DAF Trucks Vlaanderen is celebrating 60 years of manufacturing at its facility in the Belgian Kempen region. Established in 1966 to meet demand for truck cabs, the site has expanded into a production hub for both cabs and axles within DAF’s international network.

The facility in Oevel began operations in the first half of 1966 on a 400,000 sqmt site. Axle production was transferred from Eindhoven to Westerlo in 1971. Today, the site employs 2,000 people and works with 1,000 suppliers.

Over the past decade, DAF has invested more than EUR 650 million in the Westerlo plant. These funds supported the introduction of the XD, XF, XG and XG+ truck generations, as well as their electric variants. The facility was named ‘Factory of the Future’ by the Belgian technology federation Agoria in 2024.

Key infrastructure developments include:

• Cab Paint Shop: A facility nearly 150 metres long utilising robots to apply 3,000 colours while reducing emissions by 50 percent.
• Body Department: A section featuring 145 robots for fully automated production of body-in-white cabs.
• Axle Factory: Automated lines designed to increase output and optimise working conditions.

DAF Vlaanderen operates on a 'just-in-time' principle, delivering components to assembly plants in Eindhoven and Leyland, Great Britain, based on customer orders. In 2021, the facility produced its 3 millionth axle, and it is scheduled to manufacture its 1.5 millionth cab this year.

Jos Habets, member of the DAF Board of Management responsible for Production, stated, “Sixty years of production in Belgium is a tribute to the generations of employees who have built DAF in Westerlo into what it is today: an ultramodern, future-focused production site. And, of course, it is also a fantastic recognition for our 2,000 employees and 1,000 suppliers, including around 400 in Belgium. Thanks to their dedication and commitment, we are able to build trucks that lead the industry in terms of reliability, comfort, and quality. With our ongoing investments in DAF Trucks Vlaanderen N.V., our Belgian factory has a bright future ahead.”

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Japanese automotive major Toyota Motor Corporation has announced that its Tahara Plant, located in Tahara City, Aichi, has become the first Toyota facility in Japan to reach carbon neutrality at the plant level.

The facility is spread across 4.03 million square metres and employs approximately 9,000 people, it is one of the company's largest production sites.

At the Tahara Plant, carbon neutrality involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle production as much as possible. Unavoidable emissions are balanced through removal activities, such as forest management. The scope of this achievement covers all manufacturing activities within the plant premises.

The Japanese automotive major implemented several large-scale projects at the plant to eliminate emissions. This includes installation of wind turbines standing 145 metres tall, which are among the largest in Japan. The placement of approximately 1,200 solar panels along the facility's test course. Specific changes were made within the vehicle manufacturing process itself to lower carbon output.

The transition was supported by the ‘One Tahara’ slogan, which encouraged the entire workforce to operate as a single team. Beyond infrastructure changes, the plant introduced initiatives to ensure every employee took an active role in reaching the goal.

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ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has opened a Pickling Line and Tandem Cold Mill (PLTCM) at its plant in Hazira, Gujarat. The facility was inaugurated by Keiichi Ono, Ambassador of Japan to India.

The facility can produce 2-million tonne of cold-rolled base steel used for Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) for supply to the automotive industry. The line integrates automation and process technology from parent companies ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel to manufacture steel with strength levels up to 1180 MPa.

This facility supports the production of steel for Galvannealed, Galvanised and Press Hardened applications. These products are intended to assist vehicle lightweighting, improve efficiency and meet Bharat NCAP safety norms. The project is part of an INR 600 billion expansion at the Hazira site to develop manufacturing facilities.

The demand for flat automotive steel in India is 7.8 million tonnes per annum and is expected to grow by 6-7 percent each year. This unit aims to reduce reliance on imports as India expands its role in global automotive production.

