There has been a good level of interest in the newly announced features for 2009, namely IBaRT (India Brick & Roof Tile) and India-ETC (1st Engineering & Technical Ceramics Expo).

With thousands of kilns in Gujarat for firing bricks, the potential for new business in the heavy clay technology sector is tremendous. Brick manufacturing here is still substantially low tech, manually based and inefficient. Indian producers need better techniques and more modern equipment and IBaRT has been introduced in order to facilitate this. Interest from new exhibitors has resulted already, including one or two specialists from Europe.

Engineering and technical ceramics technology will find its home in India-ETC and this, too, is a timely addition. Including the manufacture of refractories and insulating ceramics, these are important products both for the State of Gujarat – with its proliferation of light and heavy industry as well as infrastructure and energy issues – and the ceramic and allied scene in general.

Good news for the refractories and technical ceramics sector is the go-ahead being given for a new Foundry Cluster site close to Ahmedabad. This is now likely to go either to Kathawada or Santej and will be home to around 70 companies in what has been a successful period for orders. In total, there are around 400 foundries sited in and around Ahmedabad and the dynamism being demonstrated in this business is a very encouraging sign for the ceramic producers supplying it.

The 2009 exhibition aims to showcase what is both best and most appropriate for each sector and to give the Indian ceramic industry the tools it needs as it prepares its plans for the new decade ahead.