RSB Group, one of India’s largest automotive component manufacturers, is celebrating its 50th anniversary and has plans to honour the decades of innovation, resilience and growth by achieving 3X growth in the next three to four years.

RSB Group was founded by brothers R K Behera and S K Behera in 1974 with just INR 200,000, which included a state subsidy for Technocrats for INR 20,000. The company has now expanded into an INR 30 billion-plus industry major, employing more than 6,000 people, and plans to celebrate the 50-year milestone by focusing on surpassing the INR 100 billion revenue mark before launching an IPO in the next 3-4 years.

These expansion aspirations will be greatly aided by a recent strategic alliance with Bain Capital, which made an investment in RSB a few months ago. With a strong emphasis on global markets, especially when it comes to growing operations in Mexico, this partnership will help both organic and inorganic growth. At the moment, RSB runs two factories abroad, 17 manufacturing sites in India and a tech subsidiary called I-DESIGN Engineering Solutions Ltd in Pune. Major domestic and foreign customers of the firm include Ford, Fiat, Isuzu, Cummins, John Deere, Volvo, Renault Nissan, JCB, Ashok Leyland, Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors.

Early difficulties notwithstanding, RSB's journey acquired tremendous impetus with a crucial contract from Tata Motors, which resulted in growth of almost 75 percent annually until 1990 and a steady 25 percent CAGR after that. In order to give OEMs a comprehensive solution and establish itself as a powerful player in the e-mobility industry, RSB is also investing in the electric vehicle (EV) market as part of its sustainable growth plan. RSB is working with an Israeli startup to create EV solutions, such as controllers, motors, and e-axles. Over the next five years, the business plans to generate 25 percent of its income from EV components and 75 percent from conventional car components as part of a strategic revenue mix.

R K Behera, Chairman, RSB Group, stated, “Looking back on 50 years of RSB, I am deeply grateful for the journey we’ve taken. The celebration is not just about marking a milestone; it’s a tribute to the humble beginning, to the dedication and shared values that have brought us here. This journey wasn’t one I took alone; it was built alongside my brother, S K Behera, whose support and determination carried us through our most challenging times. In the beginning, we faced intense struggles – limited resources, financial setbacks and constant hurdles – but with SK by my side and the unyielding spirit of our employees, we persisted. Every success is truly a testament to the sacrifices, resilience and dedication of our RSB parivar. As we look forward, I urge our next generation to hold fast to these values of integrity, quality and respect. They are also expected to have a strong focus on sustainability. Together, we have not only achieved growth but also built a legacy that we can proudly pass on, impacting our communities and industry for years to come.”

S K Behera, Vice Chairman, RSB Group, said, “Our journey from a small workshop to an industry leader with an INR 30 billion-plus revenue base has been one of resilience, strategic vision and a focus on excellence. From the earliest days, we were guided by the belief that taking care of our people would allow us to achieve remarkable things. Every milestone reflects the hard work, talents and sacrifices of our employees, whose dedication and commitment have driven RSB forward. As we now embrace new opportunities – from electric vehicle technology to expanding into international markets – our focus remains on building with integrity and quality. Looking to the future, we will continue setting new industry standards, not just for growth but for creating lasting value and impact in every market we enter. We are exploring a few opportunities, and a decision will be taken in a few months.”

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Pune-headquartered automotive supplier Varroc has appointed Avinash Chintawar as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Business I, effective 15 October 2025. He will report to Arjun Jain, Whole Time Director & CEO – Business I.

In his new role, Chintawar will oversee the Operations Vertical within Business I, with a focus on strengthening efficiencies and performance.

Prior to joining, Varroc, Chintawar served as Managing Director of Bosch Chassis Systems India and as Chairman of Bosch India Foundation. He previously held leadership positions within the Bosch Group, including Director of Operations at Robert Bosch Bamberg (Germany) and Managing Director at Bosch Electrical Drives India. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology.

Jain, said, “We are delighted to welcome Avinash to the Varroc leadership team. His extensive experience and deep understanding of achieving operational excellence align perfectly with our needs as we drive the next phase of our growth. I am confident that under his leadership our operation will scale new heights of efficiency and sustainability.”

Chintawar, said, “I am excited to join Varroc at a time when the industry is undergoing such dynamic change. I look forward to working closely with the team to enhance operational excellence and contribute to its vision of sustainable and future-ready growth.”

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German tier 1 supplier ZF Group has secured a significant contract to supply its 430mm heavy-duty clutch systems to one of India’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.

The clutch systems, the company shared, is custom-engineered and manufactured locally, specifically adapted to meet the rigorous demands of Indian operating conditions and will power the OEM's higher horsepower engine platforms for both domestic and select export models.

The agreement, signed in May 2025, involves the supply of several thousand units, with the Start of Production (SOP) scheduled for mid-2026. The clutches will be produced at ZF's Chakan plant in Pune, reinforcing the Group's strategy to strengthen its regional manufacturing capabilities and commitment to localisation in India.

The new clutch system is designed for robust performance and features advanced lining materials that promise up to 20 percent longer clutch life, aiming to reduce maintenance costs and optimise the total cost of ownership for fleet operators. It is also designed to be compatible with both Manual Transmission (MT) and Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) systems.

