The facility, built with a capital investment of ₹ 500 crores and spread across 5 acres within an industrial park, represents Hindalco’s foray into EV component manufacturing and is designed to cater to the growing demand for lightweight, crash-resistant battery solutions. The facility is designed to meet the rising demand for lightweight, crash-resistant battery enclosures in the country, reinforcing the company’s commitment to innovation and sustainable mobility. It currently can produce 80,000 enclosures annually, with plans to scale up to 160,000 units. As of today, over 3,000 Mahindra EVs using these aluminium battery packs are already on Indian roads.

Speaking on this development, Satish Pai, MD, Hindalco Industries Limited, said, “Our Chakan facility represents a strategic shift in India’s EV ecosystem from import dependence to high-performance, localised aluminium solutions. We are proud to partner with Mahindra in this journey, which not only reflects our commitment to the mobility transition but also highlights Mahindra’s leadership in driving the electrification of mobility in India. With our engineering strengths and sustainability focus, we are well-positioned to co-create the next generation of automotive solutions.”

Rajesh Jejurikar, ED and CEO (Auto and Farm Sector), Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) said, “Mahindra is excited to partner with Hindalco in the creation of the EV journey. Their expertise in developing materials and strong engineering capabilities to offer new solutions has played a key role in developing efficient and sustainable battery enclosure solutions. We believe this will play a transformative role in shaping the future of mobility, delivering cutting-edge solutions that will accelerate electrification in the sector.”

The battery enclosure co-developed with Mahindra offers up to 40% weight reduction over traditional steel designs, enabling 8–10% improvement in the vehicle’s driving range, enhanced crash safety, and significantly improved thermal management for battery cooling. Additionally, these enclosures also use low-carbon aluminium, underscoring Hindalco’s commitment to sustainability and innovation.

The Chakan facility is expected to generate up to 1,000 jobs and aligns strongly with the government’s ‘Make in India’ vision to reduce dependence on imports. Another key highlight of the plant is its gender-diverse workforce, with nearly 100% women machine operators, a rarity in the manufacturing sector, demonstrating Hindalco’s strong commitment to inclusivity.

With this milestone, Hindalco plans to scale similar capabilities for other Indian and global OEMs, expanding its aluminium offerings to include structural and crash-relevant parts for both EVs and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

As India’s EV value chain matures, the demand for battery-grade aluminium and associated components is expected to surge, driven by the rapid growth of giga-factories and localised cell manufacturing. Hindalco’s investment in future-focused capabilities is a strategic move to stay ahead of this curve.

The post Hindalco Supplies 10,000 Aluminium Battery Enclosures to Mahindra from Chakan appeared first on NRI News.

• Jawa disrupts the category again with prices starting at Rs. 1,99,142 (ex-showroom Delhi), delivering the trinity of design, performance and price
• Expands the ‘42 Life’ series – 42, 42 Bobber, and now 42 FJ.
• Bold road presence: longer wheelbase, higher ground clearance
• Segment-first brushed aluminum tank panels
• All-new muscular neo-classic design with enhanced ergonomics
• New upswept exhaust with a distinct soundtrack; all-LED lighting
• New 350 Alpha2 engine for class-leading performance
• Benchmark-setting handling and class-leading braking
• Five stunning colors, and multiple cladding options 

PUNE: Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles, the pioneers of the ‘Neo-Classic’ segment in India, proudly launch the all-new 350 Jawa 42 FJ, the latest member of the Jawa 42 Life series. Building on the success of the 42 and 42 Bobber, the 350 Jawa 42 FJ marks an exciting new chapter for the “42 Life” theme, celebrating a commitment to superior design and an unparalleled riding experience.

The name of this motorcycle is inspired by František Janeček, the visionary founder of Jawa, which aims to deliver a bold, modern riding experience for today’s motorcycling enthusiasts. With this addition to the line-up, Jawa makes big strides, blending design, power, presence, and cutting-edge technology, to set the new benchmark for the segment in 2024.

“The 2024 Jawa 42 embodies our design-led approach to motorcycle engineering,” says Anupam Thareja, Co-founder of Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles. “We’ve taken our time with this bike, pushing the boundaries of the ‘price-performance’ matrix and achieved a great blend of edgy performance, gorgeous form, and precision engineering. As pioneers of Neo-Classics in India, the 42 FJ is a testament to our challenger spirit and disruptive approach.”

With the expansion of the ‘42 Life’ series, Jawa has extended the ideal balance of design, price, and performance across motorcycle formats, to appeal to a wide swathe of discerning riders. This is more than just a motorcycle—it’s a redefinition of the neo-classic category.

Stunning design language

The 350 Jawa 42 FJ bridges classic Jawa DNA with contemporary flair, embodying a neo-classic motorcycle. Its standout feature is the anodized, brushed aluminum fuel tank cladding – a segment first. This finish enhances the bike’s appeal and allows for personalization through various color options and Jawa branding choices.

Complementing the tank cladding are the aluminum headlamp holder and grab handles, along with aluminum footpegs. These elements contribute to a cohesive design that honors Jawa’s heritage while embracing modern craftsmanship.

The 42 FJ’s iconic curves and distinctive silhouette pay homage to its rich legacy. An off-set fuel cap adds a unique touch to the tank design. The wide, flat seat with premium stitching ensures rider comfort while maintaining style.

Modern features include an upswept exhaust, delivering the signature Jawa sound, and an all-LED lighting package. A fully digital instrument cluster and USB charging port round off the rider-focused elements, blending traditional aesthetics with current technology.

The 350 Jawa 42 FJ’s design showcases the brand’s commitment to craftsmanship, creating a riding experience that appeals to both classic motorcycle enthusiasts and those who appreciate contemporary features.

