TyrePlex Raised Funds

TyrePlex has raised INR 200 million in funding (approximately US$ 2.4 million) round led by PeerCapital with the participation from Titan Capital Winners Fund, Sattva Family Office, and existing investors, including 100 Unicorns. This funding will be strategically deployed to accelerate growth in multiple areas. TyrePlex plans to expand its geographic footprint into the top 25 cities across India, leveraging a combination of qualitative and quantitative data points for city selection.
By focusing on establishing a strong distribution base, TyrePlex as a B2B tyre marketplace, is keen to unlock additional services for both tyre brands and dealers. These include tailored solutions for customer relationship management, inventory optimisation and advanced analytics to drive informed decision-making.
A significant portion of the funds will be allocated to strengthening the company’s technology platform to further enhance dealer-centric tools and improve operational efficiencies. TyrePlex will additionally pilot tyre recycling and reverse logistics initiatives, addressing key sustainability challenges in the industry. The company is also focusing on creating a lean yet highly effective team to support its city expansion plans.
Founded in 2020 by auto-tech industry veterans, the company aims to revolutionise the highly fragmented tyre retail ecosystem in India by offering a comprehensive, technology-driven platform that empowers tyre dealers to enhance their efficiency and profitability.
With over 20,000 registered tyre dealers, the platform provides tools to improve sales and margins, streamline procurement, manage inventory, and set up online stores. The company’s app offers an integrated solution that simplifies operations, generates demand, and enables easy procurement of tyres with delivery within three or four hours.
The company’s dealer-centric approach has resulted in a high Net Promoter Score (NPS) and impressive repeat business metrics, reflecting the platform’s ability to address dealer pain points effectively. With seamless operations, reliable product availability, and competitive pricing, the platform has garnered strong loyalty among its users, fostering trust and long-term partnerships.
 

Uno Minda Launches New Car Care Products For The Aftermarket Segment

Uno Minda

Tier 1 supplier Uno Minda has introduced its new line of car care products designed for the booming Indian automotive aftermarket. This strategic move responds to the increasing demand from Indian consumers for high-quality, DIY maintenance solutions for their vehicles.

The Indian car care market is expanding rapidly, fuelled by a growing number of vehicle owners with higher disposable incomes who are focused on maintaining the appearance and resale value of their cars. Consumers are also increasingly aware of the need for products that can protect their vehicles from India's diverse climate, from harsh monsoon rains to scorching summer heat.

The new product line from Uno Minda offers a wide variety of solutions for both interior and exterior car maintenance. The lineup includes a Car Exterior Wash Shampoo, a Waterless Wash for quick clean-ups and a Car Exterior Polish to give a radiant shine.

For interior care, the products include an Anti-Bacterial Interior Foam and Car AC Vent Hygiene Foam with silver nano technology to ensure a clean cabin. The range also features a Glass Anti-Fog Spray and a Windshield Cleaner Foam to improve visibility and safety during adverse weather conditions.

Karna Markan, Head of Sales & Distribution (Accessories) at Uno Minda, “Our entry into the Auto Care segment reflects Uno Minda's commitment to advancing alongside our customers. With the automotive care sector growing rapidly and consumers increasingly prioritising vehicle maintenance, there is a growing demand for trusted brands. The new car care line offers features for both internal and external applications. Internally, the Anti Fog Demister ensures windshields and windows remain clear of fog and mist, promoting safe driving in adverse weather and reducing eye fatigue. A highly effective foam cleaner removes dirt, grime, bugs, road residue and contaminants from car windshields, enhancing visibility and safety. Externally, the line includes a thorough car wash that gently cleans and restores the vehicle's paint, leaving it brilliantly gleaming and protected with a radiant gloss. These products are formulated with wash-active agents to effectively eliminate road debris, dust, oily residues and greasy contaminants without a trace, ensuring vehicles maintain their pristine appearance and durability."

The products are formulated with ‘wash-active agents’ to effectively remove road debris, dust and oily residues without damaging the vehicle's finish. They are also designed to be easy for consumers to use at home.

AutoDukan Raises $1 Million To Scale AI-Driven Services

Autodukan

AutoDukan, a digital aftermarket platform, has announced that it has secured USD 1 million in a pre-Series A funding round to expand its AI-driven services across the country.

The startup, which specialises in spare parts procurement, insurance claim processing and multi-brand workshop enablement, plans to use the new capital to scale its operations, enhance its AI technology and deepen its partnerships with insurers, fleet operators and OEM suppliers.

