Kotak Alts Invests $142 Million in CNC Machine Tool Maker Ace Designers, Signaling Strong Momentum for India's Manufacturing Upgrade

According to DealStreetAsia, Kotak Alternate Asset Managers Limited (Kotak Alts), the alternative investment arm of the Kotak Mahindra Group, has announced a major investment of INR 12 billion (approximately USD 142 million) in Ace Designers Ltd, a leading CNC machine tool manufacturer in India.

The investment will be used by Ace Designers to expand its product portfolio, build new factories, and accelerate its global market presence across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. As a core manufacturer of CNC lathes and machining centers in India, Ace Designers has deep expertise in the field. For the fiscal year 2024–2025, the company is projected to achieve annual revenue exceeding INR 24 billion, with production capacity reaching 8,000 CNC lathes and 3,400 machining centers. Kotak Alts' substantial investment in Ace Designers is just one example of the broader boom in India’s thriving manufacturing sector.

In recent years, investment enthusiasm in Indian manufacturing has been on the rise. Companies are ramping up spending in areas such as machinery and equipment, with growing demand for technologies and tools related to gears, bearings, and grinding.

As a core processing solution for gear, bearing, and grinding component manufacturing, CNC machine tools play a pivotal role. Technological advancements and capacity expansions in CNC machinery are expected to drive both efficiency and precision across the component manufacturing chain. With Ace Designers strengthening its global footprint, more international attention and procurement resources are likely to shift toward India.

Driven by India’s “Make in India” strategy and strong capital inflows, the machine tool, bearing, and grinding sectors are entering a new phase of growth opportunity.