For over two centuries, the US-based DuPont has brought world-class science and engineering solutions to the global marketplace 
through innovative products, materials and services. The company introduces thousands of new products and patent applications every year, serving markets as diverse as agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety, protection, home, construction, transportation and apparels. The $35 billion company, along with its partners, has been coming up with solutions to tackle the unprecedented challenges facing the world in three key areas of food, energy and protection.
In the Indian automotive context, DuPont has been working with a number of leading players, both vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers across the supply chain, in areas such as sustainability, light weighting, safety, engine efficiency, etc. The company is bullish about its growth prospects in the Indian 
automotive sector as it plans to engage more with its existing as well as potential customers, forging new partnerships through continuous innovation.
During a recent interaction with the media at the DuPont Innovation Centre in Pune, Mr. Yasuhiko Ohashi, Leader, DuPont Innovation Center, and Mr. H.P. Nanda, Director – Strategy & Growth Initiatives, E.I. DuPont India Pvt. Ltd., gave a glimpse of the company’s presence in the Indian market by focusing on the automotive sector. It also reached out to the media in Chennai with a briefing about its plans for the automotive space.
Says Mr. Nanda: “We are bullish about our growth prospects in the Indian automotive segment and are keen on working with all the OEMs across different segments. We are known for our innovative products and collaborate with our customers in new product/platform development in many focus areas such as light-weighting and sustainability among others.”
DuPont has been working with leading names in the country, including Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki, delivering a lot value addition to a wide range of products.
The automotive segment contributes to nearly 10 per cent of DuPont India’s annual revenue of around $1 billion, out of which 90 per cent comes from the OEMs and the balance from aftermarket sales. With the Indian economic growth expected to pick up in the next couple of years, DuPont is aiming to grow 2.5 times the Indian GDP, expanding its customer base across its different business divisions in the process.
Globally, DuPont has been developing sustainable technologies for the automotive sector that help improve safety and boost 
performance, bring down costs and enable new auto design freedom. With more than three billion vehicles expected to be running on roads in the near future, mobility, emissions, fuel economy and safety become critical issues to be tackled. DuPont has been focusing on sustainability, alternative drive, light weight, improved performance, powertrain efficiency, total system cost, safety, comfort and design in order to build cleaner, energy-efficient vehicles.
Science-based solutions
DuPont’s Indian growth story has attracted world attention. As India strives to become a leading world economy, it is left with the task of ensuring adequate, safe and nutritious food, access to uninterrupted energy, world-class infrastructure, protecting its people, assets and the environment. DuPont, along with the Indian Government, NGOs and other voluntary organisations, provides science-based solutions that address these critical challenges. Its inclusive approach enables it to bring out scientific solutions that can achieve its aspirational goal of zero, which it calls the ‘Power of Shunya’ representing zero hunger, zero workplace hazards and zero carbon footprints.
In India, DuPont is headquartered at Gurgaon with sales offices all over the country. Speaking on the company’s collaborative technology and innovation centres in the country, Mr. Yasuhiko Ohashi says: “DuPont set up its Innovation Centre in Pune as part of its global collaboration effort. The centre is designed to create opportunity and space to display sector-specific innovations, latest technology offerings and industry trends to stimulate customer dialogue.”
The company started its first integrated R&D and knowledge science centre, the DuPont Knowledge Centre (DKC), in Hyderabad in 2008, which is one of seven DuPont global R&D centres outside the US. The centre has 500 scientists and engineers who focus on delivering science-based innovations that help address key global mega trends. DKC provides R&D application development capability in India and the Asia-Pacific region to support DuPont’s long-term growth objectives.
Some of DuPont’s automotive offerings
Brand/Product Automotive Application
Butacite® polyvinyl Melt-processed adhesive interlayer
butyral (PVB) in laminated safety glass for windshields
Delrin® acetal resin Metal replacement
Keldax® sound barrier resins Carpet backing to help create a quieter, more comfortable cabin interior
Kevlar® aramid fibre
Power train components, body components and hoses. Replaces asbestos in brake pads
Krytox® general purpose Greases lubricant
Opteon™ YF & Suva® Refrigerant for A/C system
Sontara® Surface preparation system and wiping products for refinish
Centari®, Cromax® Pro, Environment-friendly refinish paints
Standox®, Standohyd®
Viton® O-ring, hose, seals
Imron® Hydro High-performance waterborne paint system for CVs, compliant with EU environmental regulations
Ti-Pure® & Ti-Select® White pigment, provides excellent gloss/durability for coatings
Tyvek® Transcovers New vehicle transport covers to protect surface coating
DuPont has a long-standing relationship with Tata Motors with which it has jointly developed a number of components. For 
instance, DuPont elastomers have been used to prevent leaks in the rear axle hub seal in the Tata Prima range. DuPont has also delivered cutting-edge solutions in the development of many of Ashok Leyland’s successful platforms including the U-Truck.