Automation Expo 2022: The Return of the Mega Show
Published on : Wednesday 10-08-2022
Backed by an illustrious legacy of two decades, Automation Expo is getting Bigger, Better and Stronger.
Automation Expo 2022 makes a triumphant return for the 15th edition, and will open at the Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre at the NSE Complex near Goregaon, Mumbai on August 16th. Triumphant because the world in general, and India in particular, successfully battled and contained the Covid-19 pandemic that caused havoc and brought most industrial and commercial activities to a near halt for several months. Triumphant also because technology – the reason Automation Expo exists – was an important factor in this fight against the deadly virus, helped in no small measure by the indefatigable human spirit in face of calamities. So as Automation Expo takes place over four days from August 16 to 19 – after the pandemic induced gap of two years – it is time to celebrate the triumph of technology.
The origins of Automation Expo date back to 1980 when Dr M Arokiaswamy – at that time a young entrepreneur, was inspired to launch a publication called ‘Instrumentation & Electronics Developments’ (the abbreviation later formed the company name IED Communications) catering to the needs of the process industry, an early adopter of automation technologies. Patronised by the vendors and user industries, the magazine soon became a popular reference point not just for the industry but also to consultants and professionals, engineering colleges, R&D centres, etc. As automation became mainstream across the wider spectrum of manufacturing industries, the magazine was renamed Industrial Automation. Dr M Arokiaswamy by then had become a popular figure on the trade fair circuit as he travelled around the globe attending various trade shows, often leading visitor delegations from India.
As India entered the new millennium riding on the wave of liberalization of the 1990s, the manufacturing industry was one of its biggest beneficiaries attracting massive investments. The time was ripe for a dedicated trade show for automation and Dr M Arokiaswamy consulted stalwarts of the industry and encouraged by them, launched Automation Expo in the year 2002. The maiden edition of Automation Expo was a modest beginning with just 157 exhibitors assembled at the Nehru Centre in Worli, Mumbai. But the show attracted attention, and the exhibitors were pleased with the response. Thus was born what was in a short span was to become a prominent fixture on the national trade show calendar.
For the next eight years, Automation Expo was held as a biennial show in even years, 2010 marking the 5th edition. By then the exhibition had grown in size and popularity, shifting to the present venue – the NSE Complex at Goregaon. The two year frequency was too wide a gap for the rapidly evolving emerging technologies, the pace accelerated by the digital revolution formally christened Industry 4.0, and Automation Expo became an annual event with the 6th edition in the year 2011. There was no looking back as the cliché goes, and Automation Expo grew by leaps and bounds with every annual edition over the next decade. The 14th edition in 2019, for example, achieved a new milestone of over 1000 exhibiting companies, represented in 625 booths across two halls of the NSE Complex, representing 20% increased Exhibitor Space over the previous year. The direct overseas participation set a new record of 150 companies, representing 25 countries. The 47,894 footfalls translated to 37,000 unique visitors setting another record.
“It gives me great pleasure to announce that Automation Expo is getting Bigger, Better and Stronger, backed by an illustrious legacy of two decades. We are overwhelmed by the tremendous support and patronage the show enjoys from the established players of the traditional instrumentation and control industry, as well as the new entrants of the Industry 4.0 era and the startups spawned by emerging technologies. The pandemic has only reinforced the need for digital transformation, which has led to a surge in demand for advanced automation technologies that can better withstand disruptions caused by forces not within human control,” says Dr M Arokiaswamy, with a sense of satisfaction, on the eve of Automation Expo 2022.
“So Automation Expo returns after a gap of two years; the loyal visitors are excited, exhibitors are enthusiastic and organisers are thankful. Why are organisers thankful,” asks PV Sivaram, Evangelist for Digital Transformation and Industrial Automation, and a Member of the Steering Committee of the Board of Governors (BoGs). The BoGs are stalwarts of the industry from the Instrumentation and Automation fields, who are mentoring the event. Sivaram then proceeds to provide the answer: “Because this is the sign that we are back to business as earlier. Because this gives an opportunity for the organisers to provide a platform, which is ‘Bigger and Better’. Why are exhibitors enthusiastic? In the intervening two years, the exhibitor companies have been busy developing new products, services and software. They are eager to present to their customers and prospects their best efforts and get feedback. Why are visitors excited? Because this particular exhibition is a show unlike any other, a congregation of knowledgeable peer groups, professional presentation of offerings, and above all, a place to rub shoulders with the biggest and best, the leaders of the automation industry.”
