AHMEDABAD: As the textile sector attempts a jumpstart, machine manufacturers from Europe have begun dropping their anchors on Indian shores.While a year of sluggishness saw India putting brakes on imports of high-end machines from Europe, machine suppliers have resurfaced yet again to scout for business. India imported textile machinery worth about Rs 2,731 crore from Europe in 2008-09. With the global economy recovering from the global recession, a fresh wave of modernisation in textile mills in the sub-continent is in the offing.
German textile surface finishing machine manufacturer Xetma Vollenweider, which has been doing business with India for the past two decades, now expects to earn revenues worth e1 million from the country in 2010. “Although orders from India were 25% less than average at below e1 million in 2009, we expect it to bounce back in 2010.” Since October, we have heard from several players keen to install our machines,” Xetma’s Dietmar Loos told ET. Likewise, Italian Pugi Group expects to double its revenues from India in 2010.
Hoping that Indian players will invest in technology so that they take off smoothly when the world economy revives, MD of Ramisch Guarneri Ettore Guarneri expects to have his hands full with projects.
Present in India since last four years, the company earned revenues worth 1 million Euro from its Indian buyers in 2009. “At the moment, we have three orders from India and 2010 is starting with several projects,” said the man who has supplied 22 calenders with ‘Nipco’ technology to the likes of Arvind Ltd and Bombay Rayon Fashions Ltd.
With India becoming a primary export destination for Italian coating and flocking machinery manufacturer Aigle, the company’s representative Andrea Levi disclosed that he has substantial orders from India. “While two years back, we had Russia as our principal market, our focus has shifted to India that gives us one-third of our revenues. Despite the slowdown, we got orders worth 2 million Euros from our Indian clients in 2009.” Without divulging details, he informed that his company has bagged a ‘substantial’ order from an Ahmedabad-based company.
Source : The Economic Times