Akash Passey, President - Region India, ZF Group, said, “ZF’s strategic focus on localisation and innovation for the Indian market, is reconfirmed with this business win. With our globally proven technological expertise and leveraging the strong local manufacturing footprint in India, our customers can access advanced technologies that meet global standards while being tailored for their markets. This win highlights our commitment to strengthening India’s role as a key hub in ZF’s commercial vehicles business.”

Paramjit Singh Chadha, Senior Vice President - CVS Division (India), ZF Group, said, “This business win is a strong endorsement of our advanced heavy-duty clutch technology which perfectly addresses the demanding operating conditions in India. This 430mm clutch system offers superior durability, optimised performance and compatibility with future-ready driveline architectures, including AMT. By localising production at our Chakan facility, we reinforce our commitment to the ‘Make in India’ vision and supporting our customers’ growth ambitions for both domestic and export markets.”

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French automotive component supplier OPmobility is accelerating its growth in India, with the strategic goal of more than doubling its sales by 2030.

The Group recently inaugurated its new facility Badhalwadi, Maharashtra and has commenced construction of another plant in Kharkhoda, Haryana. It already operates five plants in the country, is strengthening both its production footprint and its engineering and digital capabilities.

OPmobility is structured into four complementary business groups: exterior and lighting systems, complex modules, energy storage systems and battery and hydrogen electrification solutions, allowing it to offer a comprehensive range of mobility solutions. The company is a significant global player, reporting an economic revenue of EUR 11.6 billion in 2024. To meet the challenges of sustainable mobility, OPmobility relies on its 38,900 employees operating across a vast network of 150 plants and 40 R&D centres worldwide.

The Badhalwadi site is OPmobility’s first in India to integrate production capacities for both exterior systems and energy storage systems in one location. Furthermore, the facility is equipped with solar panels that supply 35 percent of its energy needs and predominantly employs women.

The Kharkhoda plant, which broke ground in August 2025, will focus on producing energy storage systems and is scheduled to begin operations in early 2026. This expansion comes as India's vehicle output is forecast to grow by an average of per year between 2025 and 2030. Currently, over one in three vehicles sold in India is equipped with OPmobility components.

Beyond manufacturing, OPmobility is boosting its engineering and digital presence to meet growing demand from both local and global customers. This includes operating four R&D centres that support both the Indian business and worldwide markets. The Group has also established an OP’nSoft software centre in Bengaluru, Karnataka, to enhance its dedicated software entity.

Laurent Favre, Chief Executive Officer, OPmobility, said, "India is a strategic country for OPmobility, with a fast-growing automotive industry and as a platform of skilled workforce. Having developed strong historical partnerships with international and Indian automotive manufacturers, who benefit from a dynamic domestic and international demand, the Group aims at more than doubling its sales in the country by 2030. This will notably contribute to one of the pillars of our strategy, which is the geographical diversification of our sales. The reinforcement of our engineering, digital and software capacities in the country allows us to improve our overall competitiveness in engineering in all our countries and to continue to enhance our performance.”

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Laufenberg GmbH, a specialist in coating technologies, and WEVO-CHEMIE GmbH, an expert in polyurethane, epoxy and silicone materials, have jointly introduced an innovative manufacturing process that promises to enhance the scalability and reduce the costs of hydrogen technology components. This new method addresses the limitations of conventional sealing production for fuel cell and electrolyser stacks, which has traditionally depended on prefabricated flat gaskets or molded O-rings. These established techniques are inherently discontinuous, requiring individual moulds that result in a manufacturing process that is both time-intensive and costly. The collaborative solution from Laufenberg and Wevo enables the continuous, high-throughput, roll-to-roll production of flat elastomer gaskets. This breakthrough offers manufacturers a scalable path to lower expenses while simultaneously facilitating more efficient and automated production processes for critical hydrogen infrastructure like fuel cells, electrolysers and redox flow batteries.

The core of this new technique involves applying WEVO’s specially formulated two-component liquid elastomers onto a carrier film using Laufenberg’s precision coating equipment. This coated material then travels through a multi-zone curing oven, where temperature is meticulously controlled. An optional pre-curing stage with infrared emitters can be employed to accelerate the process and eliminate air bubbles. The line operates at variable speeds, offering immense production flexibility and the final product is supplied either on large rolls or as precision-die-cut gaskets, ready for installation.

This advanced process accommodates a wide range of specifications, producing pure elastomer seals with thicknesses from a minimal 20 micrometres up to two millimetres. By combining the elastomer with a carrier film, hybrid seals can be created with total thicknesses reaching four mm, catering to demands for both ultra-thin and highly robust sealing solutions. The carrier film can either be removed after curing or remain integrated to provide enhanced structural stability, which is particularly beneficial for softer sealant materials.

Leveraging WEVO’s long-standing expertise in developing low-permeation silicones and polyurethanes, the material properties can be precisely tailored to the application. This joint development marks a significant evolution from traditional liquid dispensing methods towards the efficient production of pre-fabricated, high-performance gaskets. For manufacturers, this innovation represents a critical step forward in streamlining the production of essential components for the hydrogen economy. Representatives from both companies will be available at upcoming industry events to discuss integration and material selection.

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