India’s automobile industry has witnessed a dip is sales number in the passenger and commercial vehicle segments in FY24 and H1FY25. However, experts from CareEdge Ratings opine that this dip is no alarming for the overall industry as it is a cyclical downturn and the industry will bounce back. 
Commenting on the same during a virtual press conference, Senior Director Ranjan Sharma said, “The automobile sector has exhibited a mixed trend in H1FY25. While the two-wheeler industry has zoomed ahead at a healthy year-over-year growth rate of 16 percent, primarily driven by strong rural demand on the back of higher rural income levels, the passenger vehicle (PV) industry after witnessing healthy growth in past 2-3 years, has entered the slow lane during H1FY25 with wholesale volume growth slowing down to 2 percent on year-over-year basis due to subdued demand for entry-level cars and elevated inventory levels at dealer’s end. While two-wheeler volume growth is expected to remain healthy during FY25, overall PV volume growth is expected to continue to remain muted in FY25.”
“The commercial vehicle (CV) sector experienced significant growth post-pandemic, with approximately 30 percent growth in FY22 and FY23. FY22's growth was driven by a low base effect due to the pandemic's impact in FY21, while FY23 saw robust growth on a higher base. However, the momentum appears to have plateaued. Last year, the sector recorded a slight decline of around 1 percent and the current half-year shows a further decline of approximately 3 percent, primarily driven by a drop in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment. Meanwhile, the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (MHCV) segment has remained relatively stable,” he added. 
He also noted that infrastructure spending and increased construction activity in the second half of the fiscal year, supported by heightened government investment, could lead to some improvement. Nevertheless, for FY25 as a whole, CV volumes are expected to remain in negative territory, with an estimated decline upto 3 percent.
Commenting on how the dip in sales will fare for the overall automobile industry, he stated, “The two-wheeler segment is performing well overall. However, major CV and PV players are doing well individually, though volume growth is expected to remain neutral for a year or two, as this is cyclical. The sectors witnessed such fluctuations every 2-3 years but there is no alarming concern for the overall sector. Moreover, there are no significant concerns from a credit quality standpoint. These companies are large, have diversified portfolios and maintain a strong financial risk profile.”
He added, “The PV sector witnessed significant growth in the past couple of years, driven by its cyclical nature. The growth rate for FY25 is projected to be around 3 percent with a similar trajectory expected for FY26. The LCV segment, being more price-sensitive, has been particularly affected, showing sharper declines. For FY25, the sector is expected to close with a decline of about -1.5 percent to -2 percent. Looking ahead to FY26, even under the best-case scenario, growth is likely to remain subdued, with only minimal improvements expected, driven by the same underlying factors.”
Alluding to the performance of the electric vehicle (EV) segment, he said, “EV volumes have shown healthy growth, particularly in two-wheelers and e-buses. However, this growth has come from a very low base. Even in FY24, EV penetration remains modest with two-wheelers at approximately 5.4 percent and other segments, including passenger and commercial vehicles, at around 2 percent each. The slower pace of growth and penetration can be attributed to challenges such as underdeveloped EV charging infrastructure and the high cost of EVs compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, which continue to act as significant bottlenecks.”
 

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Hyundai Motor Group, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) have entered a trilateral strategic partnership to develop a high-skilled technical workforce in Vietnam.

Signed in late April 2026, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishes a training ecosystem designed to support Vietnam’s rapidly industrialising automotive sector.

The program, scheduled to run from the second half of 2026 through 2031, aims to create a ‘virtuous cycle’ by bridging the gap between vocational education and active industrial careers.

The partnership leverages the unique strengths of each signatory to ensure graduates are production-ready from day one:

• Curriculum & Expertise: Hyundai Motor Group will lead the design of the curriculum, focusing on hands-on manufacturing disciplines including die-casting, press forming and welding.
• Governance & Operations: KOICA will oversee the broader program management and technical training modules.
• Administrative Support: MOET will coordinate the program through its network of vocational training institutions across Vietnam.

Upon completion, graduates will be directly connected with employment opportunities at small and medium-sized component manufacturers operating within Vietnam, addressing a critical labour shortage in the regional supply chain.

Vietnam is a cornerstone of Hyundai Motor Group’s ASEAN strategy. The Group operates the Hyundai Thanh Cong Vietnam Auto Manufacturing Corporation (HTMV) joint venture, which recently expanded with a second plant in Ninh Binh.

Sung Kim, President of Hyundai Motor Group, said, "Vietnam's automotive market is growing fast, and the demand for skilled professionals is growing with it. We aim to give Vietnamese students real educational opportunities and build a virtuous cycle from classroom to career."

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The German Association of Suppliers (ArGeZ), an interest group representing approximately 9,000 suppliers and supported by several industry associations, has reported that the domestic automotive supplier industry remains trapped in a deep structural crisis with no economic recovery in sight. Weak order intake, rising operational costs and mounting international competitive pressure continue to threaten industrial resilience and value chain stability.

This prolonged crisis extended into 2025, marked by a 1.1 percent drop in revenue and a 1.0 percent fall in production, the fourth consecutive annual decline. Excluding a temporary recovery in 2021, the sector has faced a structural downturn since 2019. Employment fell by 3.4 percent year-on-year in 2025, with growing job cuts underscoring the weakening state of German suppliers.

The first two months of 2026 offered no turnaround. Employment kept falling by another 3.4 percent, and production decreased by 0.4 percent. The ifo Business Climate Index for German suppliers plunged from -14.4 points in February to -24.1 points in March 2026, ending any hesitant stabilisation. ArGeZ spokesperson Christian Vietmeyer noted that only about one in ten suppliers rates their current situation as good, while just 16 percent expect improvement in the next six months.