The funding round was led by the Choice Group and a number of high-net-worth individuals, with continued support from MetroMax Group's Indian arm and angel investor Ankit Sajnani. This latest investment follows earlier funding rounds backed by Rohit Goyal, Windrose Capital and NRI investor Raghu Venkatraman.

Gunjan Ruparelia, Co-Founder and CEO, AutoDukan, said, “Our latest investment validates our AI-first approach to solving a deeply fragmented market. We’re not just digitising procurement, we are building an intelligent backbone for the automotive repair and insurance ecosystem.”

Sumit Desai, CTO, said, “AI allows us to anticipate demand and match parts instantly. This funding helps us bring that efficiency to India’s largest automotive regions.”

Pranay Tagare, COO, said, “We’re driving data-driven precision into a traditionally manual industry. AutoDukan’s AI platform delivers speed, transparency and trust at scale.”

“We are excited to lead AutoDukan’s Pre-Series A round. The company’s AI-driven approach addresses real inefficiencies in India’s automobile aftermarket, and we are confident it will transform spare part procurement and insurance claim workflows nationwide.” said Choice Group.

AutoDukan claimed it achieved a 10x growth over the last two years, attributing its success to its AI platform, which provides data-driven precision, speed and transparency. The platform was first adopted by one of India's largest insurance players, demonstrating its potential to transform the nation’s automobile aftermarket.

Lubrizol Appoints Abhishek Shrivastava Managing Director For IMEA

Abhishek Shrivastava - Lubrizol

Lubrizol has announced the appointment of Abhishek Shrivastava as its new Managing Director for India, the Middle East and Africa (IMEA).

The company said that he comes with extensive experience and technical expertise to accelerate growth and enhance its support for customers throughout the region.

In his new role, Shrivastava will oversee Lubrizol’s regional strategy, focusing on fostering local innovation, strengthening manufacturing and supply chain capabilities and developing the company's talent pool. He brings nearly two decades of experience in business transformation, R&D and technical leadership. Most recently, he served as Lubrizol's Vice-President, Innovation and Decision Science, where he was instrumental in developing sustainable and digital innovation capabilities.

Rebecca Liebert, Lubrizol's President and CEO, said, "Abhishek’s appointment reflects the strategic importance of the IMEA region for Lubrizol’s future. His deep industry knowledge, technical expertise, and ability to align innovation with customer needs make him ideally suited to support the region’s growth potential and strengthen our presence across these key markets."

Shrivastava will be responsible for driving a ‘local-for-local’ model, enabling regional teams to identify and capitalise on market-specific opportunities. He will also work closely with global and regional leadership to deepen engagement with customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders across the IMEA markets.

"India, the Middle East and Africa are dynamic regions, full of opportunity and home to exceptional talent. Lubrizol has a strong legacy here, and we are committed to furthering localised innovation, regional collaboration and impactful partnerships. As industries evolve, we remain dedicated to collaborating closely with our stakeholders and developing solutions that address local needs," Shrivastava commented.

Valvoline Cummins, Mahindra Extend Partnership For Lubricants

Valvoline Cummins

Valvoline Cummins and Mahindra & Mahindra have announced a new strategic collaboration, deepening a relationship that has spanned over two decades. Under a new four-year agreement, Valvoline Cummins will now be the primary supplier of genuine lubricants for Mahindra's aftermarket business, including products sold under the Mahindra - Maximile brand.

This partnership will see Valvoline Cummins supply a range of high-performing lubricants, such as engine, transmission and axle oils, specifically tailored for Mahindra’s entire fleet of passenger vehicles, SUVs and pickups. These products will be distributed through Mahindra's expansive dealership and ‘Bazar’ networks in India's North, West and East zones.

Sandeep Kalia, Managing Director, Valvoline Cummins, said, “As a trusted partner with Mahindra for the past decade, we are excited for this evolution of our relationship. Today marks a major milestone that will enable significant business growth and reflects further confidence in our people, technology, innovation, serviceability and continuous commitment to customer centricity as a core value.”

Michael Dreyer, Senior Vice-President, Valvoline Global Operations, added, “Mahindra is fast becoming a trusted global brand, and Valvoline is well positioned to collaborate across geographies and support their global ambitions. This strategic agreement unites two trusted names with a shared focus on performance, innovation and sustainability. As Valvoline expands its role within the Mahindra ecosystem, the collaboration is set to deliver enhanced value across vehicles, and customer experiences — setting new benchmarks for excellence in automotive lubricant solutions.”

In a move that aligns with the sustainability goals of both companies, Valvoline Cummins will also introduce Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) packaging for its products supplied to Mahindra, reinforcing their commitment to responsible business practices and environmental stewardship.