From February 12 to 14, 2026, the International Exhibition on Foundry Technology, Equipment, Supplies, and Services (IFEX) took place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, parallel to the 74th Indian Foundry Congress. VULKAN Technologies Pvt. Ltd.(VTI) took part in the event as a gold sponsor. IFEX brought together the world’s leading foundries, technology providers, and policymakers to discuss the future of metal casting. The focus was on innovation, sustainability, and digital transformation. VTI’s presence reflected the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting the growth and modernization of the Indian foundry ecosystem.
ALUCONF 2026: Industry Dialogue on the Future of NonFerrous Foundries
Alongside the IFEX one of the major highlights was ALUCONF 2026, featuring a panel discussion on “The Next Decade of NonFerrous Castings – Trends, Technologies & Transformation”. Rajesh Mishra, Managing Director of VTI was invited as a distinguished panellist together with eminent industry leaders like Manish Bhardwaj, Technical Advisor, DRDO, Ministry of Defence, K. K. Srinivasan, MD & CEO, Sriram Pistons & Rings Ltd., Vivek Joshi, Director & CEO, SundaramClayton Limited, Jitendra Lakhotia, CEO, Aakar Foundry Pvt. Ltd. as well as Vipul Shah, Director, Maverick Success Engineering Technology. The discussion explored emerging trends in nonferrous castings, technology adoption, sustainability imperatives, and the need for transformation across people, processes, and systems.
During the panel discussion, Rajesh Mishra explained VTI’s perspective on the changing landscape of non-ferrous foundries. He emphasized modern process controls, operational excellence, and continuous improvement of equipment and employee skills. Sustainability must become a key priority in this area. This can be achieved through energy-efficient operations, increased use of recycled materials, and smarter plant maintenance to increase productivity while reducing downtime. It is equally important to attract and retain young talent through technology-enabled career opportunities to support the adoption of Industry 4.0, and he encouraged policymakers to extend solar energy incentives to foundries to achieve India’s clean energy goals.
Technical Session: Driving Decarbonisation & Circular Transformation
VTI also contributed to the technical knowledge sessions at IFEX 2026 with a presentation on “Driving Decarbonization and Circular Transformation in Indian Manufacturing” held by Kalpesh Gupta, Asst. General Manager-HSE. Practical approaches to reducing carbon footprint, integrating circular economy principles, and embedding sustainability into manufacturing operations were highlighted, reinforcing VTI’s commitment to responsible and futureready industrial practices.
Conclusion of IFEX 2026
Several employees from Vulkan’s Foundry Division visited IFEX 2026, gaining firsthand exposure to the latest industry technologies, sustainability initiatives, automation trends, and best practices showcased at the exhibition and technical sessions. Their participation enabled valuable knowledge sharing, industry benchmarking, and deeper understanding of future foundry trends, strengthening VTI’s collective capability to drive innovation and continuous improvement across operations. VTI’s participation in IFEX 2026 underscores its role as a trusted industry partner committed to innovation, sustainability, and future-oriented growth.
