The Auto Cluster Development And Research Institute, Chinchwad MIDC (Pune), is conducting a three-day workshop on TIG welding technology in its campus on 27-29 November 2024. 
Lead by experts in the respective field such as Chandrakant Vaidya, who has over 40 years of experience in QAC and welding (and has worked at ENPRO Industries, Thermax and Babcock and Wilcox Energy System), and Vijay Patole, who too has over 40 years of experience in welding, the workshop will delve a variety of topics in the field of TIG welding. 
Besides introducing the attendees to TIG welding, the workshop will delve into TIG welding theory, TIG welding equipment and setup, demonstration and hands-on practice, TIG welding techniques, welding different materials, welding positions and techniques, joint types, advanced TIG welding techniques, quality control, troubleshooting, weld quality inspection, final practice and project, industry-specific applications and welding equipment maintenance among other areas of knowledge and information. 
The three-day workshop would include breakfast and lunch. The workshop has been specifically curated to ensure skill development and upskilling of those who are seeking to upgrade their skills in the respective field of manufacturing technology. 
 

Tata Motors has reported a 22 per cent fall in consolidated net profit at INR 56 billion for the third quarter ended December 2024. This is on the back of a decline in revenue from the company’s passenger and commercial vehicle business verticals. 
With the clock ticking in the direction of separation of passenger vehicle business and commercial vehicle business, Tata Motors has clocked a consolidated net profit of INR 71.45 billion in the respective quarter last fiscal. 
With JLR delivering a robust performance in Q3 FY25 with record quarterly revenue, highest EBIT margin in a decade and a ninth successive profitable quarter, Tata Motors witness a revenue decline in commercial vehicle business on the account of lower volumes and mix. EBITA margins however saw improvement to 12.4 percent (up 130 bps) reflecting material cost saving and the impact of PLI incentive. Passenger vehicle revenues were down 4.3 percent. EBITA margins however was up to 120 bps at 7.8 percent on the back of cost controls and PLI incentive. 
The company received sanction of Automotive Production Linked Incentives (PLI) in December 2024. An income of INR 3.5 billion has been recognised. 
 

The Indian arm of Klöckner DESMA Elastomertechnik GmbH (Germany), which is a leading manufacturer of injection moulding machines for the elastomer industry, has announced the appointment of Nitish Agarwal as its Joint Manager Director, effective 2 December 2024.
With over two decades of expertise in the rubber extrusion industry and energy industries, Agarwal in his new position will steer Kloeckner Desma Machinery Pvt Ltd (DESMA India) towards achieving its long-term goals while fostering a culture of excellence and sustainability.  
This is the second time that Agarwal has joined the Ahmedabad-based company. In 1996, he began his career as a ‘company trainee’ in the company’s Delhi office. He worked with for five years to become well verse with the company’s values. 
To succeed Mankodi who retires in May 2025 after steering DESMA India to greater heights for the last 30 years, Agarwal brings with him a wealth of experience and proven track record in strategic leadership, operational excellence and business development. 
Mankodi announced the succession plan regarding him and Agarwal recently on behalf of Dr Michael Zaun, Managing Director, Kloeckner DESMA Elastomer Technique (and Chairman, Kloeckner Desma Machinery Pvt Ltd); Mahendra Patel, Director, DESMA India, and Bhavin Shah, Director, DESMA India.

On the occasion of International Day of Education, a short film titled ‘Prabhaar’—a poignant narrative promoting girl child education – was released. Fleetguard Filters (FFPL) supported the film as part of its CSR initiative. Directed by Rahul Panshikar and inspired by a true story of Heena Mistry, the film ‘Prabhaar’ sheds light on the deeply ingrained patriarchal attitudes that hinder the educational aspirations of young girls in certain communities.
The film revolves around the journey of Neena, a determined young girl who defies societal norms and overcomes significant hardships in her quest for education and self-reliance, reflect the Pune-based company’s to address critical societal issues and foster inclusive development. It also highlights FFPL’s mission to create meaningful and sustainable impacts in the lives of local communities across India.
captures the resilience and indomitable spirit of Neena as she navigates the challenges posed by her environment, ‘Prabhaar’ is an emotionally charged storytelling.  
Speaking about the development and how FFPL came to support the film, the President of the company, Sanjay Kulkarni, said, “Today, the issue of girls' education is a serious issue at various levels in the country. Many problems such as the lack of toilets in schools stopping girls ' education after menstruation and the patriarchal male mentality, hinder the education of girls. We under FFPL’s CSR have constructed toilets for girls in over 30/35 schools so far.” He also expressed that when mothers stand firmly by their girls, girls get the strength to face problems and can progress well in academics.  He also highlighted the need to shift the community mindset regarding girls' education.

