I By Himanshu K nnovation and manufacturing excellence are igniting a new era of growth in India’s cutting tools industry. A mix of micro and macro factors such as government initiatives like Make in India, PLI schemes, and Skill India is driving positive impact across diverse sectors including automotive, aerospace, medical, and electronics.
Simultaneously, a shift in consumer preferences reflecting in the rising demand not just for general-purpose tools but also for specialized precision tools, as well as form-tools with special surface treatments and coatings is re-shaping the industry’s growth trajectory. Leading the charge in this domain is the 1983 established CTC India Pvt. Ltd, part of CTC group of companies.
The CTC Group operates four brands, namely CTC India, CTC Praezision Tools, Kemmer Präzision (Germany), and ATS Tools (Singapore), with a 500+ member team manufacturing 20 million tools annually across 12+ industries.
A value-driven, high-quality precision tool maker, CTC addresses a critical gap in the market, which is the need for high performance micro tools at reasonable pricing. A complete tooling solutions provider the firm caters to the sector-specific demand for precision cutting tools for diverse sectors including aerospace, watchmaking, dental, automotive, smart devices, semiconductor manufacturing, and many more, across the domestic and international markets.
Legacy of Excellence
In 1983, Ramesh Kumar Agarwalla and Gokul Kumar Agarwalla launched two ventures, namely Cal DC specializing in SMPS manufacturing, and CTC (India) Pvt. Ltd., focused on high-precision PCB tools, of which it is a leader in South-Asia. Confronting early challenges and capitalizing on the opportunities presented by India’s economic liberalization, the company navigated a complex business environment to streamline its operations and meet growing domestic and global demand. Guided by a commitment to quality and innovation, CTC steadily advanced, establishing itself as a trusted name in precision tooling.
Vishal Kumar Agarwalla, Director (Company Development)
Growing steadily, the company expanded its capabilities from producing 10 thousand tools per yearto an installed capacity of over 20 million precision cutting tools per annum now. A defining milestone in CTC’s journey came in 2010 with the acquisition of Kemmer Präzision GmbH, Europe’s largest manufacturer of PCB cutting tools and a well established brand since 1954.
This strategic move marked CTC’s entry into the global arena, providing an opportunity to expand across nearly all European markets. By integrating Kemmer’s deep-rooted industry expertise and legacy of excellence, CTC significantly accelerated its international growth and cemented its reputation as a trusted global player in precision tooling.
Another major chapter unfolded in 2012, when CTC entered a joint venture with Japanese giant Kyocera to establish a dedicated entity for manufacturing indexable tools tailored for the automotive and heavy engineering sectors in India and the Asia-Pacific region. This partnership thrived for over a decade, delivering remarkable growth and mutual success. In 2023, the two partners amicably concluded their collaboration, marking the respectful closure of a highly successful alliance in the indexable tooling space.
Staying true to its forward-looking vision, the CTC Group deepened its commitment to advanced manufacturing with significant investments. This included the establishment of a new entity, named CTC Praezision Tools (2021), dedicated to developing cutting-edge solid carbide round tools for industrial applications, particularly catering to the growing demands of 3C and semiconductor manufacturers.
This vision materialized in 2023–24 with the more-than-doubling of CTC’s metal cutting tool manufacturing capacity. Further strengthening customer engagement and service efficiency, the Group also inaugurated a dedicated sales warehouse in Bangalore to better serve key manufacturing clusters across southern India.
In 2025, CTC continued its global growth by acquiring the legacy brand Alignment Tools in Singapore, gaining access to the rapidly growing Asian market. Alignment Tools adds PCD tooling to CTC’s diverse offerings and is firmly positioned as a trusted global leader in precision tooling.
Making a Distinctive Mark
Thriving on a legacy built over four decades, CTC has consistently embodied the values of innovation, reliability, and deep technical expertise. Today, it holds a distinctive position in the global precision tooling industry, known for its comprehensive portfolio of solid carbide round tools and commitment to cutting-edge manufacturing.
A pioneer in its field, CTC offers an extensive range of tools including drills, endmills, routers, form tools, reamers, engravers, thread mills, groovers, and customized special tools.
The company’s specialization lies in its ultra-precision carbide cutting tools, which range from as small as 0.03 mm (30 microns, which is thinner than a human eyelash) up to 32 mm in diameter.
What truly sets CTC apart is its ability to deliver tools that align with the global shift towards miniaturization. With its micro-tool range starting at just 30µm, the company positions itself as an essential partner for industries where precision at the sub-micron level is non-negotiable.
