The CII-organised 4-day trade fair corroborated the significant importance that modern mining equipment have assumed in the current scenario, a time when the mining industry is gradually bouncing back with marked focus on performance improvement and cost efficiencies of equipment.
The 14th edition of International Mining and Machinery Exhibition (IMME) held at Kolkata from October 31 to November 3 – touted as country’s largest trade fair in the mining industry – proved to be a much-needed springboard for the industry stakeholders including OEMs and related product aggregates suppliers, mining companies, contractors, and rental companies to showcase their latest innovations and to come together on a common platform for business discussions and knowledge sharing.
With the industry facing a tough time due to volatility in commodity prices and restrictions on new explorations, the governments and industry are working fiercely to expand mining activities and production volumes. By bringing in positive synergies among various collaborators and associates, the expo bundled the industry to embark on a trajectory of growth in the coming years.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Dr. Amit Mitra, Finance Minister – Government of West Bengal, reiterated the pivotal role played by the mining sector in the country’s infrastructure and economic growth. “Yet, the sector’s true potentials remain largely unrealised and the growing demand for resources like coal untapped”. He said that the governments are working on easing out regulatory bottlenecks and streamlining demand so as to ensure positive growth in the sector.
The IMME 2018, supported by Ministry of Mines – Government of India and Coal India Ltd., saw participation of 246 exhibitors with 9 country pavilions, including 65 exclusive exhibitors from Australia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Russia, Turkey, the UK and the US. Equipment makers and component suppliers, in particular, showcased their latest technologies and cutting-edge products along with live demonstrations for the audience, who constitute their customer base. Mining companies and contractors, on the other hand, had a special knack for modern machines and latest technology offerings that can aid their mining processes and improve operational efficiency.
Buoyant demand
According to the “Mining Equipment Market in India 2018” report, increased pressure on margins has led mining companies to focus on performance improvement and cost efficiencies of their operations. Since the allocation of mineral resources through competitive auction processes requires initial as well as production-linked payments to the government, the efforts for improved efficiency, productivity and optimisation of resource deployment have been further stepped up. Thus, the role of modern mining equipment has assumed significant importance in the domestic market.
Further, the approval for auctioning of coal mines for commercial use by private players is also expected to allow the use of more advanced equipment and technology. The report also observes that companies are also looking for mining opportunities in new and geo-technically complex areas due to depleting grades of existing mineral ores. With mine depths increasing, the demand for underground mining and specialised equipment is increasing.
Going forward, while the trend towards greater application of continuous mining systems, larger-sized equipment and greater energy efficient systems are sure to continue, automation and IoT are likely to bring about significant changes in the Indian mining industry in the medium and long term, the report reads. At IMME this time, both the OEMs and related players did share a similar sentiment, with the display of next-gen products and technologies that fare well on those two counts – high capacity products and optimum efficiency.
In the following section, MOTORINDIA brings you exclusive reports on prominent equipment makers and suppliers who made their presence felt at the country’s largest mining equipment exhibition.