Sven Wingquist, who founded SKF in 1907, invented the revolutionary self-aligning ball bearing through hard, round-the-clock research, to resolve problems that plagued the textile factory where he worked.
The textile factory in Gothenburg, Sweden, experienced recurrent axle fractures. Axles in the textile machines frequently became misaligned and the rigid bearings of those days could not cope, resulting in worn bearings and broken axles.
SKF maintains that Wingquist invented the first modern self-aligning ball bearing in 1907 in response to these challenges and, with the full support of his employers, founded SKF in the same year.
Since then SKF has remained a global leader in the development of new bearings and related, increasing safety and operational life of bearings, while at the same time reducing maintenance and costs.
Today, as in 1907, SKF's service offering is designed to assist customers to derive optimal value from their investments. "So, over a hundred years, there is a straight line combining cutting-edge technology with exact knowledge of customers' service requirements into knowledge engineering solutions," says Tom Johnstone, president and CEO of SKF. The company has, over the last century, pioneered many innovations including the spherical roller. Its latest innovation is the revolutionary CARB toroidal bearing with unconstrained axial displacement ability.
Although the SKF Group is a world leading knowledge engineering solutions provider, it maintains a great sense of caring about the well-being of employees as well as for the community. The company has, for over a century, followed the good example set by its founder, who, even in those days, recognised and appreciated the contributions made by employees.
A hundred years later, the concept of making the most of people through human resources (HR), is more valid than ever - be it the Zero Accident workplace programme, SKF College, Training Centres or SKF World Works.
Johnstone says that as a global company, SKF is contributing to development not only through paying taxes and providing job opportunities, but also through the provision of education, training and health care.
Today, the SKF Group offers technical support, maintenance services, condition monitoring and training based on the five global product platforms: bearings and units, seals, lubrication systems, mechatronics and services.
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