In an interview, Annika Olme, CTO and SVP – Technology Development, SKF speaks with TimesTech on how SKF’s recent demerger is sharpening the Industrial business’s focus on innovation, technology leadership, and value creation. Annika shares insights on India’s growing role as a strategic R&D and manufacturing hub, planned long-term investments, and how digitalisation, sustainability, and local-for-local engineering are shaping SKF’s global industrial roadmap.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: Following SKF’s recent demerger into Automotive and Industrial businesses, how does this sharper focus enable the Industrial entity to accelerate innovation, technology leadership, and value creation globally and in India?
Annika: India remains a crucial market for SKF, and the completion of the demerger has created twin growth engines- Industrial and Automotive, unlocking not just shareholder value but allowing the now, individual entity to operate within a simpler and more transparent structure, enabling sharper, flexible, more agile strategic prioritization across its key markets.
SKF India (Industrial) will strengthen its role as an important fabric of India’s manufacturing landscape. This makes us well-positioned to direct investments, strengthen technology development, and support innovation that meets our customers’ and market needs. We are positive that this sharper focus will further help us unlock customer value, meet the industry and market priorities and strengthen SKF’s growth and competitiveness.
TimesTech: India has emerged as a key market and capability hub for SKF. How do you see India’s role evolving as a strategic innovation and R&D center within SKF’s global technology and manufacturing network?
Annika: India has long been a strategic growth market for SKF and an important innovation hub within SKF’s global network. Our Global Technical Centre in Bengaluru (GTCI) not just supports the regional needs but also partners with SKF’s global R&D ecosystem to develop solutions for the rest of the world.
GTCI brings together advanced testing, materials science, tribology and digital engineering under one roof. This integrated capability allows us to accelerate development cycles, respond faster to customer requirements, and translate complex engineering challenges into scalable, real-world solutions. The centre is also driving important work in sustainability- from green steel and next-generation lubricants to additive manufacturing and digital simulation- areas that are increasingly central to industrial competitiveness. The work done here directly influences our global product roadmap, reinforcing India’s role as a source of innovation and technical leadership.
Additionally, we continue to tap innovation via SKF India’s Open Innovation initiative which enables us to collaborate closely with startups, academic institutions, and industry partners, to co-create new technologies and solutions across various applications.
TimesTech: SKF has announced planned investments of ₹800–950 crore in India by 2030. Which technology domains—such as digitalisation, AI-led engineering, advanced manufacturing, or condition monitoring—will be key focus areas for these investments?
Annika: Our planned investment underscores our long-term commitment to building advanced manufacturing operations and further accelerating our ‘Make in India’ commitment. We successfully localized production for key bearing types in Ahmedabad, Nilai (Malaysia), and in Pune. The new facilities now serve as key regional hubs that make products available faster and reduce reliance on imports. They also strengthen the supply chain for major industries like railways, renewables, infrastructure, and mining. Building on our localization success, we plan to invest Rs 800–950 crore by 2030, including a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Pune by 2028. The focus will be on expanding production capacity, integrating advanced technologies, and driving sustainability across operations to further strengthen India’s manufacturing ecosystem.
TimesTech: As industries move toward smarter and more resilient operations, how is SKF leveraging AI, digital platforms, and data-driven condition monitoring to help customers improve reliability, energy efficiency, and sustainability?
Annika: At SKF, we believe the world cannot afford friction. Digitalization is one of our focus areas to reduce friction, not just in machinery, but across entire industrial systems. We are moving away from isolated digital projects toward scalable solutions that solves real world problems for our customers. In India, our teams are advancing design automation, model-based development, sensor integration, and engineering data management in ways that accelerate innovation across SKF. The work in AI and analytics, particularly in predictive maintenance and real time diagnostics, is helping us build smarter and more connected products. For example, by using machine learning, we can now detect anomalies long before they lead to failure. This shift from reactive to predictive maintenance is a game changer for energy efficiency. For example, in energy intensive sectors like cement, metals, and mining, when a machine runs optimally, it consumes less power and lasts longer. We are also integrating digital twins into our development process, allowing us to simulate performance and friction levels before a bearing even reaches the factory floor. For us, digitalization is the bridge to a circular economy, helping our industrial customers reduce their carbon footprint while significantly improving reliability.
TimesTech: The “local-for-local” approach is becoming increasingly important in manufacturing. How is SKF strengthening local engineering, manufacturing, and supply-chain capabilities in India while staying aligned with global technology standards?
Annika: India is a vital hub for our global operations. Our local-for-local approach is about being agile and responsive while maintaining the high global standards we are known for. We have significantly strengthened our footprint by expanding manufacturing in Ahmedabad and Pune. For example, we recently commissioned new channels for medium deep groove ball bearings and UC range units locally to reduce lead times and the carbon footprint of global shipping. The GTCI ensures that we are not just localizing production, but engineering solutions specifically for Indian industrial conditions. For example, we leveraged our bearing technology and expertise in engineering to develop the solutions for India’s ‘Vande Bharat’ – next-generation train, signifying exceptional performance, efficiency and sustainability in India’s rapidly evolving rail network. Additionally, India brings strong core engineering capabilities in tribology, lubrication science, product design, and materials engineering, along with digital fluency, which are directly shaping the performance and sustainability of our future solutions. Looking forward, our commitment to India goes beyond manufacturing; it is about leading by example. Globally, we aim to be CO2 neutral in our operations by 2030, but I am particularly proud that SKF India is on track to reach this target even sooner, by 2027.
TimesTech: Looking ahead, how do you envision the future of industrial automation and digitalization in India, and what role will SKF play in shaping next-generation factories and sustainable industrial ecosystems?
Annika: We see India becoming a global lighthouse for smart manufacturing. The next phase of industrial automation is all about building a fully connected, clean and intelligent ecosystem. And, SKF is well-positioned to play a defining role in shaping this future. In India, we are already deploying AI-enabled inspection systems and automated lubrication solutions within our own operations, using our plants as living labs and blueprints to help customers who are navigating their own digital transformation journeys.
Looking ahead, progress will increasingly depend on radical collaboration. This is something SKF has believed in for over a century. Initiatives such as SKF’s Patent Bay– where we open up selected sustainability-related patents to the wider ecosystem- reflecting our commitment to shared innovation. At the same time, we are scaling circular solutions like bearing remanufacturing and RecondOil, our double-separation technology for oil recovery, which are critical to building sustainable industrial systems.
Underlying all of this is a strong culture of curiosity, psychological safety and continuous learning. Ultimately, SKF’s commitment is to act as a catalyst that helps India become a global hub for manufacturing, ensuring next-gen talent are equipped to lead a world where industrial growth and planetary health advance together.
