Q: How will synchronisation take place?

Raghavan: There are three significant areas where synchronisation will happen. One is on the supply chain, second on digital solution portfolios, and the third is the common process and policies of franchisees management and marketing. At least, in the short term, both companies will keep their own brand identities.

Q: Multi-brand car service is yet to become a profitable business in India. What does make you so bullish on the industry?

Raghavan: Profitability must be looked in a time perspective. It (multi-brand car service) is a very nascent business in India. It captures three things. One you have to change the cultural behaviour of the garages so all entrepreneurial will work. Second, you need to improve the productivity through adoption of technologies which the industry has not been using, and the third is you should able to have your supply chain right so that you can deliver spare parts on-demand at the reasonable costs. These all three elements, TVS has done in its ASPL businesses. Having the background of spare parts business, TVS ASPL has established a parts supply-chain to take a leadership position in however the small market it is as of now.

We strongly believe the three competencies - digital technology, parts and digital marketing, drive businesses and bring profitability in the garages. TVS ASPL has achieved profitability in that part of the business.

Q: Procurement of spare parts is the biggest challenge in the business? How do you deal with this challenge?

Raghavan: The focus is to access to spare parts. Your knowledge of parts says what are the choices of parts available. TVS has been historically in spare parts business so we have digitised and developed one of its kinds of catalogue which automatically cross-checks the differences to make the model engine and then which are the alternative parts you can use. The knowledge is very critical if you want to supply parts within committed time.

Q: What about investment in digital marketing and digitisation in the business?

Raghavan: It is city-wise; you need to determine where do you want to invest based upon your requirements. With this acquisition, once you got pan India coverage, your marketing costs and transactions get reduced drastically because the cost gets covered in wider geographic coverage and larger interest.

Q: Did you see an increase in the business post lockdown?

Raghavan: I will put into two different angles. If you ask if the business has come back to the pre-COVID stage, I will say yes. If asked, whether the business has been affected by COVID, I would say yes, it has been impacted at a large extent.

We strongly believe in developing an ecosystem where you will be able to help when there are growth opportunities. For example, for some of the franchisees, we have worked with NBFCs and banking to offer financial services and solutions. I would say, the business has come back to the pre COVID stage, but there are exceptions. The white-collar workforce, which is mostly not going to the office but working from home, so to that extent, the service and parts business of ours come down. But the two-wheeler business has picked up and is growing much faster than the pre- COVID stage. Making this business organised and lending to the brand name to it gives more confidence to customers to go to these franchisees for incremental services.

Q: How is the partnership with Google shaping up?

Raghavan: Google partnership is live. The ease of digital adaptation has increased, so I do not have to go physically to roll out solutions to garages. They can download from google and implement it. We have moved all our solutions on google cloud, and by January, our marketplace should be up for google. Any retailers or garages can download our digital solution and start implementing it.

Q: What is the role of digitalisation in aftermarket business?

Raghavan: Digitalisation can be looked at from three perspectives. One is as enablement through digital technologies. Garages can have our service management platforms and keep tracking the consumers’ behaviour, such as what repairs he did. The second, we have developed the AI algorithm to find what kind of services the customers need. Instead of recommending service for the core vehicle, can he replace his clutch or overhaul his air-conditioner or he should replace his brake pads. That’s where we can drive more trust of customers that I am monitoring the health of your vehicle. The third one is getting the vehicle diagnosed first time right. (MT)

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Mumbai-headquartered automotive major Mahindra Group has announced the appointment of Shveta Arya as its new Group Chief Strategy Officer, effective 15 September 2026. Arya will also join the senior management team of Mahindra & Mahindra and serve on the Group Executive Board.

In her new role, Arya will oversee the Group Strategy Office across the organisation's portfolio of businesses to determine growth opportunities and value creation. She will report directly to Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD of Mahindra Group.

Dr. Anish Shah said, “We are pleased to welcome Shveta Arya as Group Chief Strategy Officer. Shveta brings over two decades of leadership experience across business and strategy, as well as management consulting across diverse sectors. Her experience in driving growth, shaping strategy and leading through change will be valuable as we work with our portfolio of businesses to drive growth and create long-term value across our portfolio of businesses. Her passion for constructive change and holistic progress also resonates strongly with Mahindra’s purpose. I wish her the very best in this key leadership role.”

She comes with over 23 years of experience across publicly listed multinational organisations and management consulting. Her background spans the automotive, travel, financial services and telecom sectors.

Most recently, Arya served as Managing Director of Cummins India, where she managed operations, growth strategy, talent and workplace culture. She was also the program sponsor for Cummins' initiative focused on women and girls in India. Prior to Cummins, she led Strategy and M&A at Thomas Cook India and held roles at Kearney and Infosys.

Arya holds a Master of Business Administration from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and a Bachelor of Engineering in Information Technology from Delhi University.

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Envalior India Pvt. Ltd. has launched a specialised training hub focused on electric vehicle technology at MM Polytechnic in Pune, marking a significant step in aligning vocational education with the demands of the burgeoning EV sector. The Envalior Centre of Excellence, a product of the company’s CSR initiatives in partnership with the BroadArks Foundation, is intended to serve as a practical workshop where students can transition from theoretical knowledge to applied technical competence.

