Brands
JSW Steel January output slips 2 per cent amid maintenance shutdowns
India plants stay resilient while Ohio shutdown drags consolidated volumes
MUMBAI: JSW Steel’s consolidated crude steel production edged down 2 per cent year on year in January 2026, reflecting planned maintenance shutdowns in India and the United States rather than any slowdown in demand.
The company produced 24.75 lakh tonnes during the month, compared with 25.18 lakh tonnes a year earlier. Indian operations remained steady, delivering 24.58 lakh tonnes, slightly above last year’s 24.52 lakh tonnes, despite ongoing upgrades at the Vijayanagar plant in Karnataka.
Blast Furnace 3 at Vijayanagar, the country’s largest single-location steel facility with a capacity of 17.5 mtpa, has been offline since September 2025 for expansion work. As a result, capacity utilisation at Indian plants stood at 85 per cent; excluding the idled furnace, utilisation rose to a robust 93 per cent.
In contrast, output at JSW’s Ohio facility in the US fell sharply, sliding 74 per cent year on year to 0.17 lakh tonnes. Production was curtailed by a planned caster upgrade shutdown from mid-December 2025 until January 11, 2026.
JSW Steel, the $23 billion flagship of the OP Jindal Group, is pressing ahead with expansion plans. Domestic capacity currently stands at 34.2 mtpa, with global capacity at 35.7 mtpa. The company aims to lift total capacity to 48.9 mtpa over the next four years.
The steelmaker is also doubling down on decarbonisation. Ranked number one globally in the steel sector in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2025, JSW targets a 42 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2030 and net-zero status by 2050, with a goal to run entirely on renewable energy by the end of the decade.
Brands
Radico Khaitan appoints Kunal Madan as chief marketing officer
Promotions signal focus on premium spirits, global expansion and homegrown leadership
UTTAR PRADESH: Radico Khaitan has elevated two long-serving insiders to its top leadership team, signalling a bold push into premium spirits and global markets. Kunal Madan steps in as chief marketing officer, while Sudhir Upadhyay takes charge as chief sales officer, both part of what managing director Abhishek Khaitan calls a consciously built next-generation leadership bench.
“At Radico Khaitan, our growth has always been powered by people,” Khaitan said. “True leadership is not imported, it is cultivated.” He added that empowering internal talent ensures continuity while keeping the company globally competitive and future-ready.
Madan, with over 20 years of experience across global sales and marketing, will drive brand architecture, marketing strategy, and the premiumisation agenda, including travel retail. Upadhyay, who has 25 years in the industry and was most recently national sales head, will oversee distribution expansion and execution across markets.
The leadership reshuffle comes amid Radico’s intensified focus on premium spirits, a segment driving higher margins and international growth. Last year, Ajay Kakkar was brought on to head the Premium On-Trade vertical, targeting modern and institutional channels to boost presence in high-growth segments.
Meanwhile, Amar Sinha stepped down as chief operating officer after contributing across multiple growth phases. Khaitan acknowledged Sinha’s role in supporting the company’s trajectory, while Sinha described his tenure as “an absolute privilege,” crediting Khaitan’s leadership for shaping the company’s strategic direction.
With a homegrown leadership bench and a clear premium agenda, Radico Khaitan is set to accelerate its global expansion while doubling down on brand elevation and market impact.
