Daily Pour

Date: 08/01/2026   Issue No.: 3787/25-26

Compiled By: Aarti Ghag, Executive Officer - WR

B. Ramchandran, Chennai

IIF News

Dear all,

74th Indian Foundry Congress & IFEX, 12-14 Feb 2026, Mumbai

***

Thought of the Day

News Letter Supported By

Today's Top Raw Materials Headlines

*** India: Melting scrap prices fall by INR 300/t d-o-d in Alang

*** India: Ferrous scrap prices inch up by INR 100/t w-o-w in Chennai 

*** India: BigMint's scrap index falls by INR 200/t d-o-d on sustained downtrend in steel prices

*** India: Foundry scrap markets witness incremental gains amid consistent demand from key sectors

*** India: Prices rise sharply in auto major's latest CR busheling scrap auction

*** India: Ferro titanium prices remain unchanged w-o-w

*** India: Ferro chrome prices hold steady amid static market conditions

*** India: Ferro chrome export prices to key Asian markets show mixed trends w-o-w

Raw Material News

India: Ferro titanium prices remain unchanged w-o-w

Indian ferro titanium prices (Ti 70%, 10-50 mm) remained unchanged w-o-w at INR 282,500/t ($3,142/t) ex-works on 8 Jan'26. The market remained stable, supported by adequate supply from producers and steady demand from end-users. Limited spot market activity and the absence of fresh buying momentum continued to cap any price movement.

***
India: Prices rise sharply in auto major's latest CR busheling scrap auction

An auto major concluded a 4,000 t of low-manganese CR busheling scrap auction from its Manesar plant on 7 Jan'26, with closing prices ranging between INR 36,200-36,400/t ex-works, up INR 2,200/t from the previous auction in late Nov'25 in which 7,100 t of the same grade attracted bids at INR 34,000-34,200/t. The hike is due to tighter supply and sustained demand from mills.

***  
India: Melting scrap prices fall by INR 300/t d-o-d in Alang

Ship-breaking melting scrap prices in Gujarat's Alang market decreased by INR 300/t d-o-d on 8 Jan'26. According to BigMint's assessment, HMS (80:20) prices stand at INR 32,200/t ($358/t) ex-yard. Trading activity in the semi-finished and finished steel segments slowed during the previous trading session. This, coupled with buyer resistance to higher offers, prompted scrap suppliers to revise their prices downward today.

Industry News

Caterpillar and NVIDIA Partner on AI-Powered Heavy Equipment Revolution

Construction and mining equipment maker unveils intelligent assistant and autonomous machines at CES 2026, backed by expanded NVIDIA collaboration and $25 million workforce development commitment.

Caterpillar Inc. has announced a comprehensive push into artificial intelligence and autonomous operations, unveiling the Cat AI Assistant and an expanded partnership with NVIDIA at CES 2026 in Las Vegas.

The Cat AI Assistant represents a significant advancement in industrial AI, unifying Caterpillar's digital applications and data platform into a conversational interface. Built on the company's Helios data platform, which manages over 16 petabytes of data, the assistant provides personalized insights for fleet managers, technicians, and machine operators across office and jobsite environments.

"Caterpillar's strong digital foundation is helping us move fast and deploy new AI capabilities to help our customers succeed," said Ogi Redzic, Caterpillar Chief Digital Officer. The assistant uses NVIDIA Riva speech models and will launch for off-board applications in the first quarter of 2026, with in-cab features currently in final validation stages.

The expanded NVIDIA collaboration extends across Caterpillar's operations, from equipment to manufacturing. Machines will incorporate NVIDIA's Jetson Thor platform for real-time AI inference, enabling autonomous operations and intelligent operator assistance. Features include real-time coaching, productivity recommendations, and safety alerts that process sensor data at the edge.

"For a century, Caterpillar has built the industrial machines that shaped the world," said Jensen Huang, NVIDIA's founder and CEO. "In the age of AI, NVIDIA and Caterpillar are partnering across the full spectrum."

