Daily Pour

Date: 16/10/2025   Issue No.: 3770/25-26

Compiled By: Aarti Ghag, Executive Officer - WR

B. Ramchandran, Chennai

IIF News

 Dear all,

 

 

Thought of the Day

News Letter Supported By

Today's Top Raw Materials Headlines

*** India: Melting scrap prices remain firm d-o-d in Alang

*** India’s import scrap prices decline, but cheaper local alternatives still preferred 

*** India: Mill scale prices remain firm in key regions

*** India: BigMint's scrap index remains flat; weak demand weighs on finished steel market

*** India's non-coking coal imports drop 6% y-o-y in H1FY'26 - BigMint analysis

*** Indian Auto Industry Shows Mixed Performance in September 2025: SIAM Data

*** India: Silico manganese prices rally w-o-w as steel mills build inventories ahead of festive season

*** India: Ferro vanadium prices remain steady amid rising input costs

Raw Material News

India: Melting scrap prices remain firm d-o-d in Alang

Ship-breaking melting scrap prices in Alang, Gujarat, remained stable d-o-d on 15 Oct'25. According to BigMint's assessment, HMS (80:20) was at INR 30,000/t ($339/t) ex-yard. Semi-finished and finished steel prices held largely steady in the previous trading session in the region. That apart, moderate trade activity in scrap prompted suppliers to keep their offers unchanged today.

*** 

India: Mill scale prices remain firm in key regions

Mill scale prices in Kandla and Raipur remained unchanged, whereas Jalna saw a marginal dip.
Kandla: Prices were firm at INR 8,150/t DAP against 11 Oct; 7,500 t booked at INR 8,100-8,150/t.
Raipur: Prices held steady at INR 6,150/t exw against 11 Oct; 3,200 t booked at INR 6,200/t.
Jalna: Prices fell by INR 50/t w-o-w to INR 6,250/t exw; 500 t were booked at INR 6,300/t.

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India: Ferro vanadium prices remain steady amid rising input costs

Ferro vanadium (FeV 50%) prices in India rose slightly by INR 6,000/t ($68/t) w-o-w to INR 1,150,000/t ($13,017/t) ex-Raipur on higher vanadium pentoxide costs, which pushed up production expenses. Import margins narrowed, making overseas sourcing less viable. Global shipment delays and rising energy, raw material, and logistics costs led to reduced output by smelters, tightening supply and supporting the upward price movement.

Industry News

Indian Auto Industry Shows Mixed Performance in September 2025: SIAM Data

The September data suggests that India's automobile sector is maintaining recovery momentum, particularly in personal mobility segments.

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) released its monthly domestic sales report for September, revealing a varied performance across different vehicle segments with overall positive momentum in the passenger and two-wheeler categories.

Total passenger vehicle sales reached 3,72,458 units in September 2025, registering a 4.4% year-on-year increase from 3,56,752 units sold in September 2024. The modest growth reflects steady consumer demand in the passenger vehicle segment despite ongoing economic headwinds.

The three-wheeler segment demonstrated robust overall growth of 5.5%, with total sales climbing to 84,077 units compared to 79,683 units in the previous year. However, the segment showed divergent trends across categories: Passenger carriers saw a marginal decline of 8.9%.

The two-wheeler category continued its upward trajectory with 6.7% growth, reaching 21,60,889 total units. Within this segment:

Motorcycles  5.8% growth, hitting 13,73,750 units

Scooters up 9.1% at 7,33,391 units

Mopeds relatively flat 53,748

The September data suggests that India's automobile sector is maintaining recovery momentum, particularly in personal mobility segments. Industry analysts will be watching closely to see if these trends continue through the festive season, traditionally a strong period for automobile sales in India.

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Hyundai India Accelerates Supply Chain Localization with Strategic Vendor Partnerships

The South Korean automaker disclosed progress in its domestic manufacturing operations, with 197 Tier 1 vendors now serving its Chennai and Pune facilities under the Atmanirbhar Bharat framework.

