India / Germany - Fastening systems manufacturer, Gottlieb Binder GmbH & Cos KG of Holzgerlingen, Germany, has entered a partnership and distribution agreement with fellow hook and loop fastening systems manufacturer, Sky Industries Ltd of Mumbai, India.

India, which is currently seen as one of the fastest growing commercial vehicle markets in the world, has an annual new commercial vehicle registration market of circa 900,000 vehicles a year. The light-duty segment accounts for about two thirds of this number with the light-duty van and truck segment accounting for some 550,000 units in fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, with light-duty bus registrations increasing 5.9% to exceed 54,000 units in the same period. The medium and large bus and coach segments accounted for some 65,000 vehicles in FY 2024/25, increasing by some 23% over the previous year’s registrations. The rigid truck and tractor unit market together accounts for around 300,000 new vehicles a year with rigid trucks last year accounting for around 240,000 new vehicles.