“Over the next 5 – 10 years, we aim to scale the industrial and mobility businesses, deepen localization, and strengthen our position as a major manufacturing and innovation leader. We are advancing on initiatives in the renewable energy sector, sustainable production and refurbishment centers.” Seshan Iyer, President, Bearings & Industrial Solutions Schaeffler India
At a time when India is rapidly emerging as a global manufacturing powerhouse, Schaeffler India stands at the intersection of precision engineering and digital transformation. In this exclusive conversation, Niranjan Mudholkar, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of The Manufacturing Frontier, speaks with Seshan Iyer, President of Bearings & Industrial Solutions at Schaeffler India.
Mr. Iyer provides a comprehensive roadmap of the company’s strategic evolution—from achieving a remarkable 76% localization rate to spearheading Industry 4.0 through IoT-enabled condition monitoring. With a bold ₹1,700 crore investment trajectory and a transition to 100% renewable energy operations, Schaeffler is not just manufacturing components; it is engineering a resilient, “Made in India” ecosystem. This interview delves into how the B&IS division is bridging the gap between traditional reliability and future-ready sustainable motion.
Can you give a brief overview of Schaeffler India’s Industrial business and explain how it is currently positioned?
India’s industrial sector is poised for a significant transformation in the coming years, driven by technological advancements, shifting global dynamics, and progressive policy reforms. At Schaeffler India, we remain highly optimistic about the Bearings and Industrial Solutions (B&IS) division, which continues to be a strong pillar of our growth. Our industrial portfolio plays a vital role in powering a wide spectrum of sectors across the country, supported by a robust network of over 300 distributors and partners.
The vision for our B&IS division is centred on becoming a leading provider of innovative, sustainable, and customer-centric solutions that enhance efficiency, productivity and long-term value for industries. This aligns closely with Schaeffler’s global focus keeping industries running with energy saving bearings, customized systems and services and zero downtime. Through advanced motion systems, smart components and digitally enabled services, we aim to support India’s journey toward modern, resilient and future-ready industries.
Schaeffler India has demonstrated robust growth. Can you elaborate on the key drivers behind the Bearings & Industrial Solutions division’s recent performance and detail your immediate and long-term plans for scaling up operations and market penetration in India?
The Industrial business in the country has seen robust growth supported by recovering demand across core sectors such as manufacturing, construction, and mining, which has also helped lift the index of industrial production. The Bearings & Industrial Solutions business for Schaeffler India has seen growth supported by demand across our sectors like manufacturing, railways, construction, mining, renewable energy. The Bearings & Industrial business contributed to ~43% of the total revenues of the Company, continuing its growth journey. A major driver of this momentum is our strategic priority of localization. Schaeffler India continues to expand capacity at its Savli (Vadodara) facility in Gujarat by widening the existing industrial portfolio with inclusion of Made-in-India large size Spherical Roller Bearings (SRBs), Cast Steel Housings, and accessories for wind, heavy industries, and railway applications. To scale our operations and strengthen market penetration, we are investing not only in manufacturing expansion but also in R&D, enhancing in-house testing capabilities to enable end to end product development locally. Schaeffler India remains committed to its capex trajectory for expanding manufacturing, deepening localization, and supporting both its industrial and mobility businesses.
Schaeffler has committed to significant strategic investments. How are these investments tied to the ‘Make in India’ initiative, and what percentage of your Industrial products are you targeting for end-to-end localisation in the near future?
Schaeffler India has invested ₹1,700 crore between 2022–2024, exceeding its initial commitment of ₹1,500 crore. These investments align closely with the Make in India initiative, exemplified by the new manufacturing plant in Shoolagiri, Tamil Nadu, which is designed to support both conventional and electrified powertrain technologies. Strengthening localization, we have recently launched made-in-India large-size SRBs, cast steel housings, sleeves, and accessories from our Savli facility, underscoring the focus on local engineering and manufacturing. We have also achieved a localization level of 76% in 2024, up from 74% over the last few years, remaining on track to enhance this further.
Sustainability is a global focus for the Schaeffler Group. In the context of the Industrial division, how does Schaeffler India translate its commitment into tangible, measurable outcomes? What is your strategy for achieving climate-neutral production?
Schaeffler India is aligned with its goal towards climate neutrality. Operating on 100% renewable energy since 2024, we have initiated working with our supplier partners to map and take steps to reduce our scope 3 footprint. Our plants are being developed under a holistic sustainability framework incorporating energy-efficient machinery, 100% LED lighting, rainwater harvesting, heat recovery systems, and digitalised operations. We have a Large Size Bearings Refurbishment Centre in Jamshedpur to extend bearing life and reduce resource consumption. Schaeffler India has undertaken several initiatives in the areas of sustainability, initiating energy efficiency projects resulting in savings of 903.6 MWh, project reducing and reutilizing waste resulting in 34% reduction in annual disposal costs. We remain committed to focus on lean manufacturing, digitalization and sustainability.