Keiichi Ono, said, “I congratulate AM/NS India on the commencement of production at its state-of-the-art automotive steel sheet production line at the Hazira plant. Japanese advanced technology has contributed significantly to the launch of high-end steel product manufacturing in India. This signifies that Japan’s contribution to the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ initiative has entered a new phase. Japan and India share a mutually complementary relationship, where Japan’s technology and capital are complemented by India’s manufacturing capacity and growing demand. Having witnessed the vitality of the Hazira Steel Plant firsthand, I am confident that industrial cooperation between Japan and India, and the future of Viksit Bharat, will be a bright one.”

Dilip Oommen, CEO, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, said, “ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India is firmly committed to the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives. In line with the commitment and guided by our brand promise – ‘Smarter Steels, Brighter Futures’, we are building state-of-the-art steelmaking assets by leveraging the unparalleled technology and expertise of our parent companies, ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel – both globally recognised leaders for offering the best automotive steel solutions. The inauguration of the Pickling Line and Tandem Cold Mill (PLTCM) marks an important milestone in this journey, creating the foundation for manufacturing high‑quality, high‑grade automotive steels domestically. This will support import substitution, enhance supply chain resilience and enable the automotive industry’s transition towards safer, lighter and more sustainable mobility solutions. It reinforces India’s position as a competitive manufacturing hub aligned with the requirements of next-generation vehicles and global automotive standards.”

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German chemical major Henkel has introduced a new portfolio of anti-fingerprint (AF) coatings, comprising Loctite AF 8810 and Loctite AF 8812, developed without the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or fluorine ingredients.

The launch addresses tightening global regulations in Europe, the US and Asia regarding PFAS, providing manufacturers with surface coating alternatives that do not rely on these substances.

The products utilise silicone-based, low-surface-energy technology to ensure performance across different materials. Loctite AF 8810 is intended for plastic display cover lenses, while Loctite AF 8812 is designed for glass surfaces, meeting a 9H hardness standard. These coatings are engineered for automotive touchscreens, where screen durability and optical clarity are essential for user interaction.

Technical specifications indicate that the coatings provide a low coefficient of friction for touch interactions and maintain hydrophobicity after prolonged UV exposure. During testing, Loctite AF 8812 demonstrated durability by maintaining consistent water contact angles after 5,000 abrasion cycles. The range supports mass-production application methods such as spray and physical vapour deposition (PVD), with thermal curing times starting at 30 minutes.

Deckard Sorensen, Vice-President of Optical & Conformal Coatings at Henkel, said, “The transition away from PFAS is accelerating globally, and our customers need high‑performance alternatives that meet demanding specifications without adding process complexity. With Loctite AF 8810 and AF 8812, we deliver excellent durability, optical performance, and user comfort formulated without PFAS ingredients – enabling automotive customers to meet the evolving needs of the market and the regulatory landscape at the same time."

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Tier 1 automotive supplier AUMOVIO India has announced that it has surpassed a new production milestone of manufacturing 10 million Airbag Control Units (ACUs) at its Bengaluru plant.

The facility, which commenced ACU production in 2016, supplies automotive manufacturers in India and exports to markets including Japan and Korea. The achievement was marked alongside the inauguration of a new Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) production line and the introduction of the Integrated Safety Control Module (ISCM).

The Bengaluru site has transitioned from manual assembly to an automated manufacturing environment to increase throughput and consistency. This evolution is paired with a localisation strategy where a majority of ACU components are now sourced from within India. These developments are intended to establish the facility as a central hub for safety systems within the Asia-Pacific region, supporting the requirements of global automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

AUMOVIO became an independent entity in September 2025 following a spin-off from Continental’s automotive group. The company reported sales of EUR 18.5 billion in FY2025 and maintains a global workforce of 82,000 across more than 80 locations. Its portfolio includes sensor solutions, brake systems, and software architectures for autonomous and connected mobility.

Prashanth Doreswamy, President & CEO, AUMOVIO India, said, “This milestone reflects the steady scale-up of our manufacturing operations over the past decade. Our transition towards increased automation, along with a strong focus on localisation, has enabled us to improve efficiency and build a more resilient supply ecosystem, while continuing to deliver high-quality, safety-critical systems to our customers.”

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