Accelerated pace of digitalisation
“The logo of this year’s Automation Expo that is being hosted from 16th-19th August is “Bigger…better…stronger,” and I’m sure that it will live up to those expectations, says Andy Chatha, President & CEO, ARC Advisory Group, the leading technology market research firm for industry, manufacturing, infrastructure and cities. “Automation Expo began in 2002 and in the last two decades it has emerged as the voice of the automation industry. The last two years have been turbulent ones for industry, but new ways of thinking, communicating, and collaborating have emerged. Digital technologies were rapidly entering the workplace even before the pandemic, but then 2020 happened, and the world saw an accelerated pace of digitalisation. In 2022, digital technologies need to be woven into the organisational fabric for improvement in every sphere – and Automation Expo will showcase these technology trends,” he adds.
Speaking of the pandemic and the disruption caused by the lockdown, Dr V P Raman, Consultant, Tecton Engineering & Construction LLC – UAE, and a Member of the Board of Governors, laments how there was no direct interaction with any of the vendors on their latest technical innovations nor could anyone visualise the new product range. “There is a big difference between a virtual and physical Expo, as we can directly interact with the senior personnel from the vendor side and understand the intricacies of their product and its various applications. So I am looking forward to Expo 2022 to see and understand the new products apart from interaction and networking with senior industry professionals. We are excited to be part of the physical event after a gap of two years,” says Dr Raman.
Another member of the BoG, Ashish Manchanda, Managing Director, Finder India Pvt Ltd, elucidates how Automation Expo has now become an elite Automation Technology Showcase in India, which captures the very specific pulse of instrumentation and automation industry domain. “The exclusivity of the event makes it a very focused event for the Industrial Automation professionals including Consultants, EPCs, Manufacturers, Channel Partners, System Integrators and End Users alike. Every year, the inclusion of global Industry Innovations and futuristic tech-shows retains the freshness and brings renewed enthusiasm among the visitors and exhibitors alike. Over the last decade the efforts to hold tech-talks by industry experts on special theme based topics has been the inspiring part of the event,” he adds.
Fellow BoG member Dharmender Singhal, Director – Project Management EU/Americas at Haldor Topsoe A/S, refers to the origins of the show when he mentions it started with Instrumentation and Automation manufacturers (vendors) trying to pull participants and attend the show. “Now it has come to the point where across industry people eagerly and actively participate, they feel comfortable discussing Industry challenges and looking for co-creation of solutions. A lot of innovative ideas and business deals are central to the present set-up of the Automation Expo,” he explains, also referring to the “Great networking opportunities, discussing present challenges, and looking to co-create innovative themes, and most importantly feel of partnering – the new dimension of collaboration.”
“Digitalisation and Industry 4.0 technologies are leading the change and driving the industry where business processes and business models are changing,” observes Kartik Fojdar, Head – CoE Engineering Instrumentation, Reliance Industries Ltd, who has a ringside view of the vendor industry globally, thanks to the eminent position the company enjoys across diverse businesses. “Automation Expo 2022 will provide an opportunity for exhibitors and visitors to anticipate this change and its drivers. The change is also demanding new and different skill sets for professionals. Old processes, models, methods, skills are getting irrelevant in the new business and industrial environment and automation professionals need to be adaptive and agile for future growth. I am sure Automation Expo 2022 will provide an opportunity and platform, to update, learn, envision and excel, to all stakeholders,” says Fojdar, who is also a member of BoG.
While Automation Expo has served as a hub for showcasing the latest technologies available for enhancing productivity of operations, it is even more relevant now as a platform for emerging technologies, believes Rakesh Mohan Sehgal, CGM – Head Maintenance, ONGC Ankleshwar Asset, and another member, BoG. “Ever demanding customer needs are shaping the future of automation and every Automation Expo exhibited those changing trends like Robotics, Use of Drone technology. Remote management, data analytics, easy access to real time insights, modular plants, to do more with less, keeping human intervention to minimum in operations, technologies, which increase Mean Time Between Failures, and addressing lack of availability of skilled resources will be the other trends to watch out for,” he points out.
