Marposs Eyes India as a Top-three Market in Five Years

As Marposs sets sight on high-growth markets, India is emerging as a strategic priority in the group’s game plan. The Italian precision engineering company, known for its grinding, measurement and machine-monitoring systems, currently counts India among its top 10 markets. However, on the back of rapid industrial expansion, technology upgrades, the country is expected to be in the top three list over the next five years.

Cosimo Cereda, managing director of Marposs India operations, sees the opportunity here on two fronts. On one side, India’s industrial base is expanding in double digits, particularly in automotive and advanced engineering spaces. On the other side, manufacturers are moving up the value chain with tighter tolerances, better process control, and global quality benchmarks. For Marposs - whose solutions are for precision and defect prevention - that transition creates structural demand, not just a cyclical opportunity.

Electric mobility is a central pillar of this opportunity. The company is positioning itself to replicate in India the EV production solutions it has already deployed globally - from battery cell testing and pack validation to gearbox assembly and die-cast structural components.

At the same time, aerospace is emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments here, as rising domestic air traffic and localised production by global OEMs bring demand for high-precision solutions. Over the long term, semiconductor fabrication presents another opportunity with India looking to scale the fab ecosystem.

To support this growth potential, Marposs is working on a localisation roadmap. It plans to raise local manufacturing in India to nearly 50% over the next five years from 20% through the expansion of production and engineering capabilities.

Could you explain Marposs’ core business areas for our readers?

Marposs was created around grinding technology. Grinding is the final stage in metalworking for extremely tight dimensional accuracy. When a metal part is cast or machined, it is still slightly oversized. Grinding removes microscopic amounts of material using synthetic abrasive tools to reach exact tolerances, sometimes down to thousandths of a millimetre.

Over time, the company expanded into measurement systems that verify whether parts meet dimensional specifications, testing systems that validate functionality, and monitoring systems that check, every few milliseconds, whether machines are operating correctly. Together, these technologies prevent defects, increase productivity and ensure consistent quality. The idea is not only to measure a defect after it occurs, but to prevent it from happening.

In the automotive sector specifically, where do your solutions fit in?

In automotive manufacturing, our applications span across gears, engines, bearings, brake and clutch systems and increasingly electric vehicle components. For engines, we work on crankshafts, camshafts, connecting rods and engine blocks. In electric vehicles, we test battery cells, validate battery pack assemblies, ensure sealing of battery trays and verify electrical integrity. These are critical areas for safety and durability.

Beyond automotive, we are active in aerospace, train components, generators, pumps and globally in semiconductors. Essentially, wherever high-precision metalworking is involved, we are present.

How do you view India as a market?

India is growing in two dimensions - size and technology. Industrial growth is in double digits, which makes it one of the fastest-growing major markets. But what is more interesting is how quickly the technological gap is closing.

In the past, the focus in India was strongly on cost, often resulting in lower specifications. Today, India is moving towards advanced standards, including Euro 6-equivalent combustion technologies and higher reliability benchmarks. You now see companies operating at global standards alongside more cost-driven segments. The transition is happening fast.

How has the approach to quality changed over the years in India?

There is still strong price sensitivity. That is a reality. However, we try to shift the discussion from price to return on investment. If you compare two solutions - one that costs little but generates modest returns, and another that costs more but pays for itself quickly - the second is economically superior for an industrial customer.

Our systems may have higher upfront costs, but they reduce scrap, prevent defects, increase throughput and compress production time. That lowers the cost per part. Increasingly, customers now understand this business logic.

What differentiates Marposs from competitors in India?

First, presence. Technical products require close collaboration. We currently operate six offices across India. Being close to customers is critical because precision manufacturing is not transactional; it is collaborative.

Second, technological depth. At very high precision levels, alternatives are limited. In certain monitoring and metrology applications, there are a few competitors who can offer a complete range.

Third, our approach. We do not simply sell a measuring device. We provide a comprehensive solution. If a customer wants to measure a component, we evaluate the entire production line - monitoring systems, environmental conditions, integration issues - and propose a complete setup that works seamlessly. It is the difference between selling car parts and delivering a fully assembled vehicle.

What are your priorities for India over the next five years?

The first priority is excellence. We want to position ourselves as a problem-solving partner, not just a supplier of equipment.

Second, we want to expand into new-generation applications, especially electric mobility. Globally, we have installed EV production lines for major brands. As these technologies scale in India, we want to bring proven solutions here.
Third, localisation is a key focus.

How significant is localisation in your roadmap?

Currently, about 20% of what we sell in India is locally manufactured. Over the next five years, we aim to raise that to between 40% and 50%.

We already have a small production facility in Delhi. The plan is to expand it. This is not a greenfield investment but a scaling up of existing operations, with a larger plant, expanded design capabilities and more product lines in measuring systems.

Not everything can be localised. Certain high-precision products require specialised facilities. However, selective localisation improves responsiveness and can eventually support exports.

Could India become an export hub for Marposs?

Potentially, yes. Large industrial markets such as the US and Mexico could be served from India, depending on scale and global trade dynamics. However, our primary driver remains domestic growth.

Where does India rank among your global markets today?

India is currently among our top ten markets, around seventh. Within five years, I expect India to become our third-largest market.

What is the current size of your India operations?

India contributes less than 10% of global turnover. In absolute terms, our India business is between Rs 200-300 crore annually. Over the next five years, we expect this to double to around Rs 400 crore to Rs 500 crore, depending on industrial growth and market conditions.

What share of India revenue comes from automotive?

Around 40% of our India business comes from automotive. Interestingly, aerospace is currently the fastest-growing segment here. As air travel expands and global aerospace players increase local production and maintenance capacity, demand for precision systems rises accordingly.

Globally, automotive remains dominant, but aerospace has strong growth momentum in India.

What kind of investments are planned in India?

Our India headcount is around 140 employees. The main investment is in people. We may add 20 to 30 professionals over time, but more importantly, we are investing heavily in training and capability development.

To reach excellence, you must build a strong team. That requires sending engineers abroad, exposing them to global installations and continuously upgrading skills. The investment is not only financial; it is in attention and effort.

Do you have R&D in India?

Not yet. In our model, R&D is closely linked to production. As localisation deepens, R&D could follow. For now, our focus is on scaling manufacturing and engineering capabilities.

Which are the new sectors on the horizon?

Semiconductors represent a major opportunity. Globally, we are active in semiconductor applications. As India develops fabrication capacity, we expect to participate. However, the opportunity depends on which technologies are established locally.

If you had to summarise your India strategy?

We aim to build a high-excellence, solution-driven organisation that delivers measurable return on investment to customers. India is not merely a cost-driven market; it is a technology market in transition. We intend to grow alongside that transformation.