The four-day event, hosted in two expansive halls, featured four major conferences that facilitated knowledge exchange and high-level networking with influential figures in the industry reports SURFACES REPORTER (SR).
Spanning a vast 370,000 square feet, the second edition of the MATECIA Exhibition India took place at Yashobhoomi (IICC) Dwarka, Delhi, from August 22nd to 25th, 2024, serving as a robust platform for over 350+ brands including top brands like Merino, TOTO, CenturyPly, Lingel, Sunday Design, CPM Systems, GreenPly, E3 Group, Viva, Kajaria, WigWam, and many more. The event achieved unprecedented success, attracting more than 55,000 visitors, including approximately 18,000 architects and designers, who brought their unique perspectives to enrich the experience.
MATECIA Exhibition's stature as a global event was further solidified, welcoming visitors from over 600 Indian cities and 20 countries. This four-day event, hosted in two expansive halls, featured four major conferences that facilitated knowledge exchange and high-level networking with influential figures in the industry. Held alongside flagship events like THE WADE ASIA Mega Architecture Event, the India Furniture Conclave (IFC), India Interior Retailing (IIR) and Materials Technology Conclave, MATECIA emerged as a powerful force in driving the business of furniture, interior, and architectural products across India and neighboring nations.
Mr. Pragat Dvivedi, Director of MATECIA Exhibition, emphasized the event's core value, stating, “It is more important to have connections than to just collect contacts. Knowledge connects and bridges gaps. Knowledge is the new currency.” With innovative products, insightful knowledge sessions, and an impressive turnout of industry leaders and delegates, MATECIA has become a driving force in shaping the future of building materials. Avdhesh Jain, GM Marketing at Action Tesa, echoed this sentiment: “MATECIA and our company are growing together. Every year, the event attracts more visitors to our stall. Next time, we’ll need a bigger space. I thank the entire MATECIA team.”
Adding a fresh touch of innovation, MATECIA introduced Materials Adda, a curated collection of cutting-edge materials from the building sector. The exhibition showcased a wide array of products, ranging from furniture and hardware to windows, doors, architectural boards, wood panels, decorative laminates, and state-of-the-art machinery.
The conference sessions at MATECIA, alongside events like WADE ASIA, IFC, IIR and MTC provided invaluable insights from renowned industry experts. These sessions were thoughtfully curated by knowledge partners—SURFACES REPORTER®, Furniture Design & Technology, and Ply Reporter—who collectively bring over 23 years of expertise to the field.
WADE ASIA 2024 brought together top professionals from architecture and design. Leading conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah shared her extensive experiences and insights on preserving India’s architectural heritage. Signature sessions like ‘Masterclass with Mentors’ and ‘Business Intelligence in Design’ kept the audience captivated, featuring contributions from prominent figures such as Ar. Aishwarya Tipnis, Principal Architect at ATA, Delhi, and Dr. Oscar Concessao, Partner at Oscar & Ponni + Rahul Architects.
India Furniture Conclave (IFC) brought together some of India's trailblazing furniture makers alongside leading architects and interior designers, all united by a shared goal: to impart their expertise and experiences to young furniture manufacturers and entrepreneurs. The lamp lighting ceremony was graced by industry stalwarts Kirit Joshi, Co-Founder of Spacewood; Vijai Subramanium, Chairman of Royaloak Furniture; and Pargat Dvivedi, Founder of IFC.
The event featured insightful knowledge sessions on critical topics such as "Making It Big in the Furniture & Interior Business," "Must Do & Never Do for Furniture Producers & Startups," "Blueprints of Trade: How Furniture Entrepreneurs Conquered Challenges & Succeeded," "Partnership Power: Alsorg's Uncommon Journey in the Indian Premium Furniture Segment," and "The Burning Issue of the Furniture Industry: Decoding the Skill Gap." These sessions provided valuable best practices and strategies for thriving in the furniture sector and addressing key industry challenges.
Prominent panelists included Sanidhya Mittal, Managing Director of Greenply; Udit Mediratta, CEO of Homelane; T Gopi, Managing Director of Woodtech Consultants; Venkataramana Gotri, Head of Business Development at Homag; and Saurav Jain, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer at Livspace, who all shared valuable insights on various industry topics. The brainstorming session with the four partners of Alsorg, which focused on their journey in India's premium furniture segment, garnered significant appreciation from attendees.
