Toyota Kirloskar Motor, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has concluded Environment Month 2026, an initiative focused on resource recycling and emissions reductions across its supply chain.

The programme involved over 13,600 workforce members, suppliers, dealership partners and community members under the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 framework.

The company recorded a reduction of 3,005-tonnes in carbon dioxide emissions, with internal operations contributing 895 tonnes and supply partners accounting for 2,110 tonnes. Water conservation efforts yielded savings of 16,806 kilolitres across operations and suppliers. Waste reduction measures removed 231 tonnes of material from disposal streams, alongside reductions in plastic and paper usage across the dealership network. In addition, manufacturing updates reduced volatile organic compound emissions by 3.19 grams per square metre, while dealership locations recorded 255 megawatt-hours in electricity savings.

The automaker introduced compressed biogas as a fuel source for cooking facilities, yielding an estimated reduction of 980 tonnes in carbon emissions. Internal programmes included eco-driving sessions for 1,700 employees, community tree planting projects resulting in 89,000 saplings and the ‘Hasiru Santhe’ exhibition showcasing recycling applications such as converting cotton waste into felt and copper scrap into valve components.

B. Padmanabha, Senior Executive Vice-President and Director of Manufacturing, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, "Environment Month 2026 demonstrated that sustainability thrives through collective action and shared responsibility across the entire value chain. The measurable outcomes we achieved—from carbon reductions to waste elimination—prove that when employees, families, suppliers, and communities align around environmental commitment, transformation is possible. This month was not just about awareness; it was about embedding circular thinking and resource consciousness into how we operate and live."

The initiative forms part of the automaker's ongoing environmental programmes, including the Toyota Green Wave Project, which monitors plant and animal species at company sites and the Ecozone educational programme for schools.

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Spanish automotive engineering company Gestamp has officially opened its 5^th production facility in Bhagapura, Gujarat, marking an investment of INR 5.23 billion across its initial phases. The site adds 31,790 square metres of manufacturing footprint to its operations in the country.

The new plant employs 240 people and houses two hot-stamping lines, a laser cutting line and welding cells for assembly operations. It produces body-in-white (BiW) components, including parts from the Ges-Gigastamping product line, which integrate large structural components into single pressings. The site features an energy monitoring system to track power consumption and plans to source electricity through renewable power purchase agreements.

The expansion increases Gestamp's total manufacturing footprint in India to 188,000 square metres across five sites located in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

Gestamp operates 14 stamping production lines in the country, five of which utilise hot stamping, with two additional hot-stamping lines currently under installation. It has a total employee strength of 2,300 people in India and reported revenues of EUR 245 million in 2025.

Francisco J. Riberas, Executive Chairman, Gestamp, said, “India is a key strategic priority for Gestamp. After two decades here, we have established ourselves as a trusted technology partner for both domestic and international automakers operating in the country. Our investment in Gujarat enables us to begin manufacturing in one of India’s leading industrial hubs, strengthening our presence and driving further growth in this key market. “India’s strong market growth prospects, combined with continued improvements in vehicle quality and increasingly demanding safety requirements, will create significant opportunities for Gestamp. Our advanced technologies, products and value proposition are specifically focused on delivering lighter and safer components that help automakers meet these evolving challenges.”

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The automotive industry in India is facing a demand-supply gap in talent as industrial growth and new technologies outpace the available workforce.

In an interaction with Motoring Trends, Vinay Dhingra, Senior Director, HR & Admin, CA, IT, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) and Trustee of Honda India Foundation (HIF), shared his observations on the current trends in the domestic market.

“Talent shortage is definitely an issue, though I would describe it more as a demand-supply gap rather than a lack of availability. The pace of industrialisation and growth in India has pushed demand very high, while supply has not increased at the same pace,” Dhingra observed.

He pointed out that new technologies such as electric vehicles, electronics and advanced manufacturing have increased the need for specialised skills, while the training ecosystem continues to develop.

Dhingra shared that HMSI is addressing the gap through internal training. The company hires freshers from ITIs and trains them for production roles within about a month. “We have a strong internal training system and training schools,” Dhingra said.

Replying to the attrition seen in the industry, he shared that for Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, the attrition among blue-collar staff remains below 4 percent, against an industry average of around 8–9 percent. The company plans for this level and maintains a margin in manpower planning.

