Industry News
Solution Knowledge Friend
turns 100
It all started in 1914 at 23 Pritchard Street, Johannesburg, with the establishment of the SKEFCO (SA) Ball Bearing
Company Limited, and today, 100 years later, SKF South Africa (Pty) Limited is an important cog in the global SKF
machine, and playing its role in being a solution knowledge friend to thousands of customers.
S
KF celebrated this auspicious
milestone on 3 November 2104
with an inspiring executive event
at SKF South Africa’s headquarters in
Witfield, Benoni. The event combined
various aspects, including presentations
from local and international SKF executives
and management, plus economic insights
from Mike Schussler and a customer
solution presentation, and a tour of the SKF
Solution Factory to show the different core
technologies and value solutions that are
offered in South Africa. The event ended with
an informal dinner, where SKF distributors
and customers had the opportunity to
network with SKF management and staff.
The SKF Group was established in 1907,
and has developed an international footprint
in over 130 countries, with the vision to
equip the world with SKF knowledge,
expertise and competence utilising five
application-specific platforms: bearings and
units (SKF’s core business), seals, lubrication
systems, mechatronics and services.
This solution knowledge assistance
extends to OEMs and production facilities
in every major industry worldwide.
The major markets for SKF are industrial
distribution 29%; cars and light trucks
14%; vehicle service 11%; industrial
general 11%; industrial, heavy and special
10%; with the balance of
25% shared by aerospace,
energy, trucks, railway,
off-highway, and two
wheelers and electrical.
From a global perspective,
SKF is particularly strong in
Europe (42% of revenues),
North America (24% of
revenues) and Asia Pacific
(24% of revenues), with
Latin America (7%) and
Middle East Africa bringing
up the rear with 3% of
revenue. However, Vartan
Vartanian, SKF’s president
➲ Three of the SKF executives at the event: Ian Cillie,
Industrial Market Regional
managing director, SKF South Africa; Marek Pracki,
Sales and Service, and
director for Regional Sales and Service Area CEE-MEA;
member of the executive
and Vartan Vartanian, president Industrial Market,
committee, says that SKF
Regional Sales and Service, and member of the executive
committee
sees Africa as a key growth
| words in action
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market for the future, and hopes to see
the MEA region double its contribution
in the next five years. He also confirmed
SKF’s commitment to Africa, and has
plans to establish a sixth SKF College
Campus in South Africa, to go with the
existing campuses in North America,
South America, Sweden, China and
India. Vartanian says that SKF continues
to grow globally, and this growth is
primarily being