The phase I and II of the plant, set up investing INR 400 crore, will boost its capabilities to serve customers across sectors including flexible packaging, automotive, agriculture and construction equipment, general industry and metals. The plant which will cater to the local and export markets employs 300 people. The phase III and IV will be launched later at an estimated cost of INR 400 crore.

“India is one of the most important emerging markets with tremendous growth opportunities for our adhesives business,” Jan-Dirk Auris, Member of the Management Board and Executive Vice President, Adhesive Technologies business unit, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, said. “We have application experts across manufacturing industries worldwide and work closely with our customers and partners. Our trusted brands and leading solutions based on our unmatched portfolio of 40 technologies create sustainable value for our customers. With the launch of this state-of-the-art, multi-technology manufacturing facility, we have created capacities to meet the demand for our high impact solutions in this dynamic market. This investment will enable us to further drive profitable growth,” he added.

Momentum in megatrends in the automotive sector will fuel demand for the company’s adhesive products, which help reduce vehicle’s weight. “Electric and connected vehicles need more adhesives than IC engine vehicles. We will continue to bring out products and solutions based on consumer demand and suitable for the new mobility, connectivity and sustainability,” Auris said.

The new plant is part of Henkel’s big bet on the emerging markets. Half of its total sales of USD 20 billion is from them. “India is the largest among the top 3 emerging markets. We believe tremendous demand will come from India for adhesives in the next decade. Henkel’s products are ‘invisible but essential’ and work as enablers for its consumers to improve efficiency and quality. Being a highly impactful solutions supplier, we also need to manage the risks,” he said.

Smart Factory

The Kurkumbh site is equipped with technologies to ensure traceability and transparency by ensuring built-in quality. End-to-end digitalisation of the plant operations has enabled digitised workflows; thus, making manufacturing more efficient. It deploys closed material handling systems and high level of process automation. For the first time, as a global pilot in Henkel, the site has implemented deep integration of process automation with Smart Factory (Industry 4.0).

 The site meets the highest standards of sustainability. It is among the very few chemical manufacturing sites to be awarded the LEED Gold Certificate by the US Green Building Council based on a holistic energy efficiency concept.  About 10 percent of its power consumption comes from captive solar energy and 16 percent of the annual water requirement is met by rainwater harvesting. Air and waste water discharges are monitored online.

Shilip Kumar, President, Henkel India, said, “We will continue to invest in local manufacturing as it gives our Adhesive Technologies business in India a strategic advantage. The Kurkumbh manufacturing site is a very important milestone of Henkel’s journey in India. This site will not only cater to the Indian market but also markets in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. As market leaders in this industry, our focus is to offer high impact solutions to our customers and convert latent market potential into profitable growth.”

Henkel Adhesive Technologies is a global leader in adhesives, sealants and functional coatings. The business unit serves around 130,000 customers in over 800 industrial areas with tailor-made products and technologies used in a wide array of consumer goods and industrial products. (MT)

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Envalior India, an engineering materials company formed through the merger of DSM Engineering Materials and LANXESS High Performance Materials, will inaugurate the Envalior Centre of Excellence in Electric Vehicle Technology on 5 August 2026 as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program.

The CoE located at Marathwada Mitra Mandal's Polytechnic in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, will be implemented by the BroadArks Foundation to provide vocational training in electric vehicle systems.

It plans to train 250 individuals annually through two courses: a Level 4 Certificate in EV Service, Safety & Maintenance and a Level 5 Advanced Certificate in EV Diagnostics & Systems.

The curricula align with the National Skills Qualifications Framework and carry certification support from the Confederation of Indian Industry. The programs target students from Industrial Training Institutes and polytechnics studying mechanical, electrical, electronics, mechatronics and computer science disciplines.

Training instruction covers classroom coursework and laboratory modules focused on vehicle architecture, battery management systems, charging infrastructure, thermal management, power electronics, diagnostics and workshop safety protocols. Practical assessments and industry projects form part of the curriculum structure.

