Economy & Market

3i EXPO & Conference gets a rousing response from the manufacturing industry; IPF presents awards to 19 SMEs from across India

Published

4 years ago

May 23, 2022

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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.

Mr Sanjay Bhatia, Upa-Lokayukta, Government of Maharashtra, inaugurated 3i EXPO & Conference; Consul Generals of Sweden, Mauritius, South Africa, Hungary, Indonesia & Brazil participate in 3i EXPOWith 40 exhibitors and over 35 speakers in conference, 3i EXPO witnessed 1,167 visitors over the two daysSenior Representatives of leading companies like Emerson, Godrej & Boyce, Aditya Birla Group, Tata Technologies, Reliance Industries, Mitsubishi Electric, Schneider Electric, Yokogawa, Wipro PARI, Thyssenkrupp, Sanofi, Hitachi Vantara, etc visit 3i EXPOIn the presences of who’s who of the industry, Industrial Products Finder (IPF) presented the 6th IPF Industrial Excellence Awards to 19 SMEs across various industrial sectors

23 May 2022, Mumbai

The 3i EXPO (which stands for IPF for Industry 4.0 & Innovations Expo) was inaugurated by Mr Sanjay Bhatia, Upa-Lokayukta, Government of Maharashtra, in the presence of Ms Anna Lekvall, Consul General, Consulate General of Sweden; Mr Mike Pal, Trade and Commercial Attache, Consulate General of Hungary; and Mr 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, Mr Pratap Padode, “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 (GoI), 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 Mr Sanjay 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 Pvt Ltd; 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 who 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 Mr Anil Bhatia, VP and MD, India Automation Solutions, Emerson; Mr Zurvan Marolia, Senior VP, Godrej & Boyce; Mr N C Chakrabarti, VP & Head – Smart Manufacturing, Reliance Industries; Mr Sunil Mehta, GM – e-F@ctory Strategic Planning, Mitsubishi Electric; Mr Vivek Bhatia, MD, thyssenkrupp Industries India; Mr Priten Bhadrakumar Bangdiwala, Sr. VP & Head – Industry 4.0, Aditya Birla Group; Mr Sajiv Nath, Managing Director, Yokogawa; Mr Deepak Panda, Senior GM, Schneider Electric; Mr Sandeep Shukla, Regional COE Head – Digital Manufacturing, Tata Technologies; Mr Sanjeev Dharwadkar, Sr. Director – Manufacturing, Sanofi India, Mr Nandakumar K, CMD, Chemtrols Industries; Mr Rajeev Solanki, DGM – Manufacturing Technology & Process Development, Schneider Electric, Mr Khushal Kalra, Head – Smart Factory, Wipro PARI; Mr Harshit Sureka, Founder & CEO, ROBRO Systems, etc.

Stating that it was important to start the investment in digital transformation, Mr Anil Bhatia, VP and MD, India Automation Solutions, Emerson, 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.”

Mr Zurvan Marolia, Senior VP, Godrej & Boyce, 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

Categories	Winner
Building & Construction Material	JSW Steel Coated Products Ltd for its High Tensile GP for torque tube used in mounting of Solar panels
Machine Tools	Maharashtra Engineers for its 7 Axis 2 Spindle CNC Horizontal Machining Center (HMC)
MRO & Consumables	Hindustan Monomers Pvt Ltd for its patented product – 2,4’ – dihydroxydiphenyl sulfone (24BPS)
MRO & Consumables	Minimac Systems Pvt Ltd for its special Coalescer purifiers used for lubricating oil and transformer oils
MRO & Consumables	PGE Industries Pvt Ltd for its unique Fluid Sealing Solution that can handle both dangerous acids and gases effectively
Testing & Measuring Instruments	Subtronics (India) Pvt Ltd for its breath alcohol analyser Alco-Booth Pro (for Truck Management Software use)

Winners of IPF Fastest Growing Companies Awards 2022

Categories	Winner
Agri & Food Processing (Small)	Alfavision Overseas India Ltd
Auto Ancillary (Small)	IST Ltd
Auto Ancillary (Medium)	Hindustan Composites Ltd
Engineering (Large)	Pix Transmissions Ltd
Engineering (Small)	Thejo Engineering Ltd
Fertiliser and Chemical (Large)	Aries Agro Ltd
Pharma (Large)	Kwality Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Pharma (Medium)	Syncom Formulations India Ltd
Plastic, Paper and Packaging (Large)	Mold-Tek Packaging Ltd
Plastic, Paper and Packaging (Medium)	Hindustan Adhesives Ltd
Steel and Non-Ferrous Metals (Small)	Raghav Productivity Enhancers Ltd

About Industrial Products Finder (IPF):

Industrial Products Finder (IPF), launched in 1972, is today one of the oldest and most trusted brands in the industrial publication space in the country. It is one-stop-shop solution provider for all the sourcing/procurement needs of the Indian manufacturing sector. Published by Asapp Info Global Group, IPF offers a comprehensive coverage on industrial & engineering products services and provides manufacturers a dual forum (print and online) to display their all latest, innovative solutions. IPF is the country’s true pan-India publication with presence in all major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Ahmedabad, etc.

