The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) held its second Buyers-Sellers meet at Rudrapur/Pantnagar 
on December 19. Buoyed by the success of its earlier meet last year, this year’s event had participation from over 40 Tirer 1/2/3 companies. Leading component manufacturers from across the country, including Brakes India, Wapco, Minda Group, Rane, Lumax, Lucas-TVS, Subros, JBM, etc., put up a fine display of their products.
Speaking at the inauguration of the event, Mr. Rattan Kapur, Chairman, ACMA Supply Chain Committee, observed: “It has always been ACMA’s endeavor to create a platform for discovering new business opportunities for its members. The Rudrapur/Pantnager region today boasts of over 45 members, and this event will help them in strengthening their supply chain. Leading vehicle manufacturers, including Maruti Suzuki, GM, HeroMoto Corp, Baja Auto, Mahindra & Mahindra, Ashok Leyland, VE Commercial and New Holland, will send their purchasing teams to boost the business prospects of the auto component industry in this region.”
Addressing the participants, Mr. S.K. Dubey, Vice President & Plant Head, Mahindra & Mahindra – Tractors, said: “The component industry needs to concentrate on innovation, R&D and new product development, apart from quality, cost, delivery and continuous improvement which are now considered to be a given capability. The vehicle manufacturers at the same time need to work in close collaboration and hand-hold the suppliers to upgrade them to international levels as localization is today critical to the success of OEMs, especially in the light of the fast depreciation of the Indian rupee.”
To encourage the ACMA members to commence their journey of innovation, ACMA has signed an MoU with the National Institute of Design (NID) which will help propagate the Design Clinic Scheme under which the Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises subsidizes R&D initiatives of smaller companies. An awareness program with NID was organized coinciding with the Buyers-Sellers meet at Rudrapur/Pantnagar to create awareness and encourage auto component manufacturers in the region to benefit from it.
“ACMA has also recently opened its office in Rudrapur/Pantnagar to focus on business development and skill upgradation needs to its members. Several new cluster programs aimed at quality and productivity improvement have also been launched”, said Mr. Vinnie Mehta, ACMA Executive Director.