Powering Progress Across Logistics, Packaging & Automation: A Conversation with D Vivekanandhan

When an exhibitor participates in a standalone exhibition, they reach one specific audience. But when you co-locate WAREMAT, TOPACK, AUTOROBOT, and COSLOG under one roof, something powerful happens, the audience multiplies and the conversations deepen.

TFT: WAREMAT, TOPACK, AUTOROBOT, and COSLOG cover interconnected industries. What was the vision behind bringing these exhibitions together under one platform?

D.V: Our vision was to create a comprehensive platform that brings together professionals from warehousing, material handling, packaging, automation, robotics, cold storage and logistics essentially showcasing the entire industry chain under one roof.

Southern cities like Chennai, Coimbatore and Hyderabad, sits at the heart of one of the country’s most dynamic manufacturing belts. We wanted WAREMAT and it’s co-located exhibitions to serve as India’s premier platform for warehousing, material handling, logistics, and supply chain excellence connecting manufacturers, solution providers, logistics operators, SMEs, MSMEs, and industry leaders in one place.

And the results have validated this vision. At our 5th edition in Coimbatore, we had over 150 stalls, 12,000-plus business professionals, and business transactions worth ₹85 crore all in just three days. With rapid urbanization, stricter food safety standards, booming exports, automation, and the rise of e-commerce transforming the industry, businesses don’t need more fragmented events they need one powerful ecosystem where they can connect, collaborate, and grow. That is exactly what we have built.

At Midaas Touch, we don’t just organize exhibitions. We connect customers and communities through physical exhibitions and our passion is to produce and deliver tailor-made B2B experiences for various industry sectors. This multi-vertical platform is the most tangible expression of that mission.

TFT: How do these co-located events create value for exhibitors and visitors compared to standalone exhibitions?

D.V: When an exhibitor participates in a standalone exhibition, they reach one specific audience. But when you co-locate WAREMAT, TOPACK, AUTOROBOT, and COSLOG under one roof, something powerful happens, the audience multiplies and the conversations deepen. A packaging machinery manufacturer at TOPACK suddenly finds himself talking to a warehouse automation buyer from WAREMAT, or a cold chain logistics decision-maker from COSLOG. These are not accidental interactions, they are high-value business conversations that would never have happened at a standalone event. For exhibitors, this means significantly better return on their investment. One participation fee, one travel, one set of stall logistics but exposure to the entire ecosystem of buyers across interconnected industries. That is a proposition no standalone exhibition can match.

For visitors, the value is equally transformational. Instead of traveling to multiple cities and blocking multiple days on their calendar to attend separate events, they walk into one venue and meet suppliers, technology partners, and solution providers across their entire operational value chain, from packaging to warehousing to automation to cold chain logistics, all in a single visit. A supply chain head, a procurement manager, or a plant operations director can evaluate solutions end-to-end, compare technologies side by side, and make informed decisions faster. This is what we mean when we call it a One-Stop Expo for the manufacturing and logistics ecosystem. We are not just saving people time, we are creating a platform where the right people meet the right solutions at the right time, and that is where real business gets done.”

TFT: How important is South India in driving growth across warehousing, packaging, automation, and cold chain sectors?

D.V: South India is not just a market for us, it is the engine. Cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, and Hyderabad sit at the heart of one of India’s most powerful manufacturing and industrial corridors. This region represents one of the biggest manufacturing belts in the country, with a dense concentration of auto ancillaries, textile units, pharma companies, food processors, and FMCG players, all of whom are active consumers of warehousing, packaging, automation, and cold chain solutions. The appetite for industrial upgradation here is enormous, and it is only accelerating.

South India sits at the epicentre of a perfect storm, urbanization, e-commerce, food safety mandates, export growth, and automation are all converging at once, and they are reshaping these industries faster than ever before. Hyderabad, for instance, is fast emerging as a powerhouse for cold chain growth, fueled by strong investments in food processing, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals, while Chennai’s port connectivity makes it a critical logistics gateway. That is precisely why we anchor our exhibitions in these cities, because this is where the demand is real, the buyers are serious, and the business happens.

TFT: Could you share insights into the expected scale of participation this year – exhibitors, buyers, delegates, and international presence?

D.V: Every edition we have grown and this year too, we are aiming for our biggest yet. The 7th Edition of WAREMAT, along with TOPACK, AUTOROBOT, and COSLOG, will be held from 30th, 31st July and 1st August 2026 at the Chennai Trade Centre, one of South India’s most prestigious and well-connected venues. Building on the momentum of our previous edition, where we had over 150 stalls and more than 12,000 business professionals transacting ₹85 crore worth of business in just three days, we are targeting a significantly larger exhibitor base, expanded hall space, and a stronger delegation of senior industry decision-makers this year.

On the international front, our ambition is very clear, we want Chennai 2026 to have a meaningful global footprint. Our platform is designed to enable connection between global and domestic expertise, fostering a profound understanding between international markets and local industry. We are actively engaging with overseas companies, technology providers, associations, and trade bodies to bring international participation to the floor. Visitors can expect to meet top exhibitors, discover the latest industry trends, attend live demos, and connect with potential buyers from across India and global markets, making this not just South India’s premier industrial event, but a truly world-class B2B platform.

TFT: SMEs are a major focus at WAREMAT. How does the exhibition support growth opportunities for SMEs?

