Chennai-headquartered JK Fenner (India), part of JK Group, recently marked its 70th anniversary on 2^nd September 2025, celebrating decades of innovation and growth.

The event was attended by Udhayanidhi Stalin, the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, as the Chief Guest, Vikrampati Singhania, MD, JK Fenner, also attended, along with customers and guests.

Founded in 1955, JK Organisation took over Fenner in 1987. Since then, JK Fenner has grown from a manufacturer of V-belts to a provider of belt, sealing and fluid transmission solutions. At present, JK Fenner operates nine plants, with five in Tamil Nadu. The company has investments in the state and renewable energy assets of 9.75 MW. Its R&D centres and a team of over 120 specialists support OEMs.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, said, “I congratulate JK Fenner India for its glorious journey over these seven decades. With contributions from companies like JK Fenner (India) Limited, Tamil Nadu has built a strong industrial base. Today, our state’s growth rate has soared to 11.19 percent. The company has supported, more than 10 lakh people, under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes. I assure you that the Tamil Nadu Government will always support local companies in expanding their global reach.”

Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman, JK Fenner, said, “This milestone is not just a number, it is a legacy, a testament to seven decades of resilience, innovation, and excellence. From one facility in Madurai, we now operate nine state-of-the-art plants, and tomorrow we will proudly roll out our 75 millionth belt from our Automotive plant in Madurai, underscoring our leadership in power transmission solutions. Tamil Nadu has always been at the forefront of India’s industrial revolution, attracting world-class investments, and we at JK Fenner are proud to have contributed to this ecosystem and thank the government for its support to the industry and manufacturing sector in particular.”

Vikrampati Singhania, said, “It is both a privilege and a joy to celebrate 70 years of JK Fenner with our extended family of employees, partners, customers, and well-wishers. This milestone is not just ours, but the collective achievement of countless hands and minds who have propelled us forward. From humble beginnings in Madurai, we have grown into a trusted partner across automotive, industrial, agriculture, railways, and defence sectors. Looking ahead, our focus will be on driving future mobility, advancing sustainability, and expanding our global footprint through innovation, digitalisation, and world-class engineering.”

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Highway Roop Precision Technologies, a Carlyle-backed manufacturer of precision torque and control components, has completed the acquisition of Chamundi Die Cast, which manufactures complex aluminium die-cast components for automotive and industrial applications.

The transaction adds integrated aluminium die-casting and machining capabilities to Highway Roop's existing forging and precision-machining operations across steering, transmission and powertrain systems.

The acquisition expands Highway Roop’s product portfolio into lightweight vehicle solutions and electric vehicle components, while establishing a manufacturing footprint in South India alongside Chamundi's existing customer base in India, North America and Europe.

At present, Chamundi exports 60 percent of its products to global markets, while domestic business accounts for 40 percent. Interestingly, 98 percent of its business comes from the automotive industry, while the remaining comes from non-automotive sector.

Mohit Oswal, Chairman, Highway Roop, said, “This acquisition is an important milestone in our journey to build Highway Roop into a scaled, diversified precision manufacturing platform anchored in mission-critical torque and control applications. Chamundi’s capabilities and customer relationships complement our existing strengths and strengthen our ability to serve customers across automotive and industrial applications. Together, we are building a stronger platform for the next phase of growth.”

Dharmesh Arora, Group CEO and Director, Highway Roop, said, “Chamundi meaningfully strengthens Highway Roop’s capabilities around our core focus on torque and control applications. Its integrated aluminum die-casting and precision-machining capabilities expand our ability to deliver complex, lightweight engineered solutions across vehicle technologies. Its South India manufacturing base also diversifies our footprint, brings us closer to key customers, and strengthens the resilience of our manufacturing network and supply chain. We are delighted to welcome the Chamundi team to Highway Roop and look forward to building a stronger platform together.”

Yasin Khan, Managing Director, Chamundi, said, “Over four decades, Chamundi has built a strong business anchored in engineering excellence, a committed workforce and long-standing customer relationships. We are pleased to partner with Highway Roop for the next phase of our journey and will continue to hold a stake in the combined entity. Highway Roop’s complementary capabilities and scale will enable us to build on this foundation, deepen our relationships with customers, and create new opportunities for our employees, as we grow together.”

Amit Jain, Partner and Head, Carlyle India Advisors, said, “This transaction reflects Carlyle’s continued commitment to building a scaled, differentiated precision manufacturing platform in India. Highway Roop has established itself as a trusted partner to global OEMs for mission-critical torque and control components, and Chamundi adds complementary capabilities that further strengthen its customer proposition. We remain focused on supporting Highway Roop as it scales its capabilities and builds towards becoming one of India’s leading precision manufacturing companies serving automotive and industrial customers globally.”

