On February 16, 2026, SKF India (Industrial) Limited announced a landmark investment of ₹653 crore to establish a state-of-the-art “Factory of the Future” in Pune, Maharashtra.
The project, scheduled for completion by 2030, is a centerpiece of SKF’s long-term strategy to demerge its industrial and automotive businesses and transform India into a global hub for advanced manufacturing.
Project Blueprint: The “Factory of the Future”
Designed as a “lean, clean, and digitally enabled” manufacturing campus, this facility is not just about adding capacity—it’s about reimagining the manufacturing process through the lens of Industry 4.0.
- Digital Integration: The plant will feature intelligent systems, real-time data insights, and automated production channels to drive higher precision and responsiveness.
- Operational Scale: It will host 12 existing production channels while adding 8 new ones, creating a scalable backbone for high-demand sectors.
- Sustainability: The facility aims for Net Zero status, integrating energy-efficient technologies, renewable energy sources, and waste-reduction systems to meet SKF’s global 2030 decarbonization goals.
Strategic Rationale & Industry Focus
The Pune hub will deepen SKF’s footprint in critical, heavy-duty industries that are central to India’s infrastructure boom:
- Energy & Renewables: Supporting wind and solar infrastructure with specialized bearings and lubrication systems.
- Railways: Meeting the high-precision needs of modern rail networks, including high-speed and metro projects.
- Metals & Mining: Providing heavy-duty solutions capable of withstanding extreme industrial environments.
- Supply Chain Resilience: By accelerating localization, SKF aims to reduce reliance on imports and improve lead times for domestic and global customers.
Context: The Industrial-Automotive Demerger
This investment follows the October 2025 announcement of a strategic demerger of SKF India’s industrial and automotive divisions.
- SKF Industrial: Focused on industrialization, renewables, and heavy machinery, backed by a total planned investment of ₹800–950 crore by 2030.
- SKF Automotive: Concentrating on the EV wave, premiumization, and last-mile mobility.
“India’s manufacturing moment is now. This facility represents a fundamental shift—integrating intelligent systems and real-time insights to build resilient, agile, and globally competitive manufacturing capabilities anchored in India.” — Sujeeth Pai, Director–Manufacturing Operations (ISEAM), SKF India.