The facility was formally inaugurated by Christopher Stillings, Vice President –R&D, in the presence of Krijn Dijkstra, Nileshkumar Kukalyekar, Uday Shetty, Susmita Mishra, Hema Rani, Sainath Vaidya and Aniket Nirwan of Envalior, MM Polytechnic leadership and other dignitaries. By embedding this centre within a technical campus, the programme seeks to immerse learners in the realities of EV maintenance and repair, covering not just mechanical functions but also the intricate electrical and software-driven systems that define modern vehicles.

With an annual capacity to reach roughly 250 learners, the centre will cater to students from ITI and polytechnic backgrounds across multiple engineering streams. The coursework is divided into two progressive phases, starting with a foundational module that introduces participants to basic EV architecture, battery safety and routine service procedures. An advanced tier follows, offering deeper instruction on battery management systems, thermal controls, high-voltage safety protocols, motor controllers and complex diagnostic methods.

Beyond traditional lectures, the training environment incorporates interactive lab sessions with real vehicle components, diagnostic tools and industry-relevant projects, ensuring that participants acquire both safety awareness and problem-solving agility. The overarching goal is to produce graduates who are not merely familiar with EV theory but are confident in executing hands-on repairs and system evaluations. Through this scalable framework, Envalior is actively working to narrow the skills gap in India’s automotive sector, creating a direct pipeline of capable talent for the evolving mobility landscape.

Nileshkumar Kukalyekar, Business Director – South Asia, Middle East & Africa, Envalior, said, “The transition to electric mobility is creating a fundamental shift in the skills expected from the automotive workforce. For us, this Centre of Excellence is about ensuring that technical education keeps pace with that change. By giving students the opportunity to work directly with EV systems, understand advanced diagnostics and build capabilities through structured, certified training, we are helping create a stronger bridge between what young technicians learn and what the industry will increasingly expect from them. We see this as an investment not only in individual careers but in the technical talent that will support India’s mobility transition in the years ahead.”

Christophe Stillings, Vice President – R&D, Envalior, said, "At Envalior, we believe the future of mobility depends on developing industry-ready talent today. Through the Centre of Excellence, students will gain hands-on exposure to EV technologies, helping bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world industry requirements. By bringing together academia and industry expertise, we aim to equip the next generation of engineers with the practical skills, confidence and innovation mindset needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving automotive landscape."

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Tier 1 automotive supplier Schaeffler India has appointed Amit Bhalerao as its Chief Operating Officer, effective 10 August 2026.

In his new role, Bhalerao will oversee the company's manufacturing operations across India. His responsibilities include directing manufacturing strategy, operational performance, digitalisation projects and capability development, as well as managing local production initiatives across the firm's plant network.

Bhalerao will join Schaeffler India's Executive Leadership Team, collaborating with divisional heads to manage the company's operational footprint.

Harsha Kadam, Managing Director and CEO, Schaeffler India, said, "India continues to be a strategic growth market for Schaeffler, and strengthening our manufacturing and operations capabilities is central to our journey as the leading Motion Technology Company. Amit brings extensive experience in leading complex manufacturing operations, driving operational excellence and building high-performing teams. His leadership will further enhance our manufacturing competitiveness, customer focus and innovation capabilities as we continue delivering greater value to our customers and stakeholders. We wish Amit the very best and many successes in his journey at Schaeffler in India."

Bhalerao comes with 23 years of management experience in manufacturing, operations, lean transformation, quality assurance and supply chain management. Before joining Schaeffler India, he held the positions of Managing Director and Vice-President of Operations at Kelvion India, where he managed operations, technology transfer and capacity expansion projects. He has also held leadership positions at Cummins, Eaton and Sterlite Technologies.

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Godrej Enterprises Group's Material Handling Equipment (MHE) business has initiated operations at a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing plant located in Khalapur, Maharashtra. This development represents a major step forward in bolstering domestic production capabilities and supporting the anticipated expansion of India's logistics, warehousing and supply chain sectors.

Situated within the expansive 360-acre Naoroji Godrej Industrial Park, the new plant is strategically designed to meet the escalating demands of diverse industries, including manufacturing, e-commerce, pharmaceuticals and automotive. The facility boasts an initial annual production capacity of 6,000 units, with the flexibility to scale up to 15,000 units to align with future market requirements.

The plant's advantageous location near critical transport arteries like Nhava Sheva Port and the forthcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport positions it effectively for both domestic distribution and international exports. Its production portfolio includes a comprehensive range of solutions, notably articulated trucks, a segment where Godrej maintains a unique position as the sole Indian producer. These products are currently exported to over 40 nations.

Engineered as a forward-looking manufacturing hub, the facility incorporates advanced Industry 4.0 technologies, including robotic welding and smart quality assurance systems. Operational sustainability is a core focus, achieved through energy-efficient processes and automated systems, a commitment recently recognised with an EcoVadis Gold Medal. This new facility underscores the group's dedication to innovation-led manufacturing and its role in advancing India's status as a global manufacturing centre.

Anil Lingayat, Business Head, Material Handling Equipment Business, Godrej Enterprises Group, said, "The commencement of operations at our Khalapur facility marks an important milestone in strengthening India's material handling manufacturing ecosystem. The facility combines advanced automation, digital manufacturing and indigenous engineering to deliver world-class solutions for a rapidly evolving logistics landscape. As India strengthens its manufacturing and logistics capabilities, efficient movement of goods will be critical to economic growth. Through this facility, we are not just expanding capacity but helping build stronger supply chains, supporting self-reliance and contributing to national priorities such as Make in India, PM Gati Shakti and Viksit Bharat."

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