Meta and the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) have released a joint whitepaper and playbook detailing how digital adoption is reshaping consumer behaviour and preferences in India’s automotive sector. The report underscores how digitalisation is driving sector growth and offers strategies for transforming OEMs and dealerships nationwide.

In 2023, Meta and FADA launched the ‘Move with Meta’ programme, designed to upskill over 3,000 auto dealers across India. The initiative equips dealers with tools to enhance their social media presence, digitise customer engagement, and optimise lead generation through Meta platforms.

The programme has surpassed expectations, achieving a 3 times increase in dealer digitisation and training over 6,000 dealers through hyperlocal efforts, doubling its initial target. Combined with pre-programme efforts, a total of 10,000 dealers have now been upskilled.

Results have been significant, with a 32 percent improvement in lead generation efficiency reported by participants. The initiative has also contributed to improved sales performance for leading automotive OEMs across India, marking a major milestone in the sector’s digital evolution.

FADA President C S Vigneshwar said, “At FADA, our vision is to empower dealers nationwide with the right digital tools and insights to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market. Through our partnership with Meta, we’ve not only exceeded our commitment of upskilling 3,000 dealers—surpassing 6,000—but we’ve also seen a 3 times increase in digitisation and a marked 32 percent improvement in lead generation efficiency. This whitepaper underscores the potential of AI, Reels, and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to strengthen customer relationships and drive growth. We look forward to scaling this collaboration further, bridging the digital gap in automotive retail, ensuring that dealers across India are future-ready, and remain agile in these dynamic times.”

Director Auto, CPG and D2C for Meta in India Saugato Bhowmik said, “Our platforms and products are well positioned to enable rapid and efficient digital customer acquisition and engagement for auto dealers in a hyperlocal manner. Over the last two years we’ve upskilled nearly 10,000 dealers along with FADA to digitize their outreach and experiences through our unique hyperlocal solutions and key products ranging from Reels and AI to messaging. We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership with FADA and take on the ambitious target of upskilling 5000 more dealers in the next 2 years. This program has not only benefitted thousands of auto dealers but also proven to drive strong sales results for leading OEMs.”

Auto OEMs have reported strong sales and lead generation impact because of the program.

Group Head of Marketing at Hyundai Motor India Limited, Virat Khullar, said “We’re excited to see outstanding business results through our partnership with Meta and OnlineSales on the Hyperlocal program. Together, we’ve developed a custom model that efficiently onboarded over 600 dealers in record time. In H2 '24, Meta’s hyperlocal program drove a remarkable 37% growth in sales compared to H1, while delivering 29% reduction in Cost per Retail.  As we move forward, we’re eager to scale this partnership further, leveraging cutting-edge AI and messaging solutions to unlock even greater opportunities.”

Chief Marketing Officer of Auto at Mahindra and Mahindra Limited, Manjari Upadhye, said “Our partnership with Meta has helped amplify the impact of our passenger vehicle launches. Mahindra has leveraged the best and latest in technology to drive launch impact through Meta’s family of Apps. Some of the key activations include leveraging WhatsApp for Thar ROXX launch, using Partnership ads for driving consideration for XUV 700 (Intent went up +3.3 pts) and the Auto Industry’s first chat-based car configurator on Messenger and Instagram Direct for XUV 3XO, which saw 29% increase in conversation volumes. Our collaboration with Meta has driven significant impact, leading to bookings and sales, and setting new benchmarks in the industry.”

Key Insights from the Auto Playbook 2025

Meta’s influence in driving discovery & evaluation, powered by AI: 72 percent of new automotive buyers who were surveyed in this research discovered the brand on the Meta family of apps. Further, 69 percent stated that the Meta family of apps played a role in their purchase decision.

WhatsApp Leads Buyer-Dealer Communication: Among new automobile buyers, 48 percent used WhatsApp to directly connect with dealerships for vehicle availability inquiries, making it the most preferred communication channel. Moreover, 47 percent expressed interest in receiving service reminders via messaging platforms.

Advantage+ Placements Revolutionizing Advertising: To improve cost per lead and lead volume by Meta for their Hyperlocal dealer campaigns, Hyundai India, used AI-powered Advantage+ Placements to place their dealer ads across all Meta surfaces. They saw 18 percent an increase in Lead Volume and 34 percent decrease in Cost Per Lead.

Reels and Creator Content Drive Purchase Decisions: 72 percent of automotive buyers find creator content on Instagram Reels helpful for vehicle evaluation, with 41 percent regularly engaging with vehicle-related Reels. By partnering with creators, dealers can build authenticity and amplify their reach.