The second edition of Automation ExpoSouth returns to Chennai from March 6-8, 2025.

In April 2023 when the organisers of the iconic Automation Expo series of exhibitions decided to take the two decades old show outside Mumbai for the first time ever, Chennai was the obvious choice. For Dr M Arokiaswamy, Founder and Chairman, IED Communications, it was a cherished dream to host an edition of his brainchild in the capital city of his native Tamilnadu.

The maiden edition of Automation ExpoSouth was a huge success with exhibitors and visitors finding a new meeting ground. More encouraging were requests from many exhibitors to make the Chennai show a regular event given the large visitor turnout from the southern region with a thriving ecosystem of industrial hubs centered around the two large cities of Bangalore and Chennai.

Consider these facts:

·         Chennai is a major industrial hub in India, home to automotive, electronics, heavy engineering, and manufacturing industries. It hosts industrial corridors such as Sriperumbudur-Oragadam, Ambattur, and Guindy, which house OEMs and automation technology users.

·         Chennai is called the ‘Detroit of India’ due to the presence of major auto manufacturers (Hyundai, Ford, Renault-Nissan, BMW, etc). The city also has a strong electronics manufacturing ecosystem, making it a hotspot for automation solutions.

·         With increasing automation, robotics, AI, and IoT adoption, industries in Chennai are actively looking for smart manufacturing solutions. The presence of industrial R&D centres and automation tech companies further drives interest.

·         Chennai is well-connected globally via an international airport and seaport, facilitating global participation in exhibitions. The city has state-of-the-art exhibition centres like Chennai Trade Centre (CTC), suitable for industrial expos.

·         Chennai has top engineering institutions like IIT Madras, Anna University, and several polytechnics producing skilled automation professionals. The city's IT and industrial software expertise also support automation software and digital twin technologies.

·         Tamil Nadu’s industrial policies encourage automation and smart manufacturing. Initiatives like ‘TN Industrial Policy 2021’ and ‘Ease of Doing Business’ reforms attract investment in automation.

·         Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Tamil Nadu are increasingly investing in automation to enhance efficiency and competitiveness. Automation in textiles, chemicals, and logistics is also expanding, making exhibitions valuable for B2B networking and business growth.

“When we hosted the maiden edition of ExpoSouth in Chennai in 2023, the idea was to bring the event closer to the visitors from South, not all of whom can make it to the annual show in Mumbai. Our decision proved to be the right one and now, after having witnessed the overwhelming response received then, we are happy to return to Chennai after two years, with more exhibitors and many new technologies that have matured in the interregnum,” says Dr M Arokiaswamy. “Visitors are as integral to the success of an event as the exhibitors are. Given the rich industrial legacy of the southern States, we are looking forward to an even more enthusiastic visitor turnout this time,” he adds.

In the run up to the second edition of Automation ExpoSouth, the organisers had conducted two roadshows in the preceding months – one in the bustling industrial township of Coimbatore, and the other at the technology hub of Bangalore. Both these events had attracted tremendous response, with a total of 51 companies offering a preview of products and technologies they are bringing to the main event. Over 1300 visitors attended the preview at the two venues combined.

Advantech, Autobots Inc, Bhoomi Process Management, Congmax Electro, D3minds Cyber Solution, Dynalog (India), Eaton MTL, Elpis IT Solutions, Gadgeon Smart System, Gravitech Solutions, Hensel Electric India, JUMO India, KamerAI, Measurecon Instruments, Multipsan, Nagman Instruments & Electronics, Pepperl & Fuchs (India), Placka Instruments, RN Embedded Solutions, Robonetics Automation Solutions, Sansel  Instruments And Controls, Saravana Electronics, Spohn+Burkhardt India Electrotechnical, Terence Tao Engineers, Uniphos Envirotronic, and Yokogawa India are among the prominent exhibitors who were at the preview. They will be joined by over 200 other exhibitors in Chennai.  Together, these companies represent a broad swathe of industrial automation segments, including: Factory Automation, Process Automation, Field Instrumentation, AI, Robotics, IIoT, Cybersecurity, Electrical Automation, Logistics Automation, Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Industrie 4.0, Machine Vision, Valve Automation, Building Automation, PLM & Software Solutions, andAdditive Manufacturing, among others.

“Just like the Automation Expo event, which is South Asia’s leading automation trade show, showcasing cutting-edge innovations in manufacturing, robotics, AI, and process automation, Automation ExpoSouth too has created a niche. With 200+ global exhibitors, the event fosters collaboration, drives technological growth, and helps industries stay competitive by embracing advanced automation solutions. For years, visitors from the south States of  the country had to travel to Bangalore, Mumbai or Delhi to attend leading technology events. With Automation ExpoSouth, the events calendar of Chennai now has a world class technology show from Organisers who have carved a niche in the Industrial Automation domain. We are happy to return to Chennai for the second edition, and grateful for the overwhelming response we received for the roadshows prior to this,” concludes Jyothi Joseph, Director, IED Communications, who leads the marketing initiative for the expo.

The Conference Programme

Traditionally, the Automation Expo series has held thematic conferences at each of its events right from inception and this time is no different. The following conferences are scheduled during the second edition of Automation ExpoSouth:

CEO Connect @ Expo South 2025 – March 06, 2025 | 05:30 PM | New Exhibition Hall

Top executives and industry leaders come together to explore the evolving trends in automation and leadership.

Speakers

·         Dr B R Mehta, Director – Projects, Waaree Group, Chairman, Steering Committee of the Board of Governors for Automation ExpoSouth 2025.

·         Mr Alain J R Schellings, Sales Director, PA – India & Middle East, Pepperl+Fuchs India Private Limited.

