EVENTS
SKF India, Technical Press Day
Bharat Vasandani, Energetica India
SKF, a leading global designer and manufacturer of engineered solutions in bearings,
seals, mechatronics, lubrication systems and services, had arranged for a technical
press day in Mumbai in December 2011. Energetica India was invited to the function and
shares the news and plans of SKF India with the readers.
Background
The SKF Group is a leading global supplier
of products, solutions and services span-
ning rolling bearings, seals, mechatronics,
services and lubrication systems. SKF was
founded in 1907 and by 1920; the com-
pany was well established in Europe, North
and Latin America, Asia and Africa. Today,
SKF is represented in more than 130 coun-
tries.
In India, SKF started its operations in
1923 and today provides industry leading
automotive and industrial engineered so-
lutions through its five technology-centric
platforms: bearings and units, seals, me-
chatronics, lubrication solutions and ser-
vices.
Over the years the company has
evolved from being a pioneer ball bearing
manufacturing company to a knowledge-
driven engineering company helping cus-
tomers achieve sustainable and competi-
tive business excellence.
SKF’s solutions provide sustainable
ways for companies across the automotive
and industrial sectors to achieve break-
throughs in friction reduction, energy ef-
ficiency, and equipment longevity and reli-
ability.
SKF has a pan India footprint consist-
ing of 6 manufacturing facilities, 12 offic-
es, a supplier network of over 300 distribu-
tors and an employee base of more than
2600 dedicated professionals.
SKF India Technical Day
In an effort to establish their thought-
leadership in the area of knowledge-engi-
neering, the company recently hosted an
exclusive Technical Press Day. The forum
showcased SKFs knowledge engineering
capabilities and their applications to man-
ufacture innovative and energy-efficient
2 JANUARY|FEBRUARY12 energetica india
solutions that enable customers to achieve
business profitability and environmental
goals. The audience was provided with a
precept of the company’s business dynam-
ics and overview from a global, regional
and local perspective. Additionally, the
specific sector sessions highlighted impor-
tant industry trends. Through the event,
SKF also established its commitment to
innovation that is poised to elevate indus-
try benchmarks in product research and
contribute to overall development of the
industrial and automotive sectors.
A presentation on the knowledge
goals and technological breakthroughs of
the company was followed by briefings
on specific segments such as automotive,
metals, mining and cement, power, mate-
rial handling, construction and renewable
energy. Latest solutions in each of the
company’s seven operating industries were
presented.
In the automotive segment, SKF
shared information on solutions in drive-
lines, wheel ends, steering and engines. In
the area of metals, SKF revealed solutions
that enable customers’ production equip-
ment to perform optimally even under
extreme working environments like high
the company recently temperature, recurring high speeds and
hosted an exclusive shock loads.
Technical Press Day, For the mining and cement segment,
intended to lay bare SKF highlighted a range of innovative so-
latest and significant lutions that enable productivity- and cost
developments in control in view of the demanding market
technology, products and scenario.
related services in Mumbai The material handling segment saw
customised solutions based on tested and
reliable standards, which address specific
demands of customers in this industry.
The construction segment was
dealt with in detail as solutions for
heavy loads and stressful working

conditions were discussed. Innova-
tions will now enable better perfor-
mance and cost-efficiency in this sector.
Finally, SKF elaborated its concerns re-
garding increasing demand for power,
and clarified how power companies can
remain profitable if they exploit opportuni-
ties for machine reliability and process ef-
ficiency. Appropriate tools were presented
for this segment as well as the renewable
energy segment. There was considerable
emphasis on a range of products that are
expected to enhance wind energy produc-
tion, optimise reliability and performance
of wind turbine designs and linear actua-
tor for solar energy.
Mr.Tom Johnstone, President & CEO,
SKF Group, passionately spoke about mak-
ing a decent profit in a decent way too, as
well as how this philosophy was reflected
in significant environmental benefits de-
rived through SKFs solutions. Under the
initiative Designed for Environment, solu-
tions are designed to improve environ-
mental performance through use of up
to 30% less energy consumption than a
standard bearing. Applied for Environment
refers to solutions that enable improved
environmental performance in a specific
application, providing up to 15% better
fuel economy of cars through SKFs sen-
sor bearings and the innovative stop-start
system.
