The Emission Controls Manufacturers Association (ECMA) was set up in 2002 with the sole objective of providing necessary information required for its members. The Association is closely associated with the manufacture of catalyst converters which are very critical equipment for vehicle emission control.
Though started in a humble way with just seven founder-members, the Association today has grown to play a vital role in the development of better environment norms.
This was disclosed to MOTORINDIA by Mr. Chris Dias, ECMA Vice President, and Managing Director, Emitec Emission Control Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., on the sidelines of the first off-highway conference organised by the Association in New Delhi recently.
Mr. Dias said since globally catalyst manufacturers represented separately as an independent body, ECMA was formed to have a direct focus on its activities. Today with its original seven founder-members and 11 associate members from ancillary units, ECMA is also an affiliate member of MECA of the US and AECC of the European Union. Though a non-profitable organisation, ECMA provides yeoman service to the automobile industry and makes regular representations on changing Euro norms in order to bring about a safer and better environment.
He said that in order to create better awareness on the Association’s activities, a biennial conference on automotive-related subjects is being regularly organised in which several Indian and international speakers shared their views on different topics of vital interest.
The first-ever off-highway conference organised by ECMA in September was a great success. Earlier at SIAT 2010 organised by ARAI in Pune, ECMA made a joint initiative by conducting a poster conference in which several students presented their papers on different R&D activities. The best among the papers received a cash award of Rs. 2 lakhs.
ECMA has also taken a major initiative recently to fund the project run by an University or Institute. It has worked out ambitious plan for 2013 to organise regional workshops for operating engineers at various places like Pune, Chennai, etc., Mr. Chris Dias added.