Valvoline Cummins India has announced a major product launch, introducing All Fleet Full Synthetic CK-4, which it claims is India’s first full synthetic CK-4 engine oil in the heavy-duty engine oil space.

The oil is specifically engineered for modern heavy-duty diesel engines and offers a significant leap in protection, providing 60 percent cleaner pistons and 60 percent better wear protection compared to a market-standard oil meeting CK-4 specifications. This advanced formulation is suitable for all commercial vehicles meeting BSVI emission standards and is also backward compatible with BSIV, a feature that offers great relief to fleet operators by enabling them to use a single full synthetic oil across all engine platforms.

The oil's robust properties, including a high viscosity index, ensure it maintains optimal thickness across extreme temperatures, reducing wear and enabling smooth flow in India's harsh and varied driving conditions.

Furthermore, the company said, its better oxidation control shields the engine from oxidation under extreme operating temperatures. For fleets operating in colder regions, its excellent low-temperature properties ensure rapid oil circulation even during cold starts, minimising metal-to-metal contact and providing vital protection from the moment the engine fires up, which reduces startup wear and improves reliability.

The new Valvoline CK-4 Full Synthetic is a cost-effective and long-lasting choice for fleet operators due to its lower volatility, which results in reduced evaporation losses and lower oil consumption. Its strong oxidation stability and robust formulation help the oil resist degradation over extended service intervals, ensuring long-term engine protection and cleaner engine internals. The oil is also fully compatible with modern after-treatment systems such as EGR, DPF, SCR and DOC, thanks to its low SAPS (Sulfated Ash, Phosphorus, Sulfur) formulation. This compatibility is crucial as it helps prevent filter blockage, maintains emissions compliance, and supports peak engine performance across both new-generation and legacy commercial vehicles. Speaking on the launch,

Sandeep Kalia, Managing Director, Valvoline Cummins, said, “India is a key market for Valvoline, and we remain focused on bringing advanced, reliable solutions that support its evolving commercial vehicle landscape. The launch of Valvoline CK-4 Full Synthetic, the first of its kind in the country underscores our commitment to innovation built around real-world performance. Designed for demanding operating conditions, this product offers cleaner engines, longer drain intervals, and stronger wear protection, ultimately helping fleets reduce downtime and improve overall efficiency.”

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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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