heavy Industry & Public Enterprises, Government of India, has launched Smart Advanced Manufacturing and Rapid Transformation Hub (SAMARTH) Udyog Bharat 4.0 to facilitate and create an eco-system for propagation of Industry 4.0 in the Indian manufacturing sector. Now, the stage is all set for the adoption of smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 technologies with the government actively supporting the cause. Industrial Products Finder has completed 50 years in 2022 and is proud to present its first edition of 3i EXPO in the quest to help MSMEs scale the next industrial revolution.”

Speaking at the inauguration, Chief Guest Bhatia stressed on the need for digitalisation for the industry as well as government agencies. "Introduction of digital technologies in government departments like port, town planning, railways, etc has brought in immense amount of efficiency in terms of planning and execution of projects. Adoption of modern technologies are must to raise the productivity."

While Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) was the Presenting Partner of 3i EXPO and Conference, Union Ministry of MSMEs and National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) were the Supporting Partners of the EXPO. IFM and Robro Systems were the Associate Partners of 3i EXPO.

Various industry associations and organisations extended their wholehearted support for the event. While Automation Industry Association (AIA) was the Knowledge Partner of 3i EXPO, CareEdge and T Hub were Analytics Partner and Start Up Partner, respectively. Other associations like PPMAI (Process Plant & Machinery Association of India), ITAMMA (Indian Textile Accessories and Machinery Manufacture Association), MAIT and Association of Multi-Modal Transport Operators of India (AMTOI) also participated in the event.

Showcasing technology prowess
With 40 exhibitors displaying more than 100 innovative products for automation and modernisation of the Indian manufacturing sector, 3i EXPO witnessed 1,167 visitors over the two days.

Exhibiting companies showcased their innovative products and solutions that can help Indian manufacturing sector to gain competitiveness. Exhibitors were happy as they could showcase their latest products and technologies to visitors which included top management and senior representatives of some of the leading companies like Emerson India, Godrej & Boyce, Aditya Birla Group, Tata Technologies, Reliance Industries, Mitsubishi Electric, Schneider Electric, Yokogawa India, Wipro PARI, Thyssenkrupp, Sanofi, Hitachi Vantara, etc.

Visitors gained knowledge on the most trending technologies and engineering processes for meeting the need of automation and Industry 4.0. Exhibitors included companies from sectors such as automation & robotics, additive manufacturing (3D printing), Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML), Augmented Reality (AR)/ Virtual Reality (VR), connectivity modules, data analytics, electronics components, industrial IoT solutions, sensors, motors & drives, rapid prototyping & tooling, and vision systems, among others.

Some of the exhibitors were IFM Electronic, Robro System, Bohmen Industries, Steam Solutions, Varay Image Runners, Avcon Controls, Subtronics India, Surface Modification Technologies, etc.

Session on “Manufacturing Innovation Hub” - in partnership with T-HUB - presented a platform to the young entrepreneurs and start-ups that showcased their innovative solutions for the industry.

Discussion the future of manufacturing
During the 2-day 3i Conference, about 35 industry leaders deliberated on the future course of the manufacturing sector and how modern technologies can play a big role in achieving the goals of making “Make in India” scheme. Topics such as India's journey towards Manufacturing 4.0, implementation challenges for advanced technologies and probable solutions to overcome challenges, policy supports required for making India the next manufacturing hub of the world, etc were discussed during the multiple panel discussions.

Some of the speakers who presented their views during the 3i Conference included Anil Bhatia, Vice President and Managing Director, India Automation Solutions, Emerson; Zurvan Marolia, Senior VP, Godrej & Boyce; NC Chakrabarti, Vice President and Head - Smart Manufacturing, Reliance Industries; Sunil Mehta, General Manager, e-F@ctory Strategic Planning, Mitsubishi Electric; Vivek Bhatia, Managing Director, thyssenkrupp Industries India; Priten Bhadrakumar Bangdiwala, Sr. VP and Head – Industry 4.0, Aditya Birla Group; Sajiv Nath, Managing Director, Yokogawa; Deepak Panda, Senior General Manager, Schneider Electric; Sandeep Shukla, Regional COE Head – Digital Manufacturing, Tata Technologies; Sanjeev Dharwadkar, Sr. Director - Manufacturing, Sanofi India; Nandakumar K, CMD, Chemtrols Industries; Rajeev Solanki, DGM - Manufacturing Technology & Process Development, Schneider Electric; Khushal Kalra, Head – Smart Factory, Wipro PARI; and Harshit Sureka, Founder & CEO, ROBRO Systems, etc.

Stating that it was important to start the investment in digital transformation, Bhatia said, “You do not need huge investment for adopting digital solutions. The company can opt for solutions based on their needs and objectives. But it is imperative to embrace digital as it can take your business to the next level.”

Marolia emphasised on the need for the industry (especially the MSMEs) to take baby steps while adopting automation to deliver better results. “Automation is a double-edged sword. If done properly, it will give you rich dividends. If not, it can give you a cut. Each enterprise automation is need is unique. So, choose automation appropriately to achieve the desired objective.”

IPF Awards: Rewarding the performers
On the second day of 3i EXPO and Conference, the 6th IPF Industrial Excellence Awards were presented in categories like Fastest Growing Manufacturing Companies; Product Excellence; and Entrepreneur of the Year (Male & Female).

For “Fastest Growing Companies” Awards - given to listed companies based on their growth performance of sales and profits - are presented in 3 categories of Small (for companies having revenues of upto Rs 100 crore or below), Medium (Rs 100 crore to Rs 250 crore), and Large (Rs 250 crore to Rs 500 crore). The winners of “Products Excellence Awards” were selected after evaluating the products on parameters like novelty, green or sustainability, USPs, etc.

In the presences of who’s who of the industry, IPF Industrial Excellence Awards 2022 were presented to 19 SMEs across various industrial sectors.

Next: A grandeur show in 2023
The first edition of 3i EXPO & Conference was launched with an aim to provide a collaborative platform to accelerate adaption of modern manufacturing technologies for companies to gain competitive edge globally. With the maiden edition receiving good response from the participants, the scale and scope of the next edition of 3i EXPO & Conference will be grandeur. See you next year.

List of winners of the 6^th IPF Industrial Excellence Awards

IPF Female Entrepreneur of Year: Dr Dnyanada Bandodkar, Director, Hindustan Monomers Pvt Ltd

IPF Male Entrepreneur of Year: Shreekant Patil, Founder, Paramount Enterprises

Winners of IPF Product Excellence Awards 2022

Winners of IPF Fastest Growing Companies Awards 2022