In this interview, Sujeeth Pai, Director — Manufacturing Operations for Industrial ISEA & Middle East, SKF India (Industrial) Limited, discusses about the company’s role in reducing frictional losses, integrating digital condition monitoring, advancing remanufacturing, and scaling localised manufacturing to support India’s low-carbon industrial transition.
What role do SKF’s energy-efficient bearings play in the clean energy sector?
In the clean energy sector, SKF’s energy-efficient bearings are instrumental. These products are widely used in wind turbines, hydroelectric generators, solar tracking systems, and even in hydrogen infrastructure. Their ability to minimise friction as much as by 30 per cent and maintain high reliability under varied loads makes them ideal for supporting the dynamic operational demands of renewable energy applications. By enabling cleaner operation with less electricity wasted as heat, they help clean energy installations maximise power yield and contribute directly to a lower carbon footprint.
How significant is the potential energy saving across sectors if these high-efficiency bearings are adopted at scale?
If SKF Industrial’s energy-efficient bearings were broadly adopted across industry sectors, the potential for energy savings and sustainability impact would be significant and far-reaching. These bearings are precision-engineered to reduce frictional losses and operating temperature, which not only translates into immediate energy savings but also extends the service life of the bearing itself, often outperforming conventional SKF Explorer bearings by at least twofold in many applications.
In practical terms, this means that throughout the lifetime of a typical machine, the number of bearings required may be halved, or in optimal scenarios, bearing replacement may not be needed at all. This extended service life reduces material consumption, minimises maintenance interventions, and lowers overall operational costs.
As clean energy systems become more decentralised and data-driven, how do you see the role of mechanical efficiency evolving in the overall energy transition landscape?
In 2025, the transition to decentralised, clean energy systems place mechanical efficiency squarely at the heart of the energy transition. Distributed generation, from wind, solar, and tidal to microgrids and electric mobility, demands that each energy conversion point maximises output with minimal resource input and operational losses. SKF’s approach demonstrates how high-precision, low-friction, and durable bearings increase mechanical reliability and efficiency in clean energy applications, from wind turbines to pumps, directly contributing to higher output, lower operational emissions, and extended equipment lifespan.
Moreover, the digitisation of industrial machinery, through smart bearings, predictive analytics, and digital twins, now allows operators to monitor and optimise mechanical performance in real time. As energy infrastructure becomes more dispersed and interconnected, these mechanical and data-driven advances play a pivotal role, turning efficiency into a lever for reliability, cost optimisation, and rapid decarbonisation, all critical to sustaining the global momentum toward net zero.
What are SKF Industrial’s R&D priorities for the next phase of innovation in energy efficiency and sustainable motion technologies?
The first area of focus is circular product design by developing bearings that are re-manufacturable, recyclable, and significantly extend operational life, thereby reducing material use and waste. Further, we are accelerating digital intelligence in motion technologies, using predictive analytics to reduce unplanned downtime and energy losses. This enables customers to move from reactive to predictive maintenance, driving cost savings and carbon reduction. We are advancing material innovation through hybrid bearings that combine steel rings with ceramic rolling elements, improving friction performance and reliability in demanding electric vehicle drivetrains. Further, our specialised bearing coatings enhance durability by providing superior resistance to corrosion, wear, and surface fatigue, ensuring longer service life across renewable and industrial applications. Together, these priorities are helping us engineer solutions that deliver measurable efficiency gains, lower emissions, and align with the energy transition pathways shaping the Indian and global economy.
How do you envision the evolution of industrial bearings in the next decade, especially in supporting the low-carbon economy?
Over the next decade, bearings will evolve from passive components into smart, high‑performance enablers of a low‑carbon economy. Our refurbishment and remanufacturing services exemplify this shift—saving carbon dioxide and steel while supporting circularity. Looking forward, we’re exploring additive manufacturing and sensor‑integrated design to deliver lighter, intelligent bearings that predict their own maintenance needs and optimise performance by redefining bearings as eco‑smart assets integral to sustainable industrial transformation
