JBM Group’s Neel Metal Products Ltd has entered a joint venture with Portugal-based Sodecia Automotive International SA to establish a hot stamping manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune. The partnership aims to design, engineer, and supply hot-stamped automotive components for Indian original equipment manufacturers. The joint venture agreement was signed on 18 November 2025.
The new facility will be set up at the Chakan Industrial Area with an investment of INR 1.5 billion. The plant is planned for launch in the second quarter of FY27 and will combine JBM’s manufacturing experience with Sodecia’s hot stamping technology. The output will include lightweight, high-strength components for both internal combustion engine and electric vehicle platforms.
The project is intended to support increasing demand for advanced body structures in India’s automotive sector. The partners also plan to explore additional hot stamping opportunities in other geographies as part of the collaboration.
The foundation stone of the upcoming hot stamping plant was laid at JBM Group’s Neel Metal Products Ltd. facility in Chakan, Pune, by Acharya Devvrat, Governor of Maharashtra & Gujarat.
“Our joint venture with Sodecia underscores JBM Group’s commitment to developing world-class manufacturing capabilities,” said S.K. Arya, Chairman, JBM Group. “This collaboration will accelerate the deployment of high-strength, lightweight systems critical for modern mobility.”
“This joint venture will enable us to bring our expertise to one of the world’s most dynamic automotive markets,” said Rui Monteiro, CEO, Sodecia.
JBM has been expanding its hot stamping activities in India, including a recently established die manufacturing unit in Greater Noida. The group said the combination of tooling and component production strengthens its vertically integrated approach and enhances supply readiness for domestic and international customers.
Hot stamping involves heating metal blanks to elevated temperatures, forming them in dies and rapidly cooling to achieve high tensile strength at lower weight. The technology has become an important manufacturing method for safety-critical structures in passenger vehicles, particularly as manufacturers work to improve efficiency and meet regulatory requirements.
JBM Group is a diversified manufacturing organisation with operations across automotive systems, electric mobility and renewable energy. Sodecia is an automotive components manufacturer headquartered in Portugal with operations in multiple regions.
Sodecia Automotive International SA is a Portugal-based manufacturer specialising in automotive systems, structures and powertrain components. The company operates a network of engineering and manufacturing facilities across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, supplying body-in-white parts, chassis systems and precision components to global original equipment manufacturers. Its portfolio includes hot stamping, machining and modular assembly capabilities, supported by in-house tooling and process engineering. Sodecia has expanded its footprint in Asia over the past decade, focusing on localisation of advanced manufacturing technologies in key growth markets.
