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
Perfetti Van Melle names BWO as Chupa Chups licensing partner in India
Partnership expands iconic confectionery brand into lifestyle categories
MUMBAI: Perfetti Van Melle has appointed Black White Orange Brands Pvt. Ltd. as the official licensing agent for its iconic Chupa Chups in India, marking a push to extend the brand beyond sweets into lifestyle categories.
Under the agreement, Black White Orange will develop and manage the licensing programme across segments such as apparel, accessories, home goods, personal care and back-to-school products. The move signals a broader strategy to tap into India’s growing appetite for brand-led consumer products.
Known for its colourful identity and instantly recognisable logo created by Salvador DalÃ, Chupa Chups has evolved into a global pop-culture icon. The India licensing programme aims to translate that playful appeal into products tailored for local consumers.
Perfetti Van Melle area licensing manager Anna Amat said the partnership would help unlock opportunities beyond confectionery, adding that the company sees strong potential for the brand’s expansion in India.
Black White Orange Brands Pvt. Ltd. co-founder and COO Mitali Desai noted that the focus will be on building a visually distinctive and design-led licensing portfolio that reflects the brand’s playful identity.
With India’s retail landscape evolving rapidly, the partnership is expected to drive collaborations with manufacturers and retailers across fashion, lifestyle and gifting segments. Product rollouts are likely to begin in phases through key distribution channels.
As global brands look to deepen their footprint in India, Chupa Chups’ move from candy counters to lifestyle shelves could add a fresh pop of colour to the market.