Caterpillar is leveraging its NVIDIA AI Factory to transform manufacturing and supply chain operations, building digital twins of factories on NVIDIA Omniverse and OpenUSD platforms. These virtual replicas allow teams to design and optimize production processes before physical implementation.

The company previewed five autonomous construction machines at CES, extending its three decades of autonomous mining experience to everyday construction sites. CEO Joe Creed emphasized that AI is moving beyond data centers to reshape physical industries, from mining critical minerals for semiconductors to constructing infrastructure.

Complementing the technology investments, Caterpillar pledged $25 million over five years for a global innovation prize focused on workforce education. The initiative will identify and scale solutions to help workers develop skills for increasingly digital and autonomous work environments.

With $30 billion invested in research and development over the past two decades, Caterpillar plans to increase digital and technology investment by 2.5 times through 2030, positioning the company at the intersection of heavy industry and artificial intelligence.

***

 Suzuki Motorcycle India Achieves 10 Million Production Units in 20 Years

The Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer reached its latest milestone with the Suzuki Access Ride Connect Edition, demonstrating accelerated growth after producing its first five million units in 14 years.

Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited has rolled out its 10 millionth two-wheeler from its Gurugram manufacturing facility, marking a significant production milestone in the company's two-decade presence in the Indian market.

The achievement demonstrates the company's accelerated growth trajectory. SMIPL took 14 years to reach its first five million units in 2020, but added the next five million in just six years. The 10 millionth unit, a Suzuki Access Ride Connect Edition, rolled off the production line this week.

Kenichi Umeda, Managing Director of Suzuki Motorcycle India, attributed the milestone to customer trust and strategic expansion. The company has focused on broadening its product portfolio, strengthening manufacturing capabilities, and maintaining quality standards throughout its operations.

The Suzuki Access 125 has been central to the company's success in India. As the country's first mass-market 125cc scooter, the model established and shaped the segment while becoming SMIPL's highest-selling product across three generations.

SMIPL's current lineup spans multiple categories, including scooters like the Access, Burgman, and Avenis, alongside motorcycles in the GIXXER series available in 150cc and 250cc segments. The company also offers premium models including the V-Strom SX, GSX-8R, V-Strom 800 DE, and Hayabusa.

The manufacturer is pursuing carbon neutrality through multiple approaches. It recently introduced the GIXXER SF 250 Flex Fuel, its first E85 fuel-compliant motorcycle, and has announced plans to enter the electric two-wheeler segment with the Suzuki e-ACCESS.

SMIPL currently operates through more than 1,200 touchpoints across India and exports its locally manufactured two-wheelers to over 60 international markets. The company is developing a second manufacturing facility in Kharkhoda, Haryana, to support future demand and production expansion.

To mark the milestone, SMIPL is offering customers a limited-period promotion including zero processing fees on loans or last EMI waivers, along with complimentary 10-point vehicle inspections and discounts on labor charges and accessories at its dealerships.

The company began Indian operations in February 2006 at its Kherki Daula plant in Gurugram, which has an annual production capacity of 1.3 million units.

Life Style and Management

Noise may impact brains of adults, cause difficulty in functioning

Higher levels of noise may impact the brains of older adults, making it difficult to work without help, suggested a study.

It further suggested that it might also influence individuals' risk of developing dementia later in life.

The study was published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia.

Researchers studied 5,227 participants of the Chicago Health and Aging Project who were aged 65 years or older, of whom 30 per cent had mild cognitive impairment and 11 per cent had Alzheimer's disease. They found that persons living with 10 decibels more noise near their residences during the daytime had a 36 per cent higher odds of having a mild cognitive impairment and a 30 per cent higher odds of having Alzheimer's disease.

"These findings suggest that within typical urban communities in the United States, higher levels of noise may impact the brains of older adults and make it harder for them to function without assistance. This is an important finding since millions of Americans are currently impacted by high levels of noise in their communities," said senior author Sara D. Adar, ScD, of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor.

Professor Adar added, "Although noise has not received a great deal of attention in the United States to date, there is a public health opportunity here as there are interventions that can reduce exposures both at the individual and population level."

Jokes All the Way......

***

***

The Institute of Indian Foundrymen