Until the year 2000, the Indian composites industry was almost cut off from the outside world and outside composites fraternity with each industry living within its own shell interacting only with its own customers as well as with a few raw material dealers. The four ICERP exhibitions organized by FRP Institute from 2002 to 2008 have helped the industries to come out of their self-imposed shells and interact with the global players. The top industrial units in the country have the wherewithal to go out to the industries and exhibitions abroad and make business deals, but the medium and small scale industries do not have such capacity or inclination. ICERP provided the opportunity for them to see the exhibits brought to India within their reach and to know about the business opportunities available abroad. Though websites, journals and other channels of communication are available now for self education, exhibition is still a good means to physically see the materials, products and processes and to create the much needed confidence in dealing with other industries.
Exhibitions have become an integral part of composites industry in most countries. India also needs such international exhibitions on composites organized periodically within the Country. The personal preferences and the conflict of interest of a few industries on the choice of venue or on the timing of the event shall not come in the way of organizing such events that benefits the industry as a whole. I am of the view that if the event is held every time at the same venue and at the same period of the year, it helps the national and the international exhibitors to pre-plan their participation automatically every time without an extra effort. The visitors can also remember the venue and time as they do for Plast-India Exhibition at Delhi or the Leather show at Chennai, which are held at the same venue and same period of the year. What actually needed is that the event must be of international standard any pomp and show and must be affordable to the Indian exhibitors and visitors.
ICERP series have failed in the past to bring the user industries to the exhibition venue in large numbers. The top decision makers in both public sector and private sector industries may not consider a composites exhibition as a natural choice for them to visit. Instead, they may prefer to go to the ones that benefit them most in their own field of activity like the exhibitions on automobiles, buildings, aircrafts, boats, winds energy, chemical equipment and so on. Composites fabricators must therefore take their products to such events in order to make the available for the executive to see. This will serve as a means of customer education. Composites products will get noticed in such shows only if they are collectively presented as a composites zone. Industries must collectively exhibit their products. Composites industry associations can take lead in arranging such joint participations.
Mrs. Mutel, President of JEC suggested in an interview with FRP Today that the raw materials manufacturers and suppliers can have the capacity to organize such customer education programmes. They can give a hand to the fabricators and provide support for participation in such events.
Dr. N.G. NAIR
Honorary Editor
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