Formidable engine and performance 

At the heart of the Jawa 42 FJ is the new cutting-edge 350 Alpha2 engine. This powerhouse delivers an impressive 29.2 PS and 29.6 Nm, engineered for unmatched acceleration, smart gear-based mapping, and a slick six-speed gearbox with A&S clutch technology. The 42 FJ is designed to offer robust performance, making it a formidable force in the neo-classic segment.

The 42 FJ is engineered on a double cradle frame for superior handling, paired with a long, 1440 mm wheelbase for enhanced highway stability and control. With a segment-leading 178 mm ground clearance, the FJ is big on go-anywhere adventures. The dual-channel ABS, combined with larger disc brakes, delivers precise stopping power, significantly enhancing rider safety and confidence. Adding to rider convenience are the premium diamond-cut alloy wheels with tubeless tires.

Exploring The 42 Life

The New 350 Jawa 42 FJ is the newest edition in the brand’s Neo-Classic lineup, joining the popular 42 and 42 Bobber, and looks poised to garner fans of its own very quickly, with this power- and feature-packed offering.

The Jawa 42 FJ is available in a range of premium colors, with prices starting from Rs. 1,99,142. Below is the detailed pricing for all variants:

The post Jawa’s Striking 42 FJ Redefines Motorcycle Performance appeared first on NRI News.

INDIA: The Vedanta Group’s strategic roadmap to a $10 billion near-term EBITDA will be powered by the timely execution of 50+ high-impact growth projects including those in Zinc, Aluminum, Oil & Gas, and Power businesses. These projects are at an advanced stage of completion, as per a PowerPoint presentation made to more than 45 fund managers and analysts, who were on a site visit organized by Vedanta Group. PTI has reviewed a copy of the presentation.

Vedanta’s aluminum business has projects underway to achieve ~3.1 MTPA of integrated supply. It sits in the first quartile of the global cost curve, with the cost of production at multi-year lows – $1711/T – with a 100% vertically integrated supply chain. The business has a 2x strong demand outlook with India’s domestic market set to double every 5 years.

Vedanta’s Zinc business currently produces 1.2 MTPA (Zinc metal) at the cost of $1,000/t while silver volumes are at 800 MTPA. The business has a 75% + market share in India’s primary zinc market and the growth plan for 2 MTPA is currently under development.

Similarly, Vedanta Group’s Oil and Gas business is focusing on expanding its resource base to >2 BBOE (billion barrels of oil equivalent) in the next 3 years, with a production target of 300 KBOEPD (thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day). Additionally, the Vedanta Group has major projects under execution that include capacity expansion at the Lanjigarh alumina refinery from 3.5 to 5 MTPA, BALCO smelter from 0.6 to 1 MTPA, and raising the overall power generation capacity from 2.9 GW to 5 GW. Together, the Vedanta Group is investing around $8 billion in its ongoing growth projects.

Several leading brokerage houses have taken note of this, upgrading their target price for the company.

Upgrading Vedanta’s price target to Rs 644, Nuvama in its report said, “We are raising FY25E/26E EBITDA by 5%/6% factoring in operational efficiency, lower aluminum CoP due to captive alumina and higher premiums for aluminum and zinc. Meanwhile, the approval by lenders shall allow for the demerger of companies by end-FY25. We value VEDL ex-HZ at 6x FY26E EV/EBITDA (earlier 5.5x) and HZ at 7x FY26E EV/EBITDA, yielding a TP of INR644 (earlier INR542),”.

Further, Investec upgraded the target price to Rs 473. CLSA noted in its recent report that profitability improvement initiatives like major cost reductions via alumina refinery capacity expansion, higher power generation efficiency, and commissioning coal blocks and bauxite mines will be key to a re-rating.

Vedanta’s existing assets along with the growth projects will potentially generate $5 billion in free cash flows while contributing significantly to nation-building through a sustainable return to stakeholders. The $10 billion near-term EBITDA includes $ 4.2 bn from Aluminium, $2.7 bn from Zinc India (Zinc and silver), and $0.9 billion from Oil and Gas.

The Group’s plans make it well positioned to capitalize on India’s economic growth as the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to grow at a healthy rate, reaching $7 trillion by 2030 as per MoF’s economic review report.

The company has proposed a vertical split of the businesses and will list five additional entities on the stock exchanges, subject to receiving all regulatory approvals, by the end of this year.  As per the plan, for every share of Vedanta Limited, the existing shareholders will additionally receive one share of the five newly listed companies. The demerger will create independent pure-play companies in the Aluminium, Power, Base Metals, Oil & Gas, and Steel and Ferrous, while Zinc and other existing businesses will remain under Vedanta Limited.

The post 50 Plus High Impact Growth Projects Drive VedantaTowards $10 Billion EBITDA appeared first on NRI News.

Plans to Start Construction Soon: According to a senior official of the company, the site for the new aluminum plant has been finalized in Taloja, and construction work will commence soon. The plan is to start production at the new plant from the financial year 2024-25. The new plant is expected to contribute an annual revenue of 200 to 250 crores to the company, with a profit margin of 4 to 5 percent. Bonlon Industries, promoted by the Arun Kumar Jain family, is a 25-year-old company primarily engaged in the manufacture of copper wire and rods. The promoter group holds a 64 percent stake in Bonlon.

Business Quadrupled: Bonlon Industries, a part of the Bonlon Group, is involved not only in the production of copper wire but also in the trading of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, hotel business, and civil construction. Due to the increasing demand for copper wire and rods in various industries, the company’s business has quadrupled from 135 crores to approximately 511 crores in the last three years. However, fluctuating copper prices and higher trading income have impacted profit margins. To enhance profitability, the company is now focusing on manufacturing.

The company aims to achieve a business turnover of 680 crores and a net profit of 10 crores in the upcoming financial year.

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