By T Murrali:

Freudenberg Performance Materials India (FPMI), part of Freudenberg Performance Materials (FPM), a global manufacturer of technical textiles, nonwovens and fibre, has been operational in India with a production site in Chennai since 1998. It has plans also to cater to the modern commercial vehicles by expanding its product portfolio.

Globally, FPM manufactures high-performance technical textiles and nonwovens for a wide range of applications including automotive, building materials, clothing, hygiene, wearables and healthcare. The FPM products / materials for automotive industry customers include mechanically bonded nonwovens for car headliners, trunk and rear seat coverings that are characterized by abrasion resistance. Besides, it caters to the OEMs with tuft backing for carpets and moulded under-body panels and wheel liners. FPM products make driving more efficient, climate friendly and comfortable. Nonwovens are lighter than woven variants and, therefore, support a more economic driving style. They help absorb sound, ensure pleasant climate inside the vehicle and help save fuel and reduce CO2 emissions.

For some of the products FPMI is an extended arm of the manufacturing locations of FPM outside India. The global company has manufacturing facilities in Germany, Korea, China, Japan, and the US; these are the locations where it has automotive manufacturing hubs.

Speaking to this publication, G Sivasailam, Managing Director, FPMI, said, “Essentially our R&D is in Germany, Korea, China, Japan, and the US which we carry to all other consuming countries. We see the Indian market as very promising in the near future. We want to warm up the market with the services and supplies from other locations, which we are currently doing. Supplies are coming in on a duty-free basis which is used in vehicles for exports. For example, many companies are exporting quite a lot to Latin America; we cater to that by supplying headliners. We also do the sun-roof for many Japanese & Korean based car manufacturers for their export models. Currently the domestic market is catered to by a few suppliers in Mumbai and Gurugram.”

There is substantial value addition for the OEMs and end-customers with the application of non-woven products in which case cost is not a criterion. Still what is preventing the OEMs here from getting them from the global companies like Freudenberg? Sivasailam said, “We use a three-denier fibre which is very fine compared with the six-denier used in the market. So the starting point itself is totally different. Secondly, the kind of binders and latex that we use are all CFC-free and they are also bio-decomposable. At the end of the day a consumer for an entry level car will look at the price. But for the premium cars, the price may not matter much.

Speaking on the advantages he said the NVH values of this product are superior to what is available in the market but the end-consumer finds it a little isometric to the value he is getting. For instance, sound absorption by the headliner is much higher than that of one made out of six-denier but the percentage difference is not necessarily the reason for making this a premium product, the consumer is unable to comprehend the difference. With the evolution of vehicles from ICE to Electric, there are enough opportunities for companies like FPM because the noise created by the IC engine nullifies the other noises while in the EV operation is silent. Therefore, “we see a big opportunity there. That is one particular area where innovation has been directed to by Freudenberg. Not only on headliners but also on back trays, hood liners, floor mats etc. We are coming up with composites which are lighter with longer life for a carpet, offering Lutraflor (Freudenberg technology) floor mats that are lighter and stronger. They have high abrasion resistance that remains despite perpetual usage. The weight here is reduced substantially and the back trays are super absorbent of noise. The hood liners take care of the temperature as well as the noise. These are the areas where we have come up with lighter material, meeting the requirements,” he said.

These products reduce the weight of the four big mats that weigh about 3.5 to 4kg by 25 percent. Overall, there is about 10-15 percent reduction over the conventional products. That’s the reason why today a lot of patronage is shown to these products; as of now they are used only in the C or D segment cars. In India it will take a little more time to reach these segments. Customer awareness level is still not high in India. However, when it comes up, the company would be able to offer a competitive product, considering the economies of scale, which would match the market trends, he said.

UV Rays Impact

Normally, UV rays raise temperature. When they are absorbed by the seats or any component temperature builds up and the a/c in the car is made to work more to maintain the temperature. There is also fuel loss. To cut it down it is necessary to reduce the amount of UV light that goes into the car which would enhance the mileage of the vehicle; passengers also will be benefited as UV rays are not good for the skin.

