Autocar Professional Magazine - April 15, 2017

In this issue

The mid-month issue’s cover story is all about the challenge for India’s automotive sector – of finding the right skills and manpower to produce vehicles and components. The Layam Group of Chennai has been successfully providing industry with well-trained, quality personnel across the automotive value chain for nearly a decade now. We find out what makes it tick.
German component major ZF recently set up an India Technical Centre in Hyderabad. Global CEO Dr Stefan Sommer foresees a sharp growth curve for its first such facility in India as well as for its business in India.
In an exclusive interview, CEO and MD Warren Harris reveals plans to invest in new offices in China and the UK, divesting non-core businesses and effecting new acquisitions, starting later this month.
We also speak to Vinnie Mehta, director general, ACMA on the aftermarket, the Safer Drives initiative and on measures to tackle the menace of spurious parts.
The huge business potential aftermarket is what is drawing new players. Autocar Professional meets three such companies – ARaymond Fasteners India, Ghaziabad Precision Products and KCTR Varsha Automotive.
Last month saw the third Battery Vehicle Expo and EV Show being held in Delhi where a large number of component makers, chassis suppliers and vendors of electric motors and controllers held sway.
Extending travel range is a key criterion for EV makers where lightweighting will help them as well as makers of hybrids and conventionally fueled vehicles. PPAP Automotive is offering new solutions to OEMs to reduce vehicle weight. For advanced vehicle weight loss therapy, there’s Audi, whose revised body shell for its 2017 A8 flagship incorporates steel, aluminium, magnesium and carbon fibre together for the first time, joined using 14 different processes.
That's not all. There's plenty of exciting industry news too.