Weak demand from key customer sectors remains the principal cause, with order intake too volatile for sustainable stabilisation. Geopolitical tensions, trade policy uncertainties and rising energy prices are compounding difficulties. International competitive pressure is increasing, as imports of iron and steel products rose about 10 percent in 2025, with even stronger growth for numerous automotive parts.

The German government is still expected to deliver bold economic transformation. High labour costs are forcing suppliers out of business and driving production shifts abroad. ArGeZ calls for longer working hours, curbing sick-leave absenteeism by abolishing phone-based sick notes and reducing non-wage labour costs to a maximum of 40 percent. Dr Martin Theuringer, Managing Director of the German Foundry Industry Association, stated that supplier management repeatedly invests in foreign plants instead of German locations, leading to a slow bleeding out of the industry.

Promised energy price reductions have not materialised. Many suppliers are excluded from electricity tax cuts. For small and medium-sized enterprises, gas prices are burdened by a national CO₂ price higher than the EU Emissions Trading System price. ArGeZ demands suspending the national CO₂ price until the European small-installation price (ETS 2) is introduced. The EU’s proposed ‘Made in Europe’ label is a step forward but must avoid bureaucracy, and technological openness beyond 2035 remains essential.

Regarding the expected introduction of the EU End-of-Life Vehicles Directive (ELVR) this summer, Michael Weigelt has demanded that the competitiveness of secondary materials be guaranteed. He called for streamlined, low-bureaucracy processes and energy cost relief for recycling companies, because only economically viable recyclates will enable international competitiveness.

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TIP Group has signed a new agreement with Verdis to supply modern, environmentally efficient waste-collection vehicles for the company’s expanding operations in Malmö. The deal includes 16 garbage trucks, featuring 12 NTM Quatro four‑compartment bodies and four NTM KG‑HL single‑compartment bodies, all mounted on Scania CNG L340 6x2 chassis.

The collaboration provides Verdis with a future‑ready fleet without major upfront investment, ensuring predictable costs and financial flexibility. TIP will deliver full‑service fleet support, managing all maintenance and lifecycle performance to guarantee strong uptime and efficient operations. This marks the beginning of a reliable partnership for waste management solutions across Sweden.

By combining modern equipment with comprehensive lifecycle care, TIP reinforces its growing role as a trusted partner in the Nordic waste management sector. The agreement allows Verdis to focus entirely on delivering high‑quality collection services while scaling capacity as operational needs change.

Christian Petersen, VP & Managing Director, Nordic at TIP Group, said, “We are proud to support Verdis with a future-proof, environmentally conscious fleet solution. This agreement highlights our capability within waste management equipment and reflects TIP’s broader role as a strong partner for heavy transport equipment across many sectors.”

Per-Eric Bjurenborg, VD from Verdis, said, “For us, the partnership with TIP Group brings real stability and efficiency to our daily operations. Their comprehensive support package reduces administrative complexity and gives us peace of mind in a sector where reliability is critical. This allows us to stay focused on providing the best possible service to the municipalities we serve.”

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Orion S.A. is preparing to demonstrate the role of its speciality carbon blacks in advancing sustainability, high-jet performance and electrical conductivity within coatings systems. The global speciality chemicals company will make these presentations at the 2026 American Coatings Show + Conference, scheduled for 5–7 May in Indianapolis.

Visitors to Orion’s Booth 1466 will be directed to three key product lines. The first is ECOLAR 50 POWDER, a bio-circular feedstock-based carbon black that has previously won industry awards. The company is also featuring COLOUR BLACK FW 310 and COLOUR BLACK FW 255, two grades recognised for their exceptional jetness in both waterborne and solvent-borne formulations. Beyond product displays, Orion will offer technical guidance on achieving effective dispersion of speciality carbon blacks in electrically conductive coating systems.

ECOLAR 50 POWDER functions as a low to medium furnace black, delivering medium jetness in mass tone applications alongside reliable tinting strength. Meanwhile, the FW 310 and FW 255 grades rank among the deepest black pigments available for automotive coatings, producing a clean and elegant finish. FW 310 achieves Orion’s highest jetness levels with a deep blue undertone, making it suitable for automotive OEM basecoats, refinish coatings and premium industrial uses. FW 255 is engineered for automotive OEM and refinish systems, providing very high jetness and a similar blue undertone in both solvent-borne and waterborne environments. An additional after-treatment step enhances its wetting and dispersion properties.

A technical presentation by Orion’s Jaelene Matos, North American Technical Marketing Manager for Coatings Systems, is scheduled for 9 a.m. on 6 May. Her talk will examine how the dispersion process influences the final conductive properties of new specialty conductive carbon blacks in waterborne and solvent-borne coating systems. The discussion will cover the fundamental role of carbon black in conductive coatings, as well as the effects of dispersion method, processing time and dosage on conductive performance. Matos will also compare the conductive behaviour of medium and high conductive carbon black grades across different coating system types.

Zack Hays, Marketing Manager for Coatings and Printing Systems in North America, Orion, said, “The colouristic properties of ECOLAR 50 POWDER compare favourably with traditional specialty carbon blacks across a broad range of coatings systems and applications, with the added benefit that it contains 100 percent biogenic raw material per 14C analysis. Since we officially launched ECOLAR 50 POWDER last year, industry response has been overwhelmingly positive. We’re very proud of introducing an industry-leading?  100 percent bio-based carbon black, and we look forward to helping our customers produce truly sustainable products, contribute to a healthier planet and promote a more circular economy.”

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