FPM has developed a composite material for the under-body shield to which patent is pending. “In most countries the under-body shield is metal; we are trying to replace it with a non-woven backed composite that would have the tenacity to take stones and everything hitting it at high speed. Straightaway, the weight proposition will change,” he said. Would that not affect the safety of the vehicle since, for stability, lower centre of gravity is key and this can be achieved by placing heavier stuff under body of the car? Sivasailam said the solution is to support only on the engine side; under-body shield is normally on the engine side so that stones don’t fly into the engine and hit the other parts. When there is lighter material on the front of the vehicle it actually enhances mobility. What is unique is the way the composite is made, the technology and construction; and the amount of tenacity it brings to the product to increase longevity. It’s a 100% recyclable material as well with weight saving up to 40%.

Business Opportunities

On the new opportunities for FPM, Sivasailam said, “We are also having battery separators; they are undergoing development as high storage batteries. It avoids catching fire which mitigates the risk to a great extent because of the ceramic coating. That is where e-mobility will make big commercial success. The other possibilities for the company to explore in India are the commercial vehicles, which are now getting smarter and better as vehicle makers give importance to the interiors; so there is an opportunity for them to get into this business. Even today most accidents take place due to driver fatigue. If that can be minimised it would help. The touch on the headliner or on the seat-back, everything is important. Haptic feeling is not given importance in India as of now. That is something that will be very good with a three-denier head liner. “We are also working on better acoustic properties on the trims. We have a product called Evolon which is a fine fibre technology, spun drawn with very good NVH property. We are working with Evolon in some automotive companies where we feel it can give much superior noise control,” Sivasailam said. (MT)

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest carmaker, has announced a new partnership with the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) aimed at fostering innovation and creating business opportunities for startups in both India and Japan.

The collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), seeks to bridge the startup ecosystems of the two nations.

The MoU was formally exchanged by Dr Tapan Sahoo, Executive Officer, Digital Enterprise, Maruti Suzuki India and Takashi Suzuki, Chief Director General, JETRO India, Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, was also present during the signing.

As per the understanding, Maruti Suzuki India and JETRO will work together to help Indian startups gain access to Japan's innovation landscape, while Japanese startups will similarly have the opportunity to explore India's vibrant startup ecosystem.

Beyond access, the partnership will facilitate networking and participation for these startups in relevant industry events and activities, connecting them with potential partners. Indian startups selected through Maruti Suzuki's four innovation programs – Accelerator, Incubation, Mobility Challenge and Nurture – will be eligible to participate in these initiatives. Japanese startups, on the other hand, will be able to explore the Indian market through JETRO's support.

Hisashi Takeuchi, said, "Through our multi-format innovation programs, we have been engaging with startups in India to co-create technology-driven solutions relevant to the automobile manufacturing and mobility space. We see great potential in Indian startups, and with this MoU with JETRO, we will be able to provide a platform for these promising startups to explore the Japanese business landscape."

Takashi Suzuki, Chief Director General, JETRO India, said, "Maruti Suzuki stands as one of the finest examples of the successful partnership between India and Japan. With this MoU, we are creating opportunities for even more fruitful business collaborations between our two nations. This MoU aims to foster innovation, drive economic growth, and further strengthen the deep-rooted ties between India and Japan."

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Bengaluru-headquartered product engineering and innovation company Tata Elxsi has showcased its 'Battery Aadhaar' technology demonstrator at the Battery Summit 2025, organised by the World Resources Institute (WRI) India.

The demonstration formed part of a consortium-led initiative, backed by the UNEP-led programme 'Electrifying Mobility in Cities' and coordinated by NITI Aayog and the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.