Hyundai Motor India showcased its deepening commitment to the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiative at its investor day presentation today, revealing impressive strides in supply chain localization across its manufacturing facilities in Chennai and Pune.

The Korean automaker has achieved a remarkable 82% localization rate for its photovoltaic operations in India, with over 1,200 parts now being sourced locally. The company has onboarded more than 50 new Tier 1 vendors and localized 8 parts for the first time in India among its PV lineup, demonstrating its commitment to building a self-reliant manufacturing ecosystem.

Building an Integrated Supplier Ecosystem

Hyundai's localization strategy centers on creating robust supplier clusters around its manufacturing hubs, significantly reducing logistics costs and improving supply chain efficiency. This approach has transformed the company's operational dynamics, particularly at its flagship Chennai facility.

The Chennai plant has emerged as the cornerstone of Hyundai's Indian operations, with 60% of vendor partners located in or around the factory. The integrated supplier ecosystem comprises 197 Tier 1 vendors, with an impressive 85% rated at 4-star level or above, alongside 1,058 Tier 2 vendors, of which 82% are SQ certified.

The proximity advantage is substantial, with 93% of parts available within a 4-hour delivery radius. This clustering enables Hyundai to operate on a just-in-time supply model while maintaining stringent quality standards through direct Tier-2 engagement.

The newly established Pune facility represents Hyundai's future-ready manufacturing base, with 45% vendor clustering already established around the factory.

The greenfield plant has brought 21 new Tier 1 vendors into Hyundai's ecosystem while leveraging 120 common vendors to create strategic advantages through shared supplier relationships. This expansion has generated over 4,500 new jobs across the vendor ecosystem and attracted more than ₹4,500 crore in vendor investment.

Strategic Impact and Economic Contribution

Hyundai's localization efforts have generated substantial economic impact, with the Chennai operations alone delivering forex savings exceeding ₹5,300 crore since 2014. The company has also facilitated technology transfers and joint venture partnerships with over 10 vendor partners, creating 1,400 direct manufacturing and production jobs in the process.

Looking ahead, the company's "Localization 2.0 Strategy" focuses on high-technology parts and project stage localization enhancement. The approach emphasizes deeper collaboration through Tier 3 partnerships and enhanced joint venture frameworks, positioning Hyundai to tackle increasingly sophisticated manufacturing challenges.

The enhanced automation and digitalization at the Pune facility signals the company's commitment to building a technologically advanced manufacturing base capable of supporting India's evolving automotive landscape while simultaneously improving cost competitiveness and supply chain resilience.

Life Style and Management

How to Boost Your Vitamin D

Now that we know how important vitamin D is and that you can’t get it simply by sitting next to a window, let’s talk about ways to get your sunny D fix.

Sunshine

OK, this one might be controversial, but let’s talk about it. Yes, overexposure to the sun is bad, and it can age us prematurely and lead to skin cancers in susceptible individuals. But that doesn’t mean that we should avoid the sun altogether. 

After all, the primary source of vitamin D3 is sunlight! Research has shown that as little as 10–30 minutes of midday sun, several times a week, will provide you with an adequate dose of D. If you have darker skin, you might need to increase your time in the sun a bit. The main rule here is to avoid a burn. This might mean exposing your skin in the morning or late afternoon, depending on where you live and, of course, liberally applying sunscreen when you no longer want exposure. 

Food

At Nutritious Life, we always advocate for getting your nutrients first and foremost from whole, nutrient-dense foods. With vitamin D, that can get tricky because very few foods naturally contain vitamin D. 

Here’s a short list of the ones that do (including fortified ones): 

• Beef liver
• Butter
• Cod-liver oil
• Eggs (particularly the yolks)
• Fortified cereals
• Fortified milk (dairy and non-dairy varieties)
• Fortified orange juice
• Mushrooms
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Swordfish
• Tuna

Jokes All the Way......

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The Institute of Indian Foundrymen