Pakistan Foundry Association (PFA) organized the 7th International Foundry Congress and exhibition on November 13-15, 2018, at Pearl Continental Hotel, Lahore, Pakistan. Sikandar Mustafa Khan- president, Pakistan Foundry Association, welcomed the chief guest, ministers, academia, foundrymen, young engineers, all foreign delegates, national and international industrial representatives.
He highlighted that Pakistan needs to initiate cluster growth in this industry to increase engineering exports and its global share of castings and engineering items. Imports of castings in various sectors are to be reviewed by government for the growth of local industry.
Abdur Razzak Dawood, advisor to PM on commerce, textile, and industry, inaugurated IFCE-2018.
PFA is engaged in the development of the foundry sector with the objective of preparing local foundries for export markets through technological upgrades and skills development. All members of PFA, vice chancellors from various universities, technical teams from leading industrial sectors and many more witnessed the exhibition and conference. Shafqat Mehmood, the Federal Minister of Education and Skills Development and federal secretaries from various departments were also present.
The IFCE-2018 provided an opportunity to investors, machinery manufacturers, foundry material suppliers and service providers to showcase their products and services to their counterparts and potential customers to make alliance. This forum also provided a platform to the participants to get together and discuss advancement and opportunities in foundry business.
PFA supports foundries to adopt new technologies and to prepare them to improve casting production. In this regard, 25 technical papers were presented during IFCE-2018 over two days. Almost all sessions were successfully organized on important subjects of casting. It was an interesting initiative for those who wanted to bring changes in their industry.
Moreover, multinational companies (Omega, Sinto, Saint-Gobain, MAGMA, Cukurova Kimya Endustrisi – Turkey, EGT, Turkey, Forace Polymers Pvt. ltd, Electrotherm (India) Ltd. Inductotherm, Megatherm), China Foundry Association, and suppliers of manufacturing equipment, foundry machinery, and material also exhibited and presented their latest technical updates to the participants of IFCE-2018.
IFCE-2020 will be held in mid-November 2020. ■