Mr.Johnstone said “We achieve sus-
tainability in two ways by directly reducing
our impact on the environment as well as
helping our customers reduce their envi-
ronmental impact by bringing to them
products and solutions that reduce their
energy consumption. By helping custom-
ers become energy-efficient, we help re-
duce costs and enhance competitiveness”.
Recently, SKF India inaugurated the
SKF Global Technical Centre India (GTCI)
in Bengaluru in order to support its In-
dian endeavours in the areas of product
development, engineering services, test-
ing, field usage evaluations, global metal-
lurgy and chemistry laboratory as well as
manufacturing process development and
support. This effort has been in tune with
the perceived opportunities in India in the
coming decades. The investment for this
centre was to the tune of Rs.500 million.
The Centre is expected to house 400 en-
gineers by 2015. Mr.Arun Shivaram, Head
energetica india JANUARY|FEBRUARY12
Recently, SKF India
inaugurated the SKF
Global Technical Centre
India (GTCI) in Bengaluru
in order to support its
Indian endeavours in
the areas of product
development, engineering
services, testing, field
usage evaluations, global
metallurgy and chemistry
laboratory as well as
manufacturing process
development and support
- Global Technology Centre India elucidat-
ed, “Currently we have a competent team
working on product development. This
includes engineering services, field-usage
evaluations, metallurgy and chemistry lab-
oratory as well as manufacturing process
development and support. Going forward,
GTCI will act as a remote capacity for SKF
Global’s global operation. It has been
mandated to provide about 60% of its re-
sources to the global operations, while the
remaining will be reserved for SKF India”.
Power Sector
Renewable Energy in India
The presentation regarding SKF’s focus in
the renewable energy market spoke about
India being one of the largest global mar-
kets for wind energy and among the fast-
est growing renewable energy markets,
with ambitious plans to tap solar power.
Considering this scenario, SKF is focusing
on solutions that reduce weight and cost,
increase reliability and churn out more en-
ergy from renewable sources. It is provid-
ing a range of solutions for solar manufac-
turing, including an assortment of bearing
and bearing units, seals, lubrication sys-
tems, actuation systems, linear guides,
motor-driven slides, positioning systems
and magnetic bearings. SKFs expertise
SKF is working on both;
traditional power
generation and renewable
energy, developing
solutions for OEMs and
end-users
EVENTS
extends from the silicon produced from
quartzite sand to interconnection and as-
sembly of solar modules.SKF also meets
the demands of solar tracking and the
need for dependable actuation systems,
which can make a system more efficient
by as much as 40%. SKF also has consider-
able expertise in providing solutions to the
wind industry, such as the WindCon condi-
tion monitoring system.
SKF India works very closely with all
the top wind turbine manufacturers in In-
dia including Suzlon, WinWinD, Gamesa,
Vestas, Enercon and others.
Conventional Power India
Ever-increasing consumption and demand
for electricity calls for a range of applica-
tions and services to fill the gaps in India’s
traditional electric power sector. SKFs so-
lutions for power optimise reliability and
costs in the face of rising fuel and main-
tenance costs, reduced manpower and
the challenges of stringent environmental
and safety norms, making the sector ac-
cessible for new entrants. SKF supports
equipment performance that can boost
profitability with worldclass applications
comprised of bearings, seals, lubrication
and services for coal and gas-fired power
plants, combined cycle plants and nuclear
power plants. SKFs Proactive Reliability
Maintenance process enables control and
elimination of frequent machinery failures,
thereby propelling productivity. Its engi-
neering consultancy services enable design
verification and optimisation that results
in shorter time to market and root-cause
analysis to help eliminate frequent failures.
The company’s engineering solutions for
power have proven successful in minimis-
ing corrective maintenance and increas-
ing predictive and proactive maintenance
results in reducing the equivalent forced
outage rate, while increasing peak period
reliability.
SKF is working on both; traditional
power generation and renewable energy,
developing solutions for OEMs and end-
users to minimize machinery downtime
and maintenance, prolong machinery life
and contribute to high energy production
and profitability.
SKF aims at providing solutions to
support a strongly developing energy mar-
ket in India
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