Every month IPF reaches more than 100,000 readers through its magazine and website which offers an assortment of news, views/interviews, technical articles, product information, etc. IPF is widely circulated to manufacturing sectors including automobile and auto components, electrical & electronics, machine tools, hydraulics & pneumatics, printing & packaging, plastic processing, chemical & pharmaceuticals, mining & steel, FMCG, and general engineering industries. The magazine reaches out to various government institutions for their sourcing requirements including Defense, Railways, Science & Technology, and Research & Development.

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Leonard Unveils Dual-Head Robotic Arm for Hazardous Industrial Demolition

Published

2 days ago

October 30, 2026

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Leonard unveils Descender Duo, a dual-head robotic demolition arm designed to improve industrial safety and reduce shutdown time by up to 50 per cent.

Industrial robotics and refractory services specialist Leonard has launched Descender Duo, a dual-head robotic demolition arm designed to improve safety, accelerate maintenance and reduce shutdown times in hazardous industrial environments. The system made its debut at Lisahally Power Station in Northern Ireland, removing 25 tonnes of slag material within hours.

Developed for the cement, metals, waste-to-energy and petrochemical industries, Descender Duo enables remote-controlled refractory demolition, anchor cutting and welding, and refractory spraying inside boilers, calciners and silos. Its vertical-access design eliminates the need for personnel to enter confined, high-risk spaces during these operations.

Weighing less than two tonnes, the pre-assembled system requires an access opening of just 1.2 m². Supported by an external overhead hoist, it uses electrically operated hydraulic stabilising legs to secure itself inside vessels. The robotic arm offers 360-degree rotation and is suited to vessels approximately 9 m in diameter, with its operating reach extendable through strategically positioned access points.

Equipped with two independently controlled robotic heads, Descender Duo can perform identical or different tasks simultaneously, including refractory demolition, anchor cutting and spraying. Its remote-control system incorporates live camera feeds, allowing operators to monitor operations without entering hazardous environments.

According to Leonard, the technology can deliver time savings of up to 50 per cent compared with manual methods. Its ability to operate at temperatures exceeding 100°C allows maintenance to begin as early as 24 hours after burner shutdown. An all-electric power supply further supports cleaner and more cost-efficient operations.

First Deployment Demonstrates Shutdown Efficiency

The system was first deployed at Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor’s (BWSC) Lisahally Power Station in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The facility generates electricity from grade C waste wood, supplying approximately 40,000 homes and businesses.

Leonard and BWSC collaborated to develop a customised solution for the plant’s 26-metre furnace, where extensive external pipework created significant access challenges.

Mark Leonard, Managing Director, Leonard, said, “It required new thinking and rather than step away from the problem we were committed to solving it for the customer, with the customer. We’re relentless in our approach to tackling complex challenges, head-on. We took our years of cement plant experience, coupled with our working knowledge of the BWSC plant, and designed, engineered and tested a completely new vertical solution within just seven weeks from that initial conversation with the customer. That solution was the Descender Duo as we know it today.”

Traditionally, the furnace required a cooling period of up to 36 hours before preparatory work could begin, followed by manual slag removal using rope-access personnel. With Descender Duo, work commenced just 24 hours after shutdown, reducing downtime by up to one day.

The deployment removed 25 tonnes of slag within hours, eliminated the need for at least six workers to enter the hazardous furnace interior and saved 26 hours in the shutdown programme.

“The effectiveness exceeded expectation,” said Martin Doran, Plant Manager at Lisahally Power Station.

“When the Descender Duo concept was first discussed, we had to spend some time with the team from Leonard looking at how it was going to be moved into the furnace. Every site is different and that presented its own challenges, but nothing that the team couldn’t overcome. Once it was installed we were hugely impressed by its efficiency.”

Expanding Industrial Robotics Applications

Descender Duo joins Leonard’s existing portfolio of robotic maintenance solutions, including the Axis horizontal-access arm, Nano confined-space access arm, Charger cement mill media recharging system and Calibre cement mill media grading system.

