SKF Strengthens Local Roots with ₹950 Crore Investment!
By Ashutosh Arora
SKF India (Industrial) Ltd has marked a major milestone in its localisation and manufacturing expansion strategy, announcing that its advanced bearing production channels across India and Southeast Asia are now fully operational. As part of its long-term commitment to ‘Make in India’, the company has further unveiled an investment plan of ₹800–950 crore by 2030 to accelerate capacity building, technology integration, and sustainability-led manufacturing.
Over the past year, SKF has successfully localised several critical bearing product lines. In Ahmedabad, the company has established production for medium deep-groove ball bearings (DGBBs) above 150 mm OD, while the Nilai plant in Malaysia now manufactures medium spherical roller bearings (SRBs) ranging from 180–320 mm OD. In Pune, localisation of UC-range ball bearing units has been completed. These capabilities have transformed the facilities into regional manufacturing hubs, enabling faster delivery, reducing dependence on imports, and strengthening supply chains for sectors such as railways, renewable energy, mining, and infrastructure.
Mukund Vasudevan, President – India & Southeast Asia (ISEA) and Managing Director, SKF India (Industrial), emphasised the significance of this progress, stating that the company’s vision of localisation has now become a tangible reality. According to him, the operational readiness of the facilities in Ahmedabad, Pune, and Nilai enables SKF to align production more closely with customer requirements, bring advanced bearing technologies nearer to key industrial clusters, and enhance overall supply chain efficiency.
Looking ahead, SKF plans to invest an additional ₹800–950 crore by 2030 to deepen its manufacturing footprint. A major highlight of this roadmap is a new state-of-the-art facility in Pune, expected to be completed by 2028. This investment is geared toward expanding production capacity, adopting futuristic manufacturing technologies, and reinforcing sustainability across all operations—further positioning India as a critical contributor to SKF’s global strategy.
During his visit to India, Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO of SKF Group, reaffirmed the country’s growing strategic importance. He noted that India is shaping SKF’s transformation into a leaner, cleaner, and more digitally progressive organisation. Technologies such as AI-enabled inspection systems, predictive maintenance tools, and remanufacturing models rooted in circular economy principles are central to this shift—and India’s innovation ecosystem is playing a key role in driving it.
With strengthened local manufacturing, major upcoming investments, and a clear focus on advanced and sustainable production, SKF has reinforced its long-term commitment to supporting India’s industrial growth and empowering key economic sectors with reliable, high-performance bearing solutions.