·         Mr Manoj Karanth, Vice President and Global Head, Technology & Delivery, Connected Universe, (Industry X.0, ESG, AI), LTIMindtree.

·         Mr R Muruhu Tamizh Balan, Head – IT, Automation & Digitalization, JSW Steel Ltd.

·         Mr N Shankar, Project Director, L&T Energy Hydrocarbons.

·         Dr S Geetha, Vice President, Skyroot Aerospace Systems Pvt Ltd, and Outstanding Scientist & Programme Director (Retired), Space Transportation System, VSSC.

·         Dr V P Raman, Engineering Consultant.

Conference on Process & Valve Automation – March 07, 2025 | 09:30 AM | New Exhibition Hall

Speakers

·         Dr Keyur Vora, Advisor & HoD (C&I), Adani – Petrochemical Business.

·         Mr Amit Shah, CEO, Rotex Manufacturers & Engineers Private Limited.

·         Mr Kirankumar Vyas, Head Of Business Development, Schneider Electric – Process Automation (India Hub).

·         Mr P Rex Jesudas, Edge and Connectivity Practice Head LTIMindtree – iNXT.

·         Mr Vijay K Vempati, Head of IoT WoRKS and AI Business ANZ and ASEAN, HCL Tech.

·         Mr Nitin Soni, Manager DX Solution, Certified SIRI Accessor, Yokogawa India Limited.

Conference on Factory Automation & Robotics – March 07, 2025 | 01:30 PM | New Exhibition Hall

Speakers

·         Mr Sunil David, Independent Digital Technology Consultant

·         Mr Anuj Bihani, Managing Director, Alstrut India Pvt Ltd.

·         Mr Mohit Kumawat IIoT Sales Director, Advantech Industrial Computing India Pvt Ltd.

·         Mr Sam Caleb, Regional Head – Robotics and FA Division, Prama Hikvision India.

·         Mr Vishal Kumar, Manager, BU Automation System, Industry Management And Automation, Phoenix Contact India Pvt Ltd.

Back to Basics, A Hands-On Automation Course – March 08, 2025 | 09:30 AM | New Exhibition Hall

Speakers

·         Dr B R Mehta, Director – Projects, Waaree Group, Chairman, Steering Committee of the Board of Governors for Automation ExpoSouth 2025.

·         Dr M Suresh, Director, Fluid Control Research Institute.

·         Mr Sriram Sankaranarayanan, General Manager (Procurement), ​Technip Energies.

·         Mr Sanjeev Chakraborty, Head – Business Development, Axis Solutions Pvt Ltd.

·         Dr V P Raman, Engineering Consultant.

·         Mr Akella Chakravarthy, Sr Manager, Technical Support, Pepperl + Fuchs India Pvt Ltd.

·         Mr Chandran Subramaniam, Founder & Director, Cyberfort Digisec Solution Pvt Ltd.

Board of Governors – Automation ExpoSouth 2025

Automation Expo is mentored and guided by a Board of Governors. The members are stalwarts in the field of Instrumentation and Automation with rich experience in their industry being awarded several accolades from International and National Institutions. Their expertise and experience in their respective fields have been instrumental in driving the businesses of our partners to success. It is our honour for Automation Expo to be associated with the Who’s Who in the Automation & Instrumentation Industry.

The Board of Governors for Automation ExpoSouth 2025 comprises 23 esteemed members, 5 of whom for the Steering Committee.

Dr B R Mehta, Director Projects, Waaree Group; Former Sr VP, Reliance Industries Ltd;

Chairman of Board of Governors for Automation Expo 2023

Dr Keyur Vora, Vice President/HoD (C&I) Adani – Petrochemical Business

Dr Kirti Shah, Vice President, Projects, Waaree Group

Dr Thampy Mathew, Managing Director, Pepperl+Fuchs (India) Pvt Ltd

Dr VP Raman, Engineering Consultant and Former VP – Operations, TECTON Engineering and Construction LLC

Mr Anuj Bihani, Managing Director, Alstrut India Pvt Ltd

Mr Jerome Gnanaprakasam, Global Head – Projects & Engineering, Dr Reddy's Laboratories

Dr J Prakash, Dean, Madras Institute of Technology

Mr Philipose Jacob, India Country Director, Global Energy Infrastructure Solutions, Eaton MTL Instruments Pvt Ltd

Mr Srinath K, Vice President – Smart Manufacturing Solutions, Multivista Global Pvt Ltd

Mr B Sai Ramesh, Sr VP, Tecnip (Retd)/DVP, International Society of Automation (ISA), Chennai

Mr B Sudarshan, Executive Director, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd

Mr V B Srikar, Co-Chairman, Nagman Instruments & Electronics Pvt Ltd

Mr Sudarsan Surendran, GM Projects – Process Automation, Schneider Electric India

Mr Ramesh Rajamani, Executive Director, Janatics India Pvt Ltd

Mr Jayaharan C J (CeeJay), Senior Director – IIoT and Industry 4.0 Solutions – iNxT, LTIMindtree 

Mr Senthil Kumar, Managing Director – Asia, Control Techniques

Mr Shivkumar Srinivasan, Chief Operating Officer, MEL Systems and Services Ltd

Mr R Ramesh Babu, Managing Director, Velan Valves India Pvt Ltd

Mr Sriram Sankaranarayanan, General Manager (Procurement), Technip Energies (Chennai Operating Centre)

Mr Jayasekar Anandraj, Managing Director, MEASURECON Instruments Pvt Ltd

Dr K Ravichandran, Dean, Madras Institute of Technology Campus

Mr N RamaKrishnan, Managing Director, Precia Molen India Pvt Ltd.