TAGMA INDIA has announced the 13th Biennial Die & Mould International Exhibition, DIE & MOULD INDIA 2024, scheduled from February 14-17, 2024, at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai, India. With the upcoming event on the horizon, Machine Maker has seized the opportunity to delve into comprehensive and insightful details about the occasion through an exclusive interview with Devaraya Manjunath Sheregar, President, TAGMA INDIA.
The Tool and Gauge Manufacturers Association of India (TAGMA-INDIA) is a nationwide association representing the Tooling Industry, established in 1990. With its headquarter in Bangalore with a Secretariat in Mumbai and chapters in major cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Noida, and Pune, TAGMA incorporates a membership of 665 companies.
Known for its international stature, the exhibition serves as a comprehensive platform for die & mould manufacturers to engage with prospective customers and showcase cutting-edge technologies. With a growing reputation, DIE & MOULD INDIA remains the premier event in the industry, consistently meeting the expectations of exhibitors and visitors alike. Established by TAGMA in 1998, the DIEMOULD exhibition series has set trends in the Die & Mould Industry, gaining recognition as a unique and substantial trade fair in India.
Functioning as a prominent forum for the Indian Tool Room & Die and Mould Industry, TAGMA encompasses activities related to the design, sales, or manufacture of various tools, including dies for pressing, stamping, punching, and forming; injection and compression moulds; die casting dies; patterns and pattern equipment; jigs and fixtures; standard tooling components; CAD/CAM; rapid prototyping; gauges; precision machining; special machines, and related products. The association plays a pivotal role in fostering collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and growth within the Tooling Industry in India.
Devaraya Manjunath Sheregar, President, TAGMA INDIA, has shared some perceptive observations about the Die Metal Industry’s position in the growth narrative of India, the contributions of TAGMA in the same, the emerging new trends, current challenges faced by the Die & Mould industry and how TAGMA is addressing them followed by the expected footfalls in the event, the potentials of networking opportunities and how he envisions the future of the Die & Mould industry in India.
Mr Sheregar has offered a holistic and thorough overview when he is asked about his perceptions on how DMI 2024 is positioned to augment the country’s growth narrative. Mr Sheregar begins the discussion by stating that in the dynamic landscape of India’s expanding manufacturing sector, Die Mould India 2024 has strategically positioned itself to propel the country’s growth narrative. Traditionally situated at the foundation of manufacturing, the tooling industry, often impacted later in the economic cycle, has seen remarkable growth among Indian toolmakers in recent years, signaling a positive trajectory for the sector.
He has further shared that the escalating demand for tools in India mirrors a robust manufacturing ecosystem, and Die Mould India 2024 stands as a crucial platform for industry players to showcase their innovations. With optimistic expectations of a substantial turnout, the event is looking forward to uncover valuable insights and emerging trends from exhibitors’ showcases. This exhibition offers a unique opportunity to assess the overall health and growth prospects of India’s manufacturing sector.
A close examination of online registrations for Die Mould India 2024, according to Mr Sheregar, reveals discernible enthusiasm among participants, reflecting a favorable business atmosphere. This enthusiasm reflects similar arguments for the industry, indicating that 2024 holds the promise of significant growth and collaboration. The surge in registrations demonstrates the eagerness of manufacturers and stakeholders to explore the latest technologies, products, and solutions presented at the event.
To summarize his observations, Mr Sheregar is of the opinion that Die Mould India 2024 is positioned to make a substantial contribution to the upward trajectory of India’s manufacturing sector. It would be done by providing a collaborative platform, showcasing advancements, and fostering a positive business environment. The anticipation of a substantial turnout and the evident enthusiasm in online registrations are indicative of a thriving industry ready for growth in the coming year.
Discussing the prevailing challenges in the Die & Mould industry and TAGMA’s approach to addressing them, Mr Sheregar emphasizes the deficiency in industry-ready tool room courses. He elaborates on the training provided at Indian Tool Room Training Centers (TRTC), where students are proficient in basic machining and assembly of molds but lack hands-on experience with advanced machinery, making them not entirely industry-ready.
Mr Sheregar also highlights the challenge of high financing costs currently faced by the Die and Mould industry. He states, “Even though Indian tool rooms aspire to broaden their consumer base to new sectors like aerospace & medical equipment manufacturers, the need for high-precision equipment is an issue, as they are expensive to procure. Besides, the lack of low-cost finance hinders Indian tool rooms’ ability to invest in advanced tooling machinery, equipment & software for precision tools and molds.”
