The Indian Institute of Materials Management (IIMM) enjoys wide recognition across the world for promoting the importance of efficient materials management in the commercial and industrial sectors. Its flagship event, SPECTRUM, has grown significantly over the years and today attracts strong participation from supply chain management professionals.
The Institute organised SPECTRUM 2026 on 27 February under the theme “Reimagining Supply Chains with AI”. The conference witnessed enthusiastic participation from industry stakeholders and experts.
Welcoming the gathering, Mr. T. Sornakumar, Chairman, IIMM Chennai, outlined the various initiatives undertaken by the Institute and highlighted its contributions towards strengthening supply chain management practices.
Dr. B. Sampath, Vice Chairman – IIMM Chennai and Chairman – SPECTRUM & Special Events, emphasised the importance of the conference, noting that it has been growing bigger year after year and continues to serve as a valuable platform for knowledge exchange among industry professionals.
Mr. P. M. Biddappa, National President, IIMM, spoke about the Institute’s initiatives at the national level and highlighted the benefits of becoming a member of the organisation.
Dr. Arshinder Kaur, Professor, Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras, who was the Chief Guest on the occasion, observed that the Indian supply chain ecosystem is undergoing a structural transformation. She pointed out that e-commerce has rapidly evolved into quick commerce, while traditional warehouses are increasingly transforming into dark stores. Similarly, single-mode logistics has gradually shifted towards multi-modal logistics. Significant changes are also taking place in advanced manufacturing sectors such as automotive, defence and aerospace.
With the growing adoption of AI, she noted that an adaptive and intelligent strategic alignment is emerging between operations and supply chain systems. Dr. Kaur also referred to the Institute’s new initiative – the IIT–FedEx Smart Center – which is expected to drive a paradigm shift in supply chain operations.
During the business session, Mr. V. Ramanathan, President – Automotive Business, Lucas TVS, delivered the keynote address and shared insights from his 37 years of experience in the supply chain industry. He noted that India’s growth will largely be driven by manufacturing, particularly supported by sectors such as automotive and electronics. According to him, these industries are already witnessing rapid technological advancements driven by the IT revolution, with AI now emerging as the next major enabler. He added that employees at Lucas TVS are already leveraging AI for faster communication and improved security.
Dr. B. Ramesh, Past Chairman, IIMM, proposed the vote of thanks for the inaugural session.
The conference featured four technical sessions, during which experts from various domains shared their perspectives on the future of Artificial Intelligence and the opportunities it presents for the Indian supply chain management sector.
As in previous years, MOTORINDIA served as the Exclusive Media Partner for SPECTRUM 2026.