Nileshkumar Kukalyekar, Business Director – South Asia, Middle East & Africa, Envalior, said, "The launch of the Envalior Centre of Excellence reflects our commitment to supporting India's transition towards electric mobility by investing in the people who will power it. Through this Centre, we aim to provide students with industry-aligned, hands-on training that prepares them for the evolving demands of the EV sector while contributing to a stronger and future-ready workforce."

In addition to student instruction, the facility is designed to support laboratory infrastructure and instructor development programs for technical education in the region.

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South Korean auto major Hyundai Motor Group has appointed Junghyun Kwon as Executive Vice-President and Head of the Autonomous Driving Development Center.

Kwon will oversee software engineering, deep learning integration, perception systems and commercialisation pathways for the group's autonomous mobility programs, reporting directly to Minwoo Park, President and Head of the Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) Division.

He joins the group following technical management roles in software development and artificial intelligence across international technology firms. Kwon previously managed autonomous driving software development and deployment at NVIDIA before directing intelligent robotics development at Samsung Electronics. His technical background covers machine learning models, computer vision systems and vehicle perception frameworks.

The executive appointment forms part of a broader recruitment sequence targeting software-defined vehicle architectures and autonomous driving systems.

Earlier in July, Hyundai Motor Group appointed Dongwuk Kim as Senior Vice-President and Head of the SDV Platform Development Center, following his work on wireless communication systems for mobile devices, robotics and vehicles at Apple and Tesla. The group also added Jeremy Ma as Senior Vice-President and Head of AVP Silicon Valley, drawing on his experience in robotics and autonomous systems at Apple, Toyota Research Institute and NVIDIA.

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Automechanika Frankfurt, one of the leading automotive aftermarket trade fairs, will introduce a technology exchange platform, named ‘HighTech4Mobility’, in September 2026.

The format will address the impact of software-defined vehicles, connected platforms, and artificial intelligence on vehicle maintenance, parts distribution and aftersales business models.

The event will gather original equipment manufacturers, Tier-1 suppliers, software companies, investors and workshop representatives at the Festhalle venue. Program topics encompass software architectures, advanced driver assistance systems, autonomous driving, cybersecurity, data management and digital services. Discussions will evaluate how vehicle data access, over-the-air software updates, and predictive diagnostics alter traditional repair and service workflows.

Olaf Mubhoff, Director, Automechanika Frankfurt, said, “The pace of technological development in the mobility sector is breathtaking. This means it is more important than ever that developments are quickly recognised and understood, so that people can share their experiences and assess the opportunities presented by new technologies. HighTech4Mobility addresses this need by providing a forum for exchange between key industry players.”

The event schedule includes joint presentations on artificial intelligence applications in aftersales by the IBM Institute for Business Value, Google Cloud and the Boston Consulting Group.

Benteler Mobility will present developments in autonomous driving and robotics, while German digital association Bitkom will conduct sessions on cybersecurity in software-defined vehicles. Additionally, the Technical University of Braunschweig will provide two demonstration vehicles to test vehicle monitoring software.

The platform follows a series of pre-fair events, including the HEY/PIONEER receptions in Berlin and Las Vegas, the Innovation4Mobility Talk in Munich and webinars hosted with industry partners.

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Daimler Truck, the Volvo Group, Cellcentric, and Toyota Motor Corporation have signed a binding agreement for Toyota to join Cellcentric as an equal partner and shareholder. Under the terms of the deal, each owner will hold a one-third stake in the joint venture.

The binding contract follows a non-binding agreement signed in March. Completion of the transaction is expected by the end-2026 or early-2027 and remains subject to regulatory approvals.

Through the partnership, the companies intend to expand Cellcentric’s technological lead, industrial scale and competitiveness in fuel cell systems for heavy-duty commercial applications. The partners also plan to work with industry associations and entities across the hydrogen value chain to support hydrogen supply and infrastructure development.

Cellcentric will continue to operate as an independent company, supplying heavy-duty on-road and off-road transport, as well as applications such as coaches, stationary power generation, rail and heavy off-highway equipment.

Daimler Truck, the Volvo Group and Toyota Motor Corporation will continue to compete independently across all other business areas.

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