D.V: SMEs & MSMEs are not an afterthought for us, they are the backbone of this exhibition. One of the core reasons we built this platform was to give small and medium enterprises an equal seat at the table alongside large corporations and MNCs. WAREMAT has from its very inception served as a common platform for SMEs & MSMEs in the logistics, warehousing, and material handling sector, giving them access to buyers, decision-makers, and technology partners that they would otherwise never be able to reach. For an SME & MSME, attending or exhibiting at WAREMAT means compressing months of sales outreach, market research, and partnership building into just three high-intensity days. That is transformational for a growing business.

The value goes beyond just visibility. WAREMAT is designed as one of the fastest and most effective platforms to enter and expand within the warehousing and material handling industry across Southern India, and for SMEs, MSMEs, speed of market entry is everything. We bring together manufacturers, solution providers, logistics operators, SMEs, MSMEs, and industry leaders under one roof for three days of networking, knowledge exchange, and business growth, which means an SME & MSME doesn’t just find customers here, they find mentors, collaborators, suppliers, and even investors. At Midaas Touch, it is more than just hosting events, it is about building communities and catalysing growth through every exhibition we organize. And for SMEs, that community is often the very launchpad they need.

TFT: Beyond exhibitions, conferences are key to industry discussions. What conference themes and topics will be featured across these events?

D.V: Conferences, for us, are not just add-ons to the exhibition floor, they are where the real intellectual value gets created. Our knowledge exchange sessions include conferences, panel discussions, and technical sessions that address emerging trends, policy frameworks, and digital transformation shaping the future of these industries. Across WAREMAT, TOPACK, AUTOROBOT, and COSLOG, the conference themes are intentionally built around what industry practitioners are grappling with right now, warehouse automation and AI-driven logistics, Industry 4.0 adoption for SMEs, MSMEs, smart packaging technologies, robotics integration on the shop floor, and the evolving cold chain ecosystem. We also place strong emphasis on sustainable and circular practices, integrating eco-friendly operations and ESG principles across warehousing and logistics value chains, because green supply chains are no longer optional; they are a business imperative.

On the knowledge-sharing side, our sessions are designed to highlight trends, real-world case studies, and strategies shaping the future of the industry, not just theoretical presentations but actionable insights that a plant manager or a logistics head can walk away and implement. We also focus on market insights covering emerging trends in automation, digitalization, and sustainability impacting India’s logistics landscape, and we deliberately invite voices from government, academia, and global industry to ensure the conversations are well-rounded. The goal is simple, when a delegate walks out of our conference hall, they should feel more equipped, more connected, and more inspired than when they walked in.

TFT: Robotics and AI are rapidly transforming industries. What key automation trends will AUTOROBOT highlight this year?

D.V: AUTOROBOT 2026 is not just an exhibition floor, it is a live demonstration of where Indian manufacturing is headed. AUTOROBOT 2026 brings together cutting-edge technologies in industrial automation, robotics, AI, smart factories, material handling, and Industry 4.0 solutions, and this year, the spotlight is firmly on trends that have moved from pilot projects to real-world deployment. The focus is shifting from simply increasing productivity to improving quality and flexibility in manufacturing, with modern automated systems developing beyond mechanization through the addition of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Visitors can expect to see live showcases of collaborative robots or cobots working alongside humans, autonomous mobile robots transforming warehouse floors, AI-driven machine vision for quality control, and predictive maintenance solutions that are saving crores in downtime across factories.

What makes AUTOROBOT particularly relevant this year is its grounding in what South India’s manufacturing sector needs right now. From IIoT platforms and connected systems to collaborative robots, autonomous vehicles, and AI-powered production lines, the exhibition demonstrates how manufacturing is being reshaped for resilience, scalability, and sustainability. We are also seeing a major shift in maintenance strategies, from schedule-based to condition-based and predictive models, with AI and data analytics now monitoring equipment health in real time, which is a game-changer for mid-sized manufacturers. And alongside all of this, cybersecurity for operational technology is emerging as a critical conversation, because a connected factory is only as strong as its most vulnerable node. AUTOROBOT 2026 addresses all of this, making it the most comprehensive automation platform South India has seen.

TFT: What message would you like to give industry professionals considering attending the event?

D.V: My message is simple, if you are serious about your business, you cannot afford to miss this. We are living through the most exciting and disruptive period in the history of Indian manufacturing, Warehousing, logistics, and supply chain. The decisions that industry professionals make in the next two to three years, about automation, about packaging technology, about cold chain infrastructure, about warehouse intelligence, will define whether their businesses lead or lag for the next decade. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and right now, the impression your business makes in the market is being shaped by how quickly and how smartly you are adopting the right technologies and the right partnerships.

For those still on the fence, I want them to understand what they are actually walking into. WAREMAT, TOPACK, AUTOROBOT, and COSLOG together are designed as a dynamic B2B networking and sourcing platform that brings together industry leaders, technology providers, manufacturers, system integrators, startups, and SMEs to showcase innovations, exchange ideas, and build strategic partnerships that drive business growth. This is not a trade fair where you walk around, collect brochures, and go home. This is a platform where you participate in knowledge sessions, understand emerging trends in automation, digitalization, and sustainability, and walk away with real market insights that you can act on immediately. There is also a unique possibility of connection between global and domestic expertise, fostering a profound understanding between international markets and local industry, and that kind of exposure is invaluable for any business looking to grow beyond its current boundaries. Come with an open mind, come with your team, come ready to do business and I promise you, Chennai 2026 will be three days that change the trajectory of your company.