Emerging requirements centre on IoT, Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing. “A person needs to be trained not only on conventional machines and the kind of skills traditionally taught at ITIs, but also on these emerging technologies,” Dhingra said.

The government and industry are upgrading ITIs to introduce these technologies so that new entrants arrive with greater familiarity and a shorter learning curve.

Sharing his observation on the industry trend, he pointed out that the competition for skilled workers now extends beyond the automotive sector. “Someone may have the option of working in manufacturing, warehousing or other sectors, sometimes at similar salary levels,” Dhingra noted.

Companies must therefore strengthen working conditions, career opportunities and the overall package. At HMSI, overtime is monitored and weekly offs are prioritised to support work-life balance.

Automation and digitisation have changed processes without reducing headcount. The company has moved to a largely paperless system.

“We have not seen jobs being eliminated because of digitisation or automation. It has primarily improved the way work is done,” Dhingra said. Efficiency gains free capacity for safety, quality and other improvements, while business growth continues to raise overall manpower needs.

Interestingly, around 10–12 percent of Honda’s white-collar workforce has progressed from blue-collar roles, some reaching department-head level.

Looking ahead, Dhingra identified three areas for the industry: technology, the skilling gap and the quality mindset.

“Each can be both an opportunity and a challenge. If we fail to address them in time, they become risks. If we address them proactively, we can convert them into opportunities,” he concluded.

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Hyundai Motor India (HMIL), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has announced a target to raise women’s representation in its executive workforce to 20 percent by 2030.

Women currently make up over 8 percent of the company’s executive workforce of more than 4,000 employees. In 2026, female recruits accounted for 45 percent of management trainees and engineer trainees hired by the vehicle manufacturer.

The company is tracking female recruitment and deployment across manufacturing, engineering, research and development, sales, service, corporate and leadership functions. The target aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 for gender equality and Goal 8 for decent work and economic growth.

Hyundai Motor India’s workforce strategy includes gender-balanced recruitment practices, expanded campus outreach, competency-based assessments and leadership development frameworks.

In FY2026, female employees recorded a 23 percent promotion rate. Supporting measures encompass parental support, childcare assistance, plant crèche facilities, performance safeguards, wellness rooms and health screening programs. The TrailblazHER initiative provides mentorship and capability-building programs for high-potential female professionals.

Tarun Garg, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hyundai Motor India, said, "At Hyundai Motor India, we believe that bringing together people with diverse experiences, perspectives and capabilities helps create stronger teams, drive innovation and build a more resilient organisation. Our commitment to achieving 20 percent women representation in executive workforce by 2030 reflects our focus on expanding opportunities, strengthening our talent pipeline and creating an environment where every individual can realise their full potential. As the talent landscape continues to evolve, we are encouraged by the increasing participation of talented women professionals across industries and look forward to enabling their growth across all areas of our business."

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German leading mechanical and plant engineering firm Durr has announced that it has been selected to equip Volvo Cars' manufacturing facility in Košice, Slovakia, with final assembly automation technology.

The plant represents the automaker's dedicated facility for all-electric vehicles and is planned to commence production in 2027 with a maximum annual output capacity of 250,000 units.

As per the understanding, Durr will supply turnkey conveyor, fluid filling and testing infrastructure integrated through its NEXT.assembly framework. The installation features fluid filling equipment configured to handle low-conductivity coolants and updated air conditioning refrigerants designed to comply with European regulatory changes. The vehicle conveyance network spans over three kilometres within the facility, utilising electric monorail systems, skillet platforms and modular chain conveyors to transport vehicle bodies and door components between assembly stations.

For end-of-line testing and quality control, Durr is installing its x-wheel chassis alignment system equipped with x-3Dsurface optical sensors, alongside the x-light camera-based measurement system for inspecting and adjusting headlamp modules in accordance with ECE and SAE standards.

Jorg Neumann, Director of the End of Line Product Line, Durr in Germany, said, “Volvo Cars has exceptionally high standards when it comes to measurement accuracy. We are very familiar with these standards, as Dürr equips all Volvo sites worldwide with vehicle geometry and headlight alignment technology.”

Andreas Hohmann, CEO of Durr Italy and Vice-President of NEXT.assembly, said, “Our fully automated final assembly system represents a significant advancement in automotive manufacturing, combining precision engineering with cutting-edge automation to deliver exceptional quality and efficiency.”

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