Schaeffler rolling bearings and plain bearings significantly contribute to the outstanding performance of a large variety of construction equipment worldwide. Harsha Kadam, Industrial President, Schaeffler India, shares more on the company's presence in India and future plans for the market.

When did Schaeffler start in India and what has been its journey so far?
Schaeffler set up its first plant in India in 1964 in Vadodara, Gujarat and since then has a strong presence across the automotive and industrial space. With four plants and 19 sales offices, Schaeffler has significant presence in India. Its three major product brands - FAG, INA and LuK - are well represented in India. The manufacturing plant in Vadodara produces a vast range of ball bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, spherical roller bearings and wheel bearings, sold under the brand name of FAG. The second plant in Vadodara at Savli produces next-generation deep-groove ball bearings and large-size roller bearings also sold under the name of FAG. Schaeffler's third state-of-the-art plant is located at Talegaon near Pune, and manufactures needle roller bearings, steel cages, pulleys, cam rollers and a wide range of precision components for valvetrain, drive systems in engine and transmissions under INA brand. The fourth manufacturing location is based at Hosur that manufactures clutch systems, hydraulic release systems and dual mass flywheels for passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles and tractors. The products are sold under the brand of LuK. In addition, Schaeffler also has dedicated engineering and research and development (R&D) support based in India to augment the product teams.

We are on course with doubling our capex allocation for this year and next year to Indian market. We have plans of investing close to Ç40 million in India for expanding capacities, bringing in new products and enhancing our R&D capabilities in the country. We started construction of the second plant hall at Pune late last year and that is well on course, the building is expected to be completed at the end of this year. Similarly, we will also start enhancing our plant building space in Savli towards the second half of this year.

How important is the Indian infrastructure equipment market for Schaeffler?
India is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. We particularly see big opportunities in the country in areas of automotive (including two-wheelers), agricultural tractors, wind energy, railways, steel and other infrastructure-related sectors. India is a high-growth market and a key focus area for Schaeffler. We have been present in India for long with a strong presence across the automotive and industrial space. We are leading suppliers of a wide range of ball and roller bearings; needle roller bearings; engine, transmission and chassis components; and a wide range of clutches. Combining our diverse product presence, we are well positioned across the high growth automotive and industrial segments that enable us to offer complete systems and solutions for our customers.

Keeping this in mind, we have recently announced the merger of Schaeffler's three product brands under a single 'Schaeffler India' identity. The key objective of this merger is to combine the strengths and competencies of all three Schaeffler entities in India and establish one strong listed Schaeffler entity in line with Schaeffler Group's strategy, 'Mobility for tomorrow'. 

What is the market share of Schaeffler in industrial bearings in India?
The organised Indian bearing industry can be roughly estimated at Rs 90 billion. Our market share is around 22 per cent. India's bearing market is expected to cross over
$ 4 billion benchmark by 2019 (Ken Research) with future growth expected to be led by growth in industrial production as well as demand from automobile sector. The government's 'Make in India' initiative, tax and R&D incentives amongst others will attract investments in the sector.

Our industrial business has also rebounded well after the GST-related impact. We supply bearings to steel and cement mills and also to the railways and for wind energy projects. So, industrial distribution, which is a major part of our business, has really rebounded well and the distribution business is now on a robust growth trajectory.
Keeping this in mind, we are increasing our overall capacities in certain areas. We are enhancing capacity at our Savli plant on the large-sized bearing and also increasing the localisation rate there. The bearings from Savli go into wind applications, and into raw materials space like steel mills, cement plants, mining and others.
 
What is the company's current turnover? What are your expansion plans?
Revenue for the combined entity in calendar year 2017 was Rs 40.20 billion. We are projecting a Rs 4.70-billion topline opportunity over the next five years, emanating from the merger of our three units. We have grown at a CAGR of 10 per cent in the immediate past and are keen to maintain this growth or better it going forward.
In India, we have been investing around Rs 1.60 billion each year, for the last 3-4 years and we plan to double the investment in the coming years. Over the next 3-5 years, we will continue to invest in expanding our plant capacities, our product portfolio and engineering capabilities in the country. We are going to invest in our distribution network and all the logistics areas, which will provide us substantial benefits in the long run.  We will continue to invest and develop capabilities to provide technical solutions across sectors including automotive emission reduction, e-mobility, transmission automation, railways, wind, steel and infrastructure and more.

We have also announced expansion of our operations at INA Bearings in Talegaon, Pune. The expansion will include a new manufacturing facility and a new R&D facility within the existing premises. We are investing Rs 2 billion for this expansion. The new production facility will be operational by the end of 2018 and will manufacture engine and transmission components, serving the domestic and export markets. The R&D facility that will be operational by mid-2018 will focus on enhancing product development and engineering capabilities driving innovation for customers. The Pune plant, currently running at full capacity, employs 700 people and with the new facility it is expected to generate additional employment in the future as our operations grow.

What is the current market trend of bearings in India? What is the growth expected from CE market?
Lightweight steel alloys of different grade, alternate materials like ceramic are some of the key trends we are seeing. Smart bearing solutions that help in condition monitoring is another area of new technology development.

Schaeffler products integrate more and more supplementary functions, which raise customers' benefit and ensure competitive advantage. In close cooperation with manufacturers of construction equipment (CE), engineers at Schaeffler Group Industrial develop bearing solutions that meet the extreme requirements in this industry.

As we are embracing Industry 4.0 revolution, need for having real-time connectivity in manufacturing process at the same time, while maintaining flexibility and scalability, is becoming more and more intense. This means future manufacturing systems will be equipped with more sensors for gathering data about the process as well as the machines for automated decisions and to connect with other processes and also the outside world.

The upward trend in the Indian CE market will continue. Main driving force is the country's high infrastructure investments.

What is your expectation on the market for industrial bearings in India?
The bearings industry is technology- as well as capital-intensive industry, as end-products find applications in critical sectors like aviation, automobile engines, railways and others. Companies in the segment are adopting new technologies such as construction with lightweight alloys, better forging techniques and low tolerances, among others.

Construction industry requires high-performance equipment for efficiently carrying out construction projects. To achieve and ensure this efficiency, CE manufacturers consequently expect suitable solutions from their suppliers.

Schaeffler rolling bearings and plain bearings significantly contribute to the outstanding performance of a large variety of construction equipment worldwide. Products of the INA and FAG brands are characterised by high-performance density, long operating life and maintenance-free bearing solutions in various installation points.