Following the completion of the acquisition, Chamundi's leadership will retain an equity stake in the combined entity as part of the integration into Highway Roop's global supply platform.

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American component supplier Stoneridge has appointed Uwe Brandenburg as its Global Vice-President, Engineering and Innovation, effective 2 November 2026. Brandenburg will report to President and Chief Executive Officer Natalia Noblet and join the company’s executive management team.

In his new role, Brandenburg will oversee Stoneridge’s global engineering division, managing product development, technology innovation and product roadmaps across vision systems, safety technology, vehicle intelligence and connectivity platforms for commercial vehicles and off-highway equipment.

Natalia Noblet said, "Uwe is a recognised voice in automotive electronics and engineering leadership, with a proven track record of building world-class engineering teams and delivering breakthrough innovations in ADAS, autonomous driving and software-defined vehicles. His extensive experience bringing next-generation radar, camera, safety electronics and AI-powered platforms to market, combined with his strategic vision and commitment to operational excellence, make him an exceptional addition to our Executive Team. We are excited to leverage his expertise to accelerate Stoneridge’s technology roadmap and strengthen our competitive position in vehicle intelligence and safety.”

Brandenburg comes with over 25 years of experience in Tier 1 automotive electronics, software engineering and vehicle systems. Prior to joining Stoneridge, he served as Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice-President for Automotive and Manufacturing at DXC Technology.

His previous positions include Global Head of Engineering and Chief Technology Officer for advanced driver assistance systems at Valeo, alongside engineering leadership roles at Continental, Autoliv and TRW Automotive focused on radar, camera and safety electronics systems.

Uwe Brandenburg said, “Stoneridge has a clear technology strategy, a highly talented engineering organisation, and a mission centred on improving safety, reducing emissions and increasing vehicle efficiency for our customers. When cutting-edge technology is paired with the right team and a purpose that truly matters, we have what it takes to create strong value for our customers. I look forward to building on this strong foundation and helping the team deliver the next generation of vision and safety solutions.”

Brandenburg holds a degree in Electrical and Telecommunications Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences Constance and currently serves on the board of directors of BlincVision.

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HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS will participate in CAMX 2026, the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo, held in Atlanta from 22 to 24 September. As North America's largest exhibition for composite and advanced materials, it expects over 500 companies and roughly 7,000 visitors. The company has exhibited every year since the event's debut in 2014, strengthening its North American presence.

At this year's show, HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS will display 3K carbon fibre, 3K fabrics and composites for drones and high-pressure vessels for satellites. Carbon fibre applications are expanding across automotive wheels, hoods and brake discs, sports goods such as hockey sticks, pickleball rackets and surfboards, wire cores and increasingly aerospace, defence and drones.

TANSOME, independently developed in 2011 as Korea's first proprietary carbon fibre, weighs one-quarter as much as steel while offering ten times the strength and seven times the elasticity. Commercial production began in Jeonju in 2013, followed by a China base in 2024 and planned Vietnam operations in late 2026, ensuring a stable global supply chain.

International certifications validate the company's capabilities, including IATF 16949 in 2019 and AS9100 in 2021. In 2022, it developed H3065, a T-1000-grade ultra-high-strength carbon fibre, becoming only the third company worldwide after Japan and the United States to do so.

Jin-dal Lim, CEO, HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS, said, “CAMX 2026 is an important platform for sharing the latest technologies and market trends with leading companies and customers in the global composite materials industry and exploring new business opportunities. We will provide differentiated carbon fibre solutions for advanced industries, including aerospace and aviation, based on our high-performance carbon fibre technologies and stable supply capabilities.”

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Imperial Auto Industries Limited has appointed James Gaylord as Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of its subsidiary, Imperial Auto USA Corp. In his new role, Gaylord will lead Imperial Auto’s operations across the Americas and drive the company’s next phase of growth in the region. He will report to Vikram Wagh, Managing Director & CEO, Imperial Auto Industries Limited.

Gaylord's mandate would include expanding Imperial Auto’s presence into new markets across the American region while driving significant revenue growth over the coming years. He will also focus on strengthening the company’s product engineering and new product development capabilities in the Americas, while leading initiatives to localise the supply chain, enhance purchasing capabilities and build strategic partnerships with suppliers to support the company’s regional growth.

With nearly three decades of experience across the automotive and manufacturing sectors, Gaylord brings with him proven expertise in business development, operational excellence, transformation and growth. Prior to joining Imperial Auto, he served as the Global Sales Director at Gentex. He has also held leadership roles at organisations including Johnson Controls, ATI and Tenneco.
 

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