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SKF invests R$ 20 m to expand Brazilian production capacity

SKF-the leading global supplier of products, customer solutions and services in the area of rolling bearings and seals-has invested R$ 20 million in the expansion of its Brazilian operations with the installation of a new ball bearing production line for light vehicles at its plant in Cajamar, São Paulo state. The production line is aimed exclusively at the foreign market.

The export platform, which started operating on October 5, has the capacity to produce 5 million units per year. "We will double our exports already in 2006," said Donizete Santos, president of SKF's Brazilian subsidiary, which will start exporting 20% of its total production volume in this country.

Donizete Santos
Santos inaugurated the new platform in the presence of various local authorities and guests, including Cajamar Mayor Messias Candido da Silva, Roberto Seixas, the representative of São Paulo State Governor Geraldo Alckmin and assistant labor secretary, representatives of the São Paulo State Federation of Industries (Fiesp) and directors, employees and clients of SKF.

The investment in the production line is proof of SKF's confidence in Brazil, Santos noted. "The Cajamar factory is among the group's best and sets the basis to consolidate Brazil as one of SKF's main production platforms."

According to the Mayor, "SKF is a great partner in the generation of jobs and revenues. We are grateful that it believes in Cajamar's growth and is contributing towards the city's development process."

SKF is analyzing further investments, which should be slated for the installation of other production channels at the Cajamar plant. Although the new investment stage has not yet been approved, "studies under way are contemplating the possibility of exporting 35% of the Brazilian plant's production," Santos said. Between 2000 and 2004, SKF had already invested R$ 15 million to modernize its local production lines.

SKF reported a revenue of US$ 100 million in Brazil in 2004, a figure which increased to US$ 120 million last year and is expected to grow further this year.

90 th anniversary

The expansion of the production capacity coincides with SKF's 90th anniversary celebrations in Brazil this year.

SKF was founded by engineer Sven Wingquist in 1907. The group's history in Brazil dates back to 1915, when it had a store in Rio de Janeiro and imported various types of bearings to supply the local market.

In June 1963, SKF inaugurated its first factory on the margins of the Presidente Dutra Highway in the municipality of Guarulhos. Today, SKF do Brasil's ultra-modern facility is located on the Anhanguera Highway in Cajamar (this plant was inaugurated in 1992). The company has 650 employees and the expansion generated 75 new direct jobs and 150 indirect jobs.

Since August 2002, the company's sales offices are located on the Castello Branco Highway in Barueri, in conjunction with Goodyear, forming the so-called Power Transmission Alliance.

The SKF group is organized in five divisions: Industrial, Automotive, Electrical, Service, and Aero and Steel. Each division serves a global market, focusing on its specific customer segments.

SKF-which posted a US$ 6.1 billion revenue in 2004-has 100 manufacturing sites distributed all over the world. With its own sales companies in 70 countries, supported by some 15,000 distributors and dealers worldwide, its e-business marketplace and global distribution system, the group is always close to its customers for the supply of both products and services.

The group has a global ISO 14001 environmental certification and the various divisions have been approved for quality certification in accordance with either ISO 9000 or QS 9000.

For the sixth consecutive year, SKF has been selected to be a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Indexes (DJSI World) and the pan-European sustainability benchmark (DJSI STOXX). The DJSI indexes measure sustainability on a global basis across all market sectors and industry groups, being based on the Dow Jones Global Index. The DJSI analysis shows that SKF is first in its sector, which is "Industrial Goods and Services".

The purpose of the DJSI indexes is to provide a benchmark for financial products based on the concept of corporate sustainabilkity and to measure the performance of fund managers.

The DJSI World is reviewed annually and represents the top 10 percent of the leading sustainability companies in 58 industry groups in the 24 countries covered by the DJSI.

DJSI STOXX is also reviewed annually and consists of the top 20 percent of the leading sustainability companies of the Dow Jones STOXX 600 index.