Basic HTML Version
124
MOTORINDIA
l
January 2012
SKF’s Global Technical Centre
opened in Bangalore
SKF inaugurated its
Global Technical Centre
in India (GTCI) in Ban-
galore on December 14.
The opening of the cen-
tre further reinforces
SKF’s global strategy
to start such centres
near its customers that
focus on product inno-
vations for all five SKF
platforms – bearings,
seals, mechatronics, lu-
brication systems and
services. GTCI will have
its strong focus on serv-
ing customers in India
and South-East Asia, as
well as global projects
for SKF.
“India is an important market for
SKF, and we are committed to sup-
port the unique needs of customers
in growing economies. At the same
time, we are focused on world lead-
ing research and innovation both in
India and internationally,” said Mr.
Tom Johnstone, SKF President and
CEO. “One of our driving forces is
to deliver significant energy and car-
bon savings to our customers with
our solutions”.
The opening of GTCI is part of
SKF’s technology strategy to de-
velop a global product development
and engineering organization. The
new center marks the second devel-
opment phase and will incorporate
the existing Global Testing Center
opened in 2009 and the Automo-
tive Development Centre opened in
2004, both of which are located in
Bangalore.
“With the launch of GTCI, our
customers in India will benefit
from ‘closer to home’ availability
of SKF’s global knowledge and
expertise to address the growing
need in India for newer technol-
ogy development at a faster pace,”
said Mr. Shishir Joshipura, Country
Head, SKF in India. “Addition-
ally, over the last two years, SKF
opened three factories in Ahmeda-
bad, Mysore and Haridwar to meet
the growing demand of customers
and the expanding product base in
the region”.
w
From left, Mr. Arun Shivaram, Director, Global Technical Centre, India, Mr. Shishir Joshipu-
ra, Managing Director & Country Head, SKF India, Mr. Tom Johnstone, CEO-SKF AB, Mr.
Rakesh Makhija, President Asia-CSKF Group, and Mr. Filippo Zingariello Director, Group
Technology Development at SKF in Bangalore
bearings
The company has invested
around Rs. 500 million in which
GTCI will employ approximately
400 engineers working in the
areas of product engineering,
development and testing, as well
as a global laboratory for met-
allurgy, chemistry and bearing
performance analysis.