Headquartered in Northern Ireland, Leonard provides robotic refractory demolition, installation, inspection and industrial maintenance services across the cement, metals, energy, biomass, glass and civil engineering sectors.

Formerly known as G Leonard, the company has more than 35 years of industry experience and operates across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

The latest innovation reinforces Leonard’s focus on replacing hazardous manual processes with robotic systems that improve workforce safety, enhance operational efficiency and minimise industrial downtime.

Concrete

Martin Engineering Appoints Ashwini Khunte as India General Manager

Published

2 days ago

October 30, 2026

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Martin Engineering names Ashwini Khunte India General Manager to strengthen operations and drive growth across key bulk material handling sectors.

Pune

Martin Engineering, a global provider of bulk material handling solutions, has appointed Ashwini Khunte as General Manager of its India business, strengthening its leadership as the company expands its presence across the country’s cement, mining, steel, power and infrastructure sectors.

Khunte brings more than a decade of experience with Martin Engineering, having joined its Indian operations in 2013 as a Design Engineer, shortly after the company established its presence in the country in 2012.

A mechanical engineer by qualification, she spent her initial five years developing bulk material handling solutions in collaboration with the company’s operations team. During this period, she gained extensive experience addressing operational challenges in the steel, cement and coal industries. She subsequently moved into project engineering, managing major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) projects from initial enquiry to commissioning. Her responsibilities later expanded to overseeing Martin Engineering’s conveyor product portfolio in India, involving customer engagement, technical presentations and site visits across heavy industries.

In 2024, Khunte was promoted to Head of Sales & Marketing for the company’s Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) region. The position broadened her international market exposure and strengthened her strategic and commercial leadership capabilities.

Commenting on her appointment, Ashwini Khunte, General Manager, Martin Engineering India, said: “India represents a tremendous opportunity for Martin Engineering. The country’s continued investment in cement, mining, steel, power and infrastructure is creating increasing demand for safer, cleaner and more productive bulk material handling, and that’s exactly what we do. My priority will be to build on the strong foundations already established in India, while continuing to develop our people, strengthen customer relationships and bring practical solutions to the challenges faced by our industry.”

Robert Whetstone, Area Vice President – EMEAI, Martin Engineering, highlighted Khunte’s technical expertise, market understanding and leadership experience.

“Ashwini brings an exceptional combination of technical understanding, customer knowledge and commercial leadership. She has grown as Martin Engineering has grown, and has consistently demonstrated outstanding capability to transform her expertise into practical solutions. Her knowledge of the Indian market, together with her international experience, makes her ideally suited to lead our India business through its next stage of growth for years to come.”

Since establishing its Indian business in 2012, Martin Engineering has expanded its local workforce, manufacturing capabilities and dealership network. The company supplies conveyor products, transfer point solutions, material flow aids, training and technical support to bulk material handling industries. Khunte’s appointment positions the company to further strengthen customer relationships and expand its solutions portfolio in India’s growing industrial and infrastructure markets.

Concrete

Fornnax Wins AIRIA’s Special Export Award for Rubber Machinery in 2025-26

Published

2 weeks ago

October 19, 2026

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Fornnax Technology Pvt. Ltd. has been honoured with the Special Export Award – Rubber Machinery for 2025–26 by the All-India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), in recognition of its highest exports of tyre recycling plants to the European region.

With more than a decade of experience in India’s tyre recycling industry, Fornnax has contributed to the development of advanced recycling technologies and infrastructure. The company currently holds a 90% market share in India’s domestic tyre recycling sector, while exports account for 30% of its business, spanning markets such as Europe, Australia and the GCC.

The award marks another milestone for Fornnax, whose tyre recycling lines and advanced shredding technologies are supporting the growth of the circular economy in India and international markets.

Commenting on the recognition, Mr. Jignesh Kundaria, Founder and Director of Fornnax, said:

“This honour from AIRIA is a reflection of an incredible journey we have undertaken over the years. When we started Fornnax, there was no established recycling industry in India to follow. We chose to build for the future instead. Today, when you see India’s tyre recycling sector, it has already transformed into a dynamic, high-growth industry and we are extremely proud to have played our part in building it.”

Unlike standalone equipment suppliers, Fornnax focuses on developing complete, high-capacity recycling infrastructure. Its integrated systems combine multiple stages of shredding and size reduction to enable efficient, continuous operations. This system-level engineering approach helps recycling operators improve throughput, equipment reliability and operational consistency.

The recognition reinforces Fornnax’s commitment to developing engineering technologies that contribute to a more efficient and circular recycling ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its international presence while continuing to develop advanced shredding and recycling solutions to address the growing volumes and evolving requirements of the global recycling industry.

For more information, visit: www.fornnax.com