ACETech 2010, Bombay Exhibition Center at Goregaon

The Economic Times held it’s 5th Architecture Construction Design and Engineering (ACETech) symposium – where industry professionals showcased their expertise and exchanged ideas. Products and latest technology and techniques were on display from around the world. A variety of Indian and International products are available in India but the industry has been chaotic and unorganized so far. Therefore this was a good opportunity to see so many products and global trends in one place.

Claiming to be innovative most of the architectural products were labelled green, automation and energy-saving businesses were offering demonstrations and persuading visitors to switch to a more efficient system. I was hoping to see innovative use of products and displays but they were not as interactive as I had hoped. Developers were VIP’s and were followed by photographers who documented every step they took and every product they touched.

Console by Arktura

Luxury products were on display in abundance – with CBC Fort, distributors of bathroom fittings, ceiling systems, international furniture and engineered wood flooring leading the way. Furniture imported from LA based firm Arktura was well crafted and engineered but certainly came with a hefty price tag. Bar stools were available for Rs 40,000 (approx US $885) a piece and a console table for Rs 3,00,000 (approx US $6636).

Engineered wood flooring, vitrified tiles manufactured in Spain and India and high-end bathroom fittings and sanitary ware were some of the products that seemed to be in vogue. TOTO (Indian website under construction) a Japanese brand of sanitary ware that stressed on hands free use and hygiene has launched a new line of products made with epoxy resin with an LED light embedded within and the product is heat and scratch resistant. This new line is stylish, innovative and minimalistic. These products are definitely a luxury as a bath tub was priced at Rs17,00,000 (approx US $37,608), a sink was Rs 3,64,000 (approx US $8052) and a toothbrush holder was for Rs. 20,000 (approx US $442).  Market trends indicate that Italian kitchens are still in style but German kitchens like Häcker’s are entering the Indian market and gaining popularity. A custom-made Indian kitchen is more affordable than an Italian or German kitchen. For some strange unexplainable reason there seemed to be numerous Jacuzzi vendors. In Bombay with space being an issue in most apartments it seemed strange to have such a large presence of Jacuzzi vendors.

Galeecha, Indian home furnishings brand had a captivating installation constructed of used carpets

Luxurious products and international brands with high quality products have definitely made their way to India. There has been no better time than now for international brands to enter the Indian market as there are many first time home buyers. The challenge for ACETech next year and in the future will be to showcase products that offer added value and are more competitive through innovation. ACETech also needs to focus on streamlining the process of connecting suppliers and distributors to consumers.

ACEtech will showcase products in Chennai Nov 26-28,2010 at the Chennai Trade Center, in Delhi Dec 17-19,2010 at Pragati Maidan and in Bangalore Jan 21-23, 2011 at Palace Grounds.