Referring to the origins of the project Industry 4.0 in Germany and how the concept was first made public and introduced at the Hannover Fair, V B Srikar, Co-Chairman, Nagman Instruments Consortium, and member, BoG recollects how those from his company who were present at Hannover at that time did not imagine it is going to be the future for the Indian Instrumentation community. “However, Covid-19 pandemic situation gave a lesson on the importance of Industry 4.0. Today I have strong opinions and confidence that no other event in India, except Automation Expo, has the strength and responsibility to support the Indian Instrumentation community and unite all experts to focus on rebuilding Indian smart factories, with the help of Industry 4.0, which encompasses IIoT and smart manufacturing,” says Srikar.
“The last two years have been gruelling ones for industry. The pandemic took its toll and established ways of business toppled. New business models emerged and the mantra was ‘adapt or perish’. We hope that this year’s Automation Expo is bigger and better. We would like to learn about how companies changed their course and stayed ahead of the curve by adopting digital technologies,” says Sharada Prahladrao, Editor & Public Relations Manager, ARC Advisory Group. “Automation Expo 2022 seeks to build upon the rich legacy of over two decades, with the aspiration of becoming a self-reliant nation, re-inventing the manufacturing landscape to align with the larger goals of sustainable development,” she adds. As for technology trends that are most likely to be seen during Automation Expo 2022, Sharada lists out a few: Meta-machine interface, the convergence of HMI with AR/VR; real-time smart supply chain solutions; AIoT solutions, the convergence of AI and IIoT; and smart safety solutions that increase productivity and resilience.
Gaurav Chandakkar, Marketing Manager, VEGA India Level and Pressure Measurement Pvt Ltd, expects Automation Expo 2022 to be a platform where the seller and a buyer can match their expectations and develop a long-term mutually beneficial relationship. “We believe Automation Expo will help us reach our target market to explore collaboration opportunities for us,” he says. Speaking about new products and solutions VEGA is bringing to the show, Gaurav refers to VEGAPULS 6X® – One Sensor for All Applications, launched by the company in early 2022. “VEGA is the pioneer in radar technology. The 6X combines 30 years of experience and know-how of the applications where our million radars are working continuously to deliver a precise and reliable measurement. With VEGAPULS 6X you get a sensor that can handle any application, no matter if the medium to be measured is liquid, solid, hot, cold, hazardous or corrosive,” he adds.
“As the name indicates this is an exhibition focused on Industrial Automation which is exactly the field we have expertise in and deliver solutions. We participate only in this exhibition as we feel it is an ideal platform for us and this focus enables us to put in the effort on working display models and targeted marketing material to really make an impression,” says Shani Parikh – Manager, Brand and Communication, SEW Eurodrive India Pvt Ltd. “Our expectation is to interact with a spectrum of knowledgeable customers from across industries looking for the latest ideas and information on industrial automation solutions and so far, Automation Expo has met these expectations,” he adds. About what new products and solutions the company is bringing to Automation Expo 2022, Parikh highlights a few: the enhanced range of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs); enhanced range of Electrified Monorail Solutions (EMS); and MOVI-C® – the new generation portfolio of controllers from SEW Eurodrive.
Concurrent events
Apart from the regular focus areas of Factory Automation, Process Automation & Control, Robotics, Field Instrumentation, Control Rooms, IIoT, Cybersecurity, Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Industrie 4.0 and other emerging technologies, Automation Expo 2022 has added two new zones this year: Building Automation Zone and Environment Protection Zone. These are the segments that are increasingly under the focus of policy makers and regulatory authorities in pursuing the larger goals of sustainability as envisaged by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The automation industry has many solutions to offer in these areas, which would be on display at Automation Expo 2022.
Another highlight of Automation Expo 2022 is the carefully curated conference programme over the four-day event, which includes: The CEO Conclave; Conference on IIoT – Metadata; Conference on Building Automation Technology; and Conference of Automation Technologies for Environment Protection. These conferences would be addressed by eminent persons with years of experience in the respective domain, addressing the contemporary developments on the subject, and elaborating upon various policy measures.
For more information and registration, please visit www.automationindiaexpo.com or email [email protected]/Mobile: 99204 89667, 98200 93667.
Details of the conferences and special features available on the portal: www.automationindiaexpo.com
