First machinery expo held in Surat

Surat--The inaugural India Gem & Jewellery Machinery Expo (IGJME) took place in Surat from Dec. 13 to 15, attracting attendees from the production and retail segments of the jewelry industry.

The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) and the Surat Diamond Association (SDA) hosted the show. The SDA said it expected show attendees to come from Indian cities such as Surat, Jaipur, Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi, as well as from Turkey, Israel and Italy.

Present at the inaugural show were Shri Saurabhbhai Patel, honorable minister for energy, mines and tourism for the Government of Gujarat; Vipul Shah, GJEPC chairman; and Dinesh Navadiya, president of the SDA, among other dignitaries.

“This show is conceived with the objective of engaging the industry with the recent technological advances made in the gem and jewelry sector,” Shah said. “The IGJME is being organized with the view to significantly expand the presence of prominent machinery manufacturers of India and the world and, more importantly, present the rapid technological advancements that are being made in this part of the industry sector.”

In addition, Patel said they aim to make Gujarat an exhibition hub and increase the prominence of the manufacturing sector.

Jewelry manufacturing has been growing at a rate of 15 to 20 percent annually in India in the last decade, the GJEPC said, boasting high standards of quality through the integration of machinery and technology in design development.

Indian gemstones, both precious and semi-precious, have been gaining recognition as the country continues to emerge as a major source, leaving Jaipur with the distinction of being a manufacturing hub, the organization said.

“The IGJME is being organized with the view to significantly expand the presence for the machinery manufacturers and suppliers and … present the rapid technological advancements that are being made in this part of the industry sector with the view to upgrade the manufacturing industry,” said Nirav Bhansalu, convener of national exhibitions.