Tata Elxsi, in collaboration with consortium partners – Tata Motors, Tata AutoComp Systems (TACO), IIT Kharagpur, WRI, LOHUM Cleantech, NUNAM Technologies and Oorja Energy, presented the 'Battery Aadhaar' concept to Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and other key government stakeholders. The solution was presented as an end-to-end enabler for the Indian battery ecosystem.

'Battery Aadhaar' represents a significant national endeavour to equip batteries with secure, digital identities. This innovative approach aims to ensure comprehensive traceability, regulatory compliance, and unparalleled lifecycle transparency – from the initial sourcing of raw materials to their second-life applications and eventual recycling. By meticulously capturing crucial lifecycle data such as manufacturer identity, usage history and material composition, 'Battery Aadhaar' is designed to prevent unsafe reuse, non-compliance issues and potential environmental risks.

The solution is built on Tata Elxsi’s proprietary MOBIUS+ platform, integrating robust blockchain-backed traceability, dynamic data flows and automated compliance reporting. Through MOBIUS+, Tata Elxsi is laying the groundwork for a digital and transparent battery ecosystem across India.

The demonstration at the summit highlighted several key functionalities of the platform, including:

• Creation of Battery Aadhaar and Digital Product Passports (DPP)
• Detailed chain of custody and lifecycle mapping
• Configurable public and private data access views
• Role-based dashboards tailored for OEMs, battery manufacturers, recyclers and regulators
• Real-time analytics, encompassing battery health prediction and estimation of residual useful life

Crucially, the platform has been designed to align with evolving Indian regulatory initiatives. Furthermore, its architecture is built for adaptability, ensuring future compatibility with international frameworks such as the EU Battery Regulation, emerging Japanese and North American standards, and future global battery passport specifications.

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has launched a comprehensive training capsule to handle high voltage systems required for electric (EVs) and hybrid vehicles (HEVs).

The training module is set to be introduced in over 130 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in 24 States and 4 Union Territories in India. As part of the carmaker’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, it will invest around INR 390 million to support the initiative.

The module will be introduced for second-year ITI students and covers topics such as – fundamentals of EVs and HEVs, safety procedures for handling high voltage systems, usage of special tools and equipment and best practices for system maintenance.

Furthermore, Maruti Suzuki India will also conduct specialised upskill training for faculty of the ITIs with train-the-trainer programs and provides training equipment and tools to conduct a pioneering training program.

Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “We want to maximise adoption of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) in the country. When we researched the reasons for low adoption of EVs, one of the major hurdles in the minds of the customers was confidence in aftersales support. Incidentally, this is an area of strength for Maruti Suzuki. While 90 percent of EV sales happen in 100 cities, we will go 10x and cover 1,000 cities with more than 1,500 workshops equipped to provide service support to BEVs. The fundamental to good service is a trained technician. Our High Voltage training CSR program in about 130 ITIs of India will train more than 4,100 students every year. At the end of the course, these trained technicians are free to join Maruti Suzuki service network or any other OEM. Hence, this upskilling of students is strategic to BEV adoption in India. The high voltage training will be useful for strong hybrid cars also, and so there is a synergy between both technologies.”

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South Korean auto major Hyundai Motor Company has received approval from the government of Telangana to set up a new R&D Centre in the state.

The Korean major is expected to invest about INR 85.28 billion towards the 675-acre facility, which will include an R&D hub, an automotive test track, a pilot line and prototyping systems. It is expected to generate over 4,276 jobs in the region.

The approval was given by the Industrial Sub Committee in a meeting today, which saw chaired by the Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu with Key Ministers Sridhar Babu Duddilla and Srinivasa Reddy Ponguleti in attendance.

“Industries that create employment and boost revenue must remain in Telangana,” said Deputy CM.

The new facility will work in tandem with the company’s global R&D facility in Namyang, South Korea. It will also leverage the synergies of its existing R&D facility in Hyderabad, which is spread across 15 acres.

India at present is the third largest market after North America and South Korea for Hyundai Motor Company globally.

This move, the Telangana government stated reinforces the State's stature as a preferred destination for global R&D and manufacturing.

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