The event was supported by various associations, including the Institute of U.P. Architects Association, NAREDCO – MAHI, and GRIHA. The Council of Architecture, India served as the Awareness Partner, while the Indian Institute of Architecture, Haryana Chapter acted as the Wisdom Partner. IVS School of Design played a key role as the Education Partner.
The India Interior Retailing Conclave 2024 featured several insightful panel discussions, covering critical topics in the industry. One of the key discussions was on the Rising Demand in Luxury Interior Spaces and Emerging Opportunities, featuring prominent speakers such as Mr. Milind Pai, Principal Architect of Milind Pai Architects & Interior Designers; Mr. Mitesh Gada, Senior General Manager of Brookfield Properties; Mr. Ankur Agarwal, Principal Designer of Planmyinterior; Ms. Devika Khosla, Creative Director of The Works Interiors; and Ms. Prof. Mahesh Bangad from BNCA, Pune. The session was moderated by Pragat Dvivedi, Founder of India Furniture Conclave and Ply Reporter.
Another significant topic was the Demand, Margins, and Prospects for Retail Counters in Veneer, Louvres, and Wall Paneling, which included expert insights from Mr. Sunil Jain, Director of Decmore Panels Ltd.; Mr. Ankit Gupta, Director of Marco Polo Luxury Walls & Floors; Ms. Neetii Maacker, Co-Founder of Vasarte; Mr. Dheeraj Sawlani of Dheeraj Ply & Veneers, Indore; and Mr. Birjot Singh Chawla from Plywood Jalandhar, moderated by Mr. Shyam Shekhawat, Chief Operating Officer of Kajaria Plywood Pvt. Ltd.
The discussion on Retail Counter Growth by 10x and Becoming Top Retail Counters in Your Region included contributions from Mr. Anand Heda, Partner at Heda Plywoods; Mr. Abhiroop Agarwal, Chief Business Development Officer of Realply Industries; Mr. Prashant Dalmia, Director at Acespace, Mumbai; and Mr. Akhilesh Chitlangia, CEO of Duroply Industries. MATECIA also hosted informative panel discussions under the Materials and Technology Conclave, addressing the prospects of the timber business in India and the latest advancements in wood panel resins and adhesives.
The Materials Technology Conclave brought together industry leaders and experts to discuss cutting-edge advancements in the wood panel and laminate industries. The sessions offered a deep dive into key topics shaping the future of material technology.
The event kicked off with a session on Timber Plantation Scenario: 2021-2026, presented by Mr. Rajesh Jha, Regional Manager at ITC Ltd-PSPD. This session provided valuable insights into the current and future landscape of timber plantations, highlighting key growth drivers and challenges in the sector. Mr. Ravindra Chhajer, MD of Ambica Hydraulics Pvt Ltd, delivered a comprehensive presentation on Pressing and Impregnation Technology for the Laminate Industry. His session focused on the technological advancements that are improving production efficiency and product quality in the laminate manufacturing process. Mr. Jagmohan Singh, Director of Kalyan Industries, introduced participants to New Age Sanding Machines, showcasing how innovations in sanding technology are revolutionizing surface finishing for wood products. His talk emphasized the importance of precision and innovation in enhancing material quality.
A highlight of the conclave was the Panel Discussion on New Resin Development in the Wood Panel Industry, where a panel of renowned technocrats and industrialists explored the growing demand for advanced resin technologies. The panelists included Dr. Prashant, Director at AK Plywood Pvt Ltd; Mr. Abhishek Chitlangia, President of Manufacturing at Duroply; Mr. Rajesh Mundra, Director at ARCL Organic Ltd; Dr Mamtha B S, Scientist E,Plywood & Panel Products Technology Division at IWST-ICFRE; and H.Vaidyanathan, Technical Adviser, Ply & Resin, Manufacturing.
With a diverse visitor profile—ranging from architects and interior designers to builders, dealers, distributors, and OEMs - MATECIA continues to set the benchmark for excellence in furniture, interiors, and architectural products. This annual event has truly solidified its place as a beacon of business, innovation, and collaboration for India's building materials industry.