Swedish industrial bearings major SKF is revamping its brand identity, which it said is to help the group to further stand out in the industry, attract new customers and ultimately drive profitability.

The over a century old bearings company is amongst the top players globally when it comes to being a closed partner for industrial and mobility solutions.Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO, SKF, said, “Our brand is the accumulation of everything we do – innovations, values, people, reputation, communication and our desired future state. From a business perspective, we are building favourability among current and potential customers, employees, investors, partners, and beyond. It is a way of earning our place in the world while staying true to our values and purpose.”

The refresh brand strategy aims to reflect upon SKF’s historical, current and future strengths. The idea is to clearly communicate its impact on the world and public perception towards its innovative and sustainable solutions.

Per Nilsson, Director Communication, SKF, said, "Only a few companies in the world can reduce friction like SKF. Wherever there is rotation, we show up – from bicycles to high-speed trains, from paper mills to washing machines. A fantastic position to have, but also an inspiring story still to be told. We have been fighting friction since 1907 and today it is more relevant than ever before.”

The refreshed brand identity includes a redesigned logo, a fresher blue, a new typeface and more distinctive photography.

Going forward, the company will roll out the brand identity across its marketing communication along with working with its distribution partner.

“Through almost 120 years of innovation, we’ve developed products and solutions that reduce friction. Now we’re stepping that up. Not just reducing friction but actively fighting friction to move the world forward and telling the story about the difference we make,” concluded Gustafson.

Schaeffler India, a leading player in motion technology, is ramping up its fight against counterfeit & fraudulent bearings and components.

The company has announced that it has undertaken extensive collaboration with local authorities, leading to hundreds of legal activities, including several successful raids in key metropolitan areas such as Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. These operations resulted in the seizure of counterfeit items falsely bearing the Schaeffler brands FAG, INA and LuK.

Schaeffler India stated that the proliferation of counterfeit products presents significant risks related to operational safety, product performance and consumer confidence. It is addressing this critical challenge by enhancing its vigilance and enforcement strategies, partnering closely with law enforcement agencies to identify and dismantle unauthorised supply chains involved in the distribution of fake Schaeffler products.

Harsha Kadam, Managing Director and CEO, Schaeffler India, said, "At Schaeffler, quality and reliability are at the core of everything we do. Counterfeit products not only compromise safety and performance but also erode trust in the industry. We are committed to eliminating counterfeit products from the market by undertaking stringent legal action, conducting awareness campaigns, and empowering customers with tools to identify genuine Schaeffler products."

The company is focussing on a three-pronged strategy to fight the counterfeit menace, which includes unique labelling & code verification, branding details and promoting authorised distribution channels.

The United States President, Donald Trump, announced a new set of tariffs as part of its ‘Liberation Day’ initiative on 2 April 2025. This new rate of tariffs is part of Trump’s administration to boost national production and what he claimed is to resolve ‘trade imbalances.’

A statement issued by ACMA India mentioned that as per an order by Trump on 26 March 2025, Section 232 charges 25 percent tariffs, but there is no mention of ‘Autos & auto parts and steel & aluminium articles.’

The industry body stated that the detailed list of auto components that will be subject to 25 percent import tariff in the United States was awaited.

Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM, said, “Commenting on the recent announcement by US Govt on Reciprocal Tariffs, it is to be noted that autos are not covered in this order since they are already subject to Section 232 tariffs at 25 percent, announced earlier in President Trump’s order on March 26, 2025.  We don't expect any significant impact on the Indian automobile industry since there are limited exports to US, but we will continue to monitor the situation."

Shradha Suri Marwah, President, ACMA and CMD, Subros, said, “ACMA remains hopeful that the ongoing bilateral negotiations between the Indian and U.S. governments will lead to a balanced resolution that benefits both economies. We believe that the strong trade relationship between India and the United States, especially in the auto components sector, will encourage continued dialogue to mitigate the impacts of these measures. ACMA is committed to engaging with all stakeholders to ensure the long-term interests of the Indian auto component industry.”

A statement from the White House mentioned that President Trump was working to level the playing field for American businesses and workers by confronting the unfair tariff disparities and non-tariff barriers imposed by other countries.

