German company inks MoUs with govt, HMT Ltd

During the signing of the MoU

GERMAN research major Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has signed several memorandums of understanding (MoU) with Union ministry of heavy industries and Bengaluru-based PSU HMT Limited.
The objective is to support and augment the "Make in India" programme through increasing the innovation and technology prowess of Indian industry.
The MoU will go a long way in infusing latest technologies into the PSU that has been battling for survival due to tough competition from the private players.
The MoU was signed on October 5 in the presence of Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister in Delhi.
The MoU is also seen as an attempt on the part of the DHI to revitalize the PSUs under the ministry of heavy industries. It may be mentioned here that Union heavy industries minister Anant Geete earlier said that his ministry was working out strategy to make HMT Machine Tools profitable once again. The minister further said that 21 out of 32 units under the ministry have been rejuvenated and next year, remaining 11 units will be operationalised again.
A framework memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on October 5 between the department of heavy industries (DHI), Govt. of India and Fraunhofer, Germany with later as “Technology Resource Partner”. The MoU was signed in the presence of secretary, DHI Dr. R. Katoch in New Delhi. Senior Officers from Ministry of Heavy Industry and representatives from Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) were also present during the signing of MoU.
The objective is to support and augment the “Make in India” Initiative through increasing the innovation and technology prowess of Indian industry, said an official statement.
The activities include creating a road-map for technological development for Indian industry, especially those PSUs that are fighting for survival, identifying and plugging technology gaps. Implementation identified projects in manufacturing, working with various stakeholders in Government, Industry & academia for increasing cooperation in applied research.
Fraunhofer- Gesellschaft is the leading organization for applied research in Europe. Its research activities are conducted by 66 institutes and research units at locations throughout Germany. The Fraunhofer- Gesellschaft employs a staff of nearly 24,000, who work with an annual research budget totalling more than 2 billion Euro’s. Of this sum, around 1.7 billion Euro’s is generated through contract research. More than 70 percent of the Fraunhofer- Gesellschaft’s contract research revenue is derived from contracts with industry and from publicly financed research projects.
The 12th Five Year Plan calls for augmenting Indian industrial technologies development at institutes through collaborations with Fraunhofer and like institutions. The MoU is also a strong indication of German support to Indian economy. This will pay way for induction of latest technologies in capital goods sector. SME in industrial clusters will be the main beneficiaries, the statement noted.
DHI will actively conduct technology need surveys with units and clusters and run a number of awareness, technology development and assimilation programmes with the help of Fraunhofer.
Incorporated in 1953 by the Government of India as a machine tool manufacturing company, over the years, HMT Limited has diversified into watches, tractors, printing machinery, metal forming presses, die casting & plastic processing machinery, CNC systems & bearings.
Successful technology absorption in all product groups through collaborations with world renowned manufacturers and further strengthened by continuous in-house R&D.
Today, HMT comprises five subsidiaries under the ambit of a holding company, which also manages the tractors business directly.