India is increasingly viewed as a global R&D hub. Which specific advanced technologies, particularly in the realms of digitalization or mechatronics for industrial applications, is your India-based R&D team developing for global market consumption?
Schaeffler India has consistently invested in select product lines not just in manufacturing capacity but also in building its own engineering and R&D capabilities which has strengthened its position as a centre of excellence for these products manufactured in India. Our R&D efforts are centered around the development of reliable solutions for complex customer needs. Leveraging local expertise, we are focusing on design optimization and customized applications to enhance performance and support our customers in achieving their sustainability objectives. The Schaeffler Technology Solutions center in India plays the role of a key strategic location and competence center for software and electronics development for Schaeffler’s automotive components and systems in multiple mobility applications. It remains a cornerstone of innovation and transformation that will advance the future of mobility across the globe.
With Industry 4.0 becoming a norm, how is Schaeffler India leveraging advanced technologies like AI, IoT, and condition monitoring solutions to revolutionize asset management and operational efficiency for industrial customers?
Through our localized portfolio such as cast steel housings and sleeves, Schaeffler India is embedding provisions for sensors like vibration and temperature monitors, along with auto-lubricators, directly enabling IoT-based condition monitoring. Currently, we have deployed over 9000 Optime Sensors across various Industrial Plants across the country which include applications in Cement, Power Stations, Chemical Plants and Food and Beverage production. These optime sensors help our customers to monitor the health of their rotating machinery and connect to our remote condition monitoring cell. Our experts then analyze these vibration signatures and provide the customer a periodic health report. This empowers industrial customers to adopt predictive maintenance and real-time monitoring practices that optimise operations, reduce downtime, and improve overall efficiency. Predictive maintenance, in particular, uses real-time IoT data to forecast potential equipment failures, helping significantly reduce unplanned outages.
While your focus is Industrial, the future of mobility is a key theme in the industrial world today. How do the innovations and global trends in electrification and new propulsion technologies from the automotive sector impact or create opportunities for your Industrial solutions in India?
Innovations in automotive electrification and propulsion can create opportunities for industrial solutions by driving the need for new power management systems, software, and supporting infrastructure, while also accelerating demand for advanced manufacturing, predictive maintenance, and smart grid technologies. We are working towards intelligent, efficient, and sustainable products and services to advance Industry 4.0 motion technology. The Shoolagiri plant is specifically designed to support hybrid and electrified transmission components, including planetary gear systems, creating synergies between automotive electrification and its industrial portfolio. As global electrification progresses, we are well positioned to serve both mobility and industrial sectors by leveraging their strengths in transmission, bearing, and system-level engineering.
Looking ahead five to ten years, what is your vision for the role of Schaeffler India’s Bearings & Industrial Solutions division in shaping ‘Motion for a sustainable world’, specifically as India aims for global manufacturing leadership?
We are optimistic about the Bearings and Industrial Solutions (B&IS) division, which continues to be a key contributor to its growth. We aim to become a leading provider of innovative, sustainable, and customer-centric solutions that enhance efficiency, productivity, and value for industries worldwide. Over the next 5 – 10 years, we aim to scale the industrial and mobility businesses, deepen localization, and strengthen our position as a major manufacturing and innovation leader. We are advancing on initiatives in the renewable energy sector, sustainable production and refurbishment centers. Alongside these, our digitalization efforts, including condition monitoring, help us contribute to sustainable motion not only through the products but also through services.
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Seshan Iyer is President of Bearings & Industrial Solutions, Schaeffler India. Mr. Iyer brings over 31 years of leadership experience in industrial application businesses. He has steered industrial sales verticals for Bonfiglioli Transmission India, Dalmia Refractories Limited, TDW India Limited and Cooper Roller Bearings Company. Throughout his career, Mr. Iyer has driven OEM and channel sales strategy and new business and product development, transforming the very scope of market expansion. Mr. Iyer returned to Schaeffler India as President of Bearings & Industrial Solutions, in 2023, to lead its high-precision components and systems for drive train and chassis applications as well as rolling and plain bearing solutions for industrial customers in India. With his in-depth knowledge of the target markets, Mr. Iyer is driving Schaeffler’s intelligent, efficient and sustainable products and services to advance Industry 4.0 motion technology. Together with the rest of the India Executive Leadership Team, Mr. Iyer is creating value for stakeholders along the supply chain for Schaeffler, a company that leads in motion through innovation, agility, and efficiency.
