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SKF Reveals Major Moves in China
SKF AB (Sweden) announced three key developments in its strategy for business in China and Asia. SKF currently has eight manufacturing facilities in China, employing more than 2,500 workers.
First, the large bearing plant in Dalian, China has come online, beginning low-volume production. The plant is intended to satisfy fast-growing demand from the local market and other Asian customers. Key target markets for the large bearings produced in Dalian are metalworking, power generation, mining, construction, pulp and paper, and wind energy.
As the plant's first construction phase is now complete, approximately 100 workers have begun low-volume and prototype production. The factory will be gradually staffed up and production ramped until it employs approximately 250 workers.
Second, SKF's electromechanical actuator plant in Pinghu (Shanghai), China has also come online and begun low-volume production. The factory is part of a larger business, Jaeger Industrial, acquired in mid-2005, and produces actuators for medical equipment, conveyors and other manufacturing applications.
Pinghu currently employs approximately 140 workers, but will eventually have 400 or more when operations are fully online.
Third, SKF announced it has opened "SKF College" in Pinghu. The College is intended to train and support both SKF employees and customers.
Pinghu College is the fourth of its kind, the first in China, noted Tom Johnstone, SKF's CEO: "We have decided to run our own SKF Colleges in different parts of the world to ensure we can train our own people as well as our customers and distributors in the necessary technologies and other competencies."
Mr. Johnstone went on to explain China's importance to SKF as an organization, noting it has now become the company's fourth largest market worldwide. He stated that a key focus for SKF going forward is to become the country's "clear market leader" in bearings and related products.
SKF sales in China are on a run rate of approximately Skr 3 billion (USD $411 million), growing at least 20% per year.
Capacity constraints in China are still an issue. But rather than expand existing facilities, SKF said it will pursue a course of building new plants.
Mr. Johnstone said: "Over the past three years, we have invested about Sk 1 billion ($137 million) expanding our presence and manufacturing capacity in China. We will continue to invest what is necessary to ensure our leadership in this market, and also to establish a manufacturing base that can support the Group's global development."
| Product Model | Inside Diameter | Outside Diameter | Thickness |
| H39/1400HG bearing | 1400 | ||
| H241/1320HG bearing | 1320 |