“Indian engineering backed by over 200 Swiss-made high-precision grinding machines, coupled with German coating and inspection technologies, enhanced with indigenously developed super-finishing surface technology, the CTC Group has the capability to produce over 20 million tools annually, each adhering to stringent international quality standards. Our operations are enabled by smart manufacturing systems that incorporate real-time analytics, predictive maintenance, and proactive alert mechanisms, ensuring minimized downtime and optimized output”, shares Vishal Kumar Agarwalla, Director(Company Development), CTC.
Shree Narayan Singh, CTC Group Works Head and Manish Adwani, Managing Director, CemeCon, India
CTC’s production ecosystem is further enhanced by advanced data analytics and modular automation principles, reducing error rates while significantly improving efficiency. A strong emphasis on design flexibility, customizability, automation, digital integration in manufacturing (Industry 4.0), and sustainable machining solutions empowers the company to adapt rapidly to evolving customer needs.
Through strategic OEM collaborations, private-label partner- ships, and alliances with niche industrial innovators, CTC ensures faster iterations, shorter turn around times, and improved product-market alignment.
Gregor Dutkiewicz, Thilo Mayländer, Gokul Agarwalla, Alexander Groll, Vishal Agarwal, Kemmer Präzision, Germany
“Customization is at the heart of our value proposition. We understand that different industries require distinct tool geometries, material compatibilities, and performance outcomes. By merging deep domain knowledge with modern manufacturing capabilities, CTC consistently delivers tools that not only meet but often exceed customer expectations in terms of tool life and machining efficiency”, adds Vishal .
ATS (Alignment Tool, Singapore) - Foo Wai She, Tok Poh Siong, Mark, Ho Tian Hee
Customization being a key differentiator is strengthened by the firm’s extensive R&D focus with dedicated engineering teams prioritizing tool life extension, regrinding programs, or advanced coatings that reduce wear and energy usage during machining. Simultaneously, its unique client engagement program, featuring co-creation practices with the clients, engaging them throughout the development cycle, flexibly iterating products based on ongoing feedback, sets it apart. A deeply client-focused firm, CTC offers long-term support, with its teams visiting clients to periodically assess and offer guidance on any required upgrades for the pertinent tools.
We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but it’s our unwavering belief in precision, consistency, and customer trust that keeps us grounded
Future Outlook
The future of the cutting tools sector promises to be shaped by emerging technologies and application trends. Increasing demand for aluminium machining, particularly in specialized sectors like automotive and electronics is directly enhancing the demand for high-precision PCB tools in India and beyond. In aerospace applications, there is a sharp increase in the demand for machining of advanced materials such as CFRP, titanium, Inconel and other composite materials, which require special geometry as well as advanced hard coatings.
The industry is also experiencing notable innovations and shifts, particularly with the rising demand for graphite machining, driven by applications such as EDM electrodes and battery component production, boosting the need for advanced diamond-coated cutting solutions. In parallel, micro tooling is gaining momentum, especially in sectors like medical device manufacturing, R&D, and precision engineering, where ultra-small tools are essential for high-accuracy applications.
“As we look to the future, we remain committed to blending traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, continually investing in equipment, talent, and new product lines to serve the evolving needs of a dynamic global market”, concludes Vishal.
Driven by this purpose, the company is focused on its mission to capture a substantial share of the domestic, APAC, and Middle Eastern machining markets, as well as the global OEM space for industrial and dental tools. CTC aspires to be recognized for delivering exceptional quality at optimal cost, achieving zero defects through a culture of continuous improvement, and consistently creating value through its products.
CTC’s unwavering commitment to innovation has driven numerous breakthroughs and industry-first achievements over the decades:
•1983: Pioneered the commercial production of PCB routers, marking a major milestone in the industry.
•1986: Launched its first line of PCB drills, expanding its footprint in precision tooling.
•1999: A year of major growth manufacturing capacity doubled and infrastructure was substantially upgraded - introduction of micro industrial tools •2010: Acquisition of Kemmer Präzision (Germany)
•2014: Enhancement ofproduct portfolio with Introduction of Burrs(nails & foot care) and medical/dental tools
•2018: Significant scale up production capacity for micro industrial tools including 3C while expanding its skilled workforce
•2021:Incorporated CTC Praezision Tools andestablished an in-house R&D and technology innovation center to accelerate product development
•2022: Commissioned a state-of-the-art coating facility and introduced advanced surface finish technology to enhance product performance and durability
•2025: Acquired Alignment Tools(Singapore)and introduced a dedicated PCD product line to serve high-performance cutting applications
.jpg "CTC Group: High-Performance Cutting Tools Backed by Value Engineering for Diverse Applications")
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