How do NBC Bearings and its products drive growth in the sector?

At NBC Bearings, our focus has always been on innovation, quality, and customer-centric solutions. We play a pivotal role in driving sectoral growth by offering technologically advanced and application-specific bearing solutions across automotive, railways, aerospace and industrial segments. Our ability to cater to a wide range of industries allows us to respond to evolving needs across different sectors.

In the automotive domain, we are at the forefront of enabling new-age mobility—supporting electric vehicles, ICE, and hybrid powertrains with specialised bearing designs. Our leadership in the 2W/3W and passenger car markets, along with growing penetration in CVs, has positioned us as a preferred partner for OEMs.

In railways, our solutions extend beyond core bearings. We are now offering products for adjacent systems such as suspension tubes and axle boxes, supporting the modernisation of rail infrastructure.

Additionally, our commitment to ‘Make in India’ has helped us reduce dependence on imports, align with global quality benchmarks, and enhance domestic supply reliability. Through these efforts, we are not only fuelling sectoral growth but also contributing to India’s ambition of becoming a global manufacturing hub.

What are the primary drivers fuelling growth in the bearings industry?

Several macro and microeconomic factors are currently fuelling growth in the bearings industry.

Firstly, infrastructure expansion is a key driver. Major investments in highways, railways, ports, and mining are translating into higher demand for construction and heavy equipment bearings.

Secondly, the mobility sector is undergoing a transformative shift. Electrification of vehicles, the adoption of lightweight components, and new drivetrain technologies are generating demand for newer, application-specific bearing solutions.

Third, policy push under ‘Make in India’ and the China +1 strategy is encouraging OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to localise their supply chains. This has opened up large opportunities for domestic bearing manufacturers like NBC, both in India and abroad.

Finally, increased focus on energy efficiency and sustainability is prompting industries to look for high-performance, low-friction, long-life bearings. Our innovations in materials, coatings, and tribological systems are well aligned to these needs.

How do remanufactured bearings contribute to sustainability and cost-effectiveness?

Remanufacturing is a key element in our sustainability strategy. Currently, we offer remanufactured bearings for the railway sector, where it has been well-accepted due to high lifecycle costs and the criticality of operations. Remanufacturing helps extend bearing life while significantly reducing waste and energy consumption.

The environmental benefits are clear—remanufactured bearings reduce the need for raw materials, energy used in production, and carbon emissions. From a customer’s perspective, they offer a highly cost-effective solution without compromising performance when done under strict quality controls.

We see immense potential to expand this initiative to other industries, particularly in high-load and slow-speed applications in construction, mining, and industrial sectors. We are in the process of developing a scalable remanufacturing framework that aligns with OEM requirements and sustainability goals of our customers.

How are cheap Chinese imports and global policies affecting the Indian bearings market, and what measures are being taken to overcome these challenges?

The influx of low-cost, low-quality bearings—mostly from China—has been a longstanding concern in the Indian market. While these products may be attractive due to price, some of them fall short on performance, leading to frequent failures and increased total cost of ownership for customers.

The Government of India has taken proactive steps to address this through the introduction of the Quality Control Order (QCO), which is being rolled out gradually. This has been a major step forward in levelling the playing field and promoting the use of quality products.

From NBC’s side, we are also focusing on educating customers on total cost of ownership, the performance advantages of our solutions, and the safety and sustainability risks associated with inferior imports. We are also expanding our digital platforms like NBC Connect to authenticate genuine products and protect customers from counterfeits.

Additionally, global trade policies and supply chain disruptions have made customers rethink their sourcing strategies. This has presented a significant opportunity for Indian manufacturers to become preferred local partners.

What are the most significant opportunities in automotive and non-automotive sectors?

In automotive, the biggest opportunity lies in the electrification of mobility. Bearings for EV motors, e-axles, and wheel hubs require new specifications in terms of speed, thermal resistance, and insulation. We are well-positioned here with dedicated R&D and application engineering focused on EV solutions.

Hydrogen ICE and fuel cell-powered mobility present the next wave of innovation. NBC is already developing bearings suited for these environments, including corrosion-resistant and high-temperature variants.

In the aftermarket, we see immense potential in expanding our offerings beyond bearings. We’ve entered the lubricants and tools segment and are leveraging platforms like NBC Connect for customer engagement.

On the non-automotive front, the industrial sector is gaining importance. We’ve identified segments like power, construction and mining, metal processing, and paper as high-potential zones. We are offering customised bearing solutions for these sectors along with digital tools for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.

How do you envision the future of the bearings industry?

The bearings industry is poised for rapid transformation. Going forward, the industry will be shaped by five key themes:

Electrification and new mobility – Bearings will have to adapt to higher speeds, lower torque, and stricter insulation demands.

Digitalisation – Condition monitoring, sensor integration, and remote diagnostics will become integral to industrial applications.

Sustainability – There will be a shift towards green steel, remanufacturing, and eco-friendly lubricants. Energy-efficient bearings will become the norm.

Localisation – Supply chain disruptions will drive OEMs to work with nearby, reliable, and innovation-focused partners.

Customisation at scale – As industries diversify, off-the-shelf bearings will reduce, and customers will demand co-developed, application-specific products.

At NBC, we have already begun investing in each of these areas—whether it's through product innovation, process digitisation, or strategic alliances across geographies.

What are your future plans in India?

India continues to be a high-priority market for us, both as a consumer base and as a manufacturing hub. Our plans can be summarised across three key pillars:

Capacity expansion – With growing demand from rail, 2W/3W, industrial and export markets, we are expanding our production capabilities. The new plant in Bagru and automation upgrades across facilities are part of this roadmap.

Innovation and new product development – We are expanding our engineering teams and strengthening R&D in areas such as sensor-integrated bearings, hydrogen-compatible materials, and advanced sealing systems.

Segment growth and diversification – We are actively building our presence in non-automotive sectors. We’ve created segment-specific go-to-market teams and plan to partner with channel players to penetrate industrial markets more deeply.

We are also investing in people and digital transformation. From employee development programs to digital tools for our dealers and customers, our goal is to create a connected and agile enterprise ready to lead the next era of growth.