RELIABILITY GOES BEYOND QUALITY

Dear Readers,

It is with great enthusiasm and delight that I present this foreword to the readers of Modern Manufacturing India (MMI) magazine. As President of Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA), one of the foremost thoughts that comes to my mind is to work on improving “reliability” of Indian machine tools. The manufacturing industry is at the threshold of exponential growth and, therefore, reliability in manufacturing processes and machines will be a major factor to achieve and sustain this growth. The manufacturing industry has been working hard on quality and TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) for the past 25 to 30 years. Now is the time to work on reliability that goes beyond quality.

The reliability of machine tools is central to efficient manufacturing, and when they fail, it jeopardizes due date commitments, disrupts the production process and leads to erosion of customers. In letter and spirit, reliability encompasses performance, accuracy, precision, availability and consistency in machine tool building. By meeting these parameters, our industry can build globally competitive machines, increase domestic market share, expand in overseas markets and enhance the perception of Indian engineered goods. Building such reliable machine tools starts right from the design stage and extends to the entire cycle of manifestation, encompassing manufacturing, assembly, testing, installation and maintenance.

India ranks among the top ten machine tool producing nations, holding the ninth position, as per the World Machine Tool Survey 2025 report by Gardner Intelligence. While this is a commendable ranking, we have the potential to climb several rungs higher when the reliability of machines is elevated to the levels of those made by the developed countries.

Let us join hands to ensure that every machine, equipment, subsystem, or component leaving the factory floor embodies precision, endurance and consistency as we build for the globe while offering machines in the local market. This will build customer trust and redefine our long-term competitiveness.

IMTMA’s flagship event, IMTEX FORMING 2026, which focuses on metal forming and manufacturing technologies, is slated to be held at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) in Bengaluru from January 21 - 25, 2026. Tooltech, Digital Manufacturing, and WeldExpo will be held concurrently. IMTEX FORMING 2026 will be a significant gathering of technology, innovation, and opportunities, an ideal platform for industries to connect, collaborate, and leverage momentum.

As we look ahead to 2026, the horizon for the machine tool and manufacturing industries gleams with promise. IMTMA will remain steadfast in its mission to foster industrial progress at a rapid pace while keeping our readers abreast of the developments in manufacturing.

I wish readers an inspiring and enriching reading experience with this edition of MMI.

MOHINI KELKAR
PRESIDENT
IMTMA