He has also pointed out that a lack of capital funding and issues related to concurrent engineering contribute to the challenges faced by the Die & Mould industry. He explains, “While global tool rooms have better access to capital funding, Indian tool rooms still face issues in availing easy financing and subsidized loans.”
According to Mr Sheregar, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) outsource to tool rooms post the designing stage. The challenge arises from a lack of input/concurrent engineering from tool rooms on the viability of the part. Consequently, the design for manufacturability shared with tool rooms is not viable, requiring one or more rounds of revision. Mr Sheregar identifies another key reason behind the challenges faced by the Die & Mould industry, emphasizing the lack of an outsourcing ecosystem.
The Die & Mould industry has traditionally maintained a close association with the automotive sector. In light of this proposition, Mr Sheregar has offered some key insights into the evolving landscape of the Die & Mould sector. He has also shed light on the emerging trends and new industries engaging with tool rooms.
Diversification has turned out to be a key emerging trend according to Mr Sheregar. Traditionally tied closely to the automotive industry, the global tooling sector, including India, is now witnessing diversification. Tooling companies are expanding their reach into various sectors to mitigate risks and enhance business prospects. Apart from diversification, digitization, in the opinion of Mr Sheregar is another emerging trend. “After the pandemic when there were lockdowns, we all saw what benefits digital solutions can bring. I see, tooling companies adopting more and more digital solutions for their business operations”, contemplates Mr Sheregar.
Skill Development, another emerging trend noted by Mr Sheregar, plays a crucial role in meeting the escalating demands of customers. Skill development helps the industry players to stay ahead of the latest technologies and skills. Continuous skill development is crucial to cater to evolving customer expectations. Commenting on the value created by technology adoption as a major trend, Mr Sheregar says, “Now, many Indian companies are serving global customers that demand high precision and fast turnaround and to meet those requirements we must adopt the latest technologies.” In terms of emerging industries, Mr Sheregar notes a substantial demand from sectors such as aerospace, defense, railways, plastics & packaging, toy manufacturing, electronics, and consumer goods.
While providing some key details about the scale of DMI 2024 in terms of exhibitors, expected footfall, and the exhibition area, Mr Sheregar has shared some intriguing statistics. The anticipated event is set to host over 300 exhibitors, with expectations of drawing more than 35,000 visitors. The participation of over 50 delegate companies and representation from 10 or more countries signifies the global significance of the exhibition. The diverse visitor demography is expected to include individuals from automotive, consumer goods, toy makers, aerospace, white goods, plastics, and packaging industries. Covering a vast area of 25,000 square meters, DMI 2024 is poised to be a substantial platform for industry collaboration and advancements.
Die Mould India 2024, according to Mr Sheregar, is strategically crafted to create an optimum environment for networking and cultivating valuable business opportunities for all participants. This involves organizing a dedicated B2B Pavilion to facilitate targeted interactions, allowing toolmakers to engage directly with professionals from user industries. Through one-on-one meetings, our goal is to establish meaningful connections that can lead to collaborative partnerships, business alliances, and a deeper understanding of industry needs.
In an endeavor to attract a diverse and relevant audience, Die Mould India 2024 is executing extensive marketing campaigns across various channels. Both online and offline platforms are being utilized to ensure maximum visibility and reach. The objective is to create awareness and generate interest among potential visitors, aiming for a substantial turnout. This strategic approach provides exhibitors with an impactful platform to showcase their products and services to a broad and engaged audience, as highlighted by Mr Sheregar.
In due course of his conversation with Machine Maker, Mr Sheregar has also shared his ideas as to how he envisions the future of the Die & Mould industry in India, and the role played by TAGMA in shaping this future, looking beyond 2024. Envisioning the future of the Die & Mould industry in India beyond 2024, he proposes, the landscape appears highly promising. A significant contributor to this optimistic outlook is the influx of global companies establishing their presence in India, thereby driving an increased demand for cutting-edge tooling solutions and presenting substantial business opportunities for local players.
The trend toward localization in the automotive sector is another major catalyst for the Die & Mould industry, with an increasing emphasis on manufacturing components locally leading to a heightened need for sophisticated tooling solutions and fostering growth and innovation within the industry. Beyond the automotive sector, non-auto industries are experiencing significant growth, providing the Die & Mould industry with opportunities to cater to the evolving needs of sectors such as electronics, healthcare, and consumer goods.
As the industry continues to evolve, Mr Sheregar further highlights, many Indian companies are poised to explore international markets, contributing to the globalization of the Die & Mould industry and opening avenues for Indian manufacturers to export their products and services. With the confluence of these favorable trends, sustained and robust double-digit growth for the Indian tooling industry is anticipated in the years to come, driven by both domestic and international factors.
