Mr. Vinod Dasari, Managing Director, and Mr. Anuj Kathuria, Executive Director – Sourcing & Supply Chain, Ashok Leyland, recently visited Orbit Bearings’ existing plant and the new production facility in Rajkot which is about a km away on the main highway. The new plant covering 30,000 sq. metres will be operational by September next. Considered the largest taper roller bearing plant in the country, it is equipped with 20 automated lines and all operations are done in-house.
On the occasion, Mr. Dasari also inaugurated the new test rig at Orbit Bearings.
Orbit Bearings and Ashok Leyland are into a long-term relationship and are in the process of developing all the future model bearings together. In the current year, Orbit hopes to further strengthen this relationship with more new bearing designs.
Orbit is a major supplier to all the tractor manufacturers in the country and its bearings are undergoing field trials at Eicher Motors. Bulk supplies will commence shortly. Talks are also on with other OEMs, and Orbit will be a major supplier of taper and cylindrical roller bearings to the auto industry in India.
The company is already the largest exporter of taper roller bearings to developed countries like Germany, the US, etc. It has been supplying the unitised bearings for the last few years abroad, and now the Indian OEMs are all looking at this design to give the consumer a better quality and lasting solution for hub bearings.