‘For generations, countries have taken advantage of the United States, tariffing us at higher rates. For example: The United States imposes a 2.5 percent tariff on passenger vehicle imports (with internal combustion engines), while the European Union (10 percent) and India (70 percent) impose much higher duties on the same product.’

For FY2024, India exported USD 6.79 billion worth of auto components, which translates to 27 percent of the total exports from India. On the other hand, India’s automotive component imports from the United States was valued at USD 1.63 billion or 7 percent of the total imports.

Saurabh Agarwal, Partner & Automotive Tax Leader at EY India, stated, “With US automotive tariffs rising, India's electric vehicle sector has a prime opportunity to capture a larger share of the US market, especially in the budget car segment. China's 2023 auto and component exports to the US stood at USD 17.99 billion, while India's were only USD 2.1 billion in 2024, highlighting the potential for growth. To accelerate this, the government should enhance the PLI scheme by including more auto components, opening it to new players, and extending it by two years."

Arun Agarwal, VP – Fundamental Research – Automobiles, Kotak Securities, said, “US has imposed 25 percent tariffs on imported cars, light trucks and select auto parts sourced from outside of North America. Further, almost 150 auto parts will face tariffs at similar rate. This move could result into increase in car prices in the US and cost pressure for component suppliers. In the event of car prices going up, the US car market may witness a steep volume decline and that can impact revenue for component players supplying parts to the US car/light truck industry. Further, margins of suppliers may come under pressure as they may need to partly absorb cost pressures. We believe there will be some impact, which the suppliers will have to bear, leading to negative implications on margins. Having said that, it needs to be seen on how higher tariffs are absorbed across the supply chain that includes customers, OEMs and suppliers. The extent of impact for Indian players will also depend on the US-India bilateral agreement over the next few months.”

German family-owned leading automotive independent aftermarket company Bilstein Group has formally entered India with the establishment of Ferdinand Bilstein India. 

The 23rd international subsidiary of Ferdinand Bilstein was incorporated in February 2025, but formally opened on 1 April 2025 with the onboarding of Ramachandra Puttana as its Managing Director.

Bilstein Group currently sells parts under the febi, SWAG and Blue Print brands for the passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle segment. The German brand has a turnover of over EUR 1.12 billion (in 2023), supplies parts to over 170 countries and has a catalogue of over 75,000 different products.

Automotive industry veteran Puttana comes with over three decades of experience having worked with major brands such as Fenner India, Bosch India, Oman Trading, Magneti Marelli and the ZF Group. In his last role at Greaves Retail, Puttana was responsible for the strategic expansion of product solutions for electric vehicles. 

“I am very much looking forward to supporting the international growth of the bilstein group and contributing my experience to enthuse the Indian market about the group's products and services. However, the aim is not only to work more closely with existing customers, but also to persuade others that the bilstein group is a reliable and above all, long-term partner,” said Puttana.

Karsten Schussler-Bilstein, Group Managing Director, bilstein group, said, “The expansion into India is of great importance to us. We see the Indian market as a subcontinent with a diverse vehicle fleet and rapid development in the automotive aftermarket business. We want to actively accompany and support this dynamic growth. In addition, the expansion of our presence in India underlines the increasing importance of the bilstein group as a global player. We also achieved growth of more than 10 percent in 2024. We are continuously investing in the international expansion of our sales and logistics network. Last year, we received 24 awards from international trade cooperations and industry associations. We would like to build on this success. In Ramachandra Puttanna, we have gained a very experienced and committed manager. I am confident that he will help us make great progress in India.” 

Tier 1 automotive component supplier Uno Minda has announced strategic restructuring of its leadership and Board of Directors. The transition effective from 1 April 2025, the company shared is a significant step towards enhancing governance, operational efficiency and long-term sustainability.

The company has announced a decisive move to separate the roles of Chairman and Managing Director, which it shared will enhance leadership clarity, reinforce operational focus and drive the company’s strategic vision.

Ravi Mehra, currently serving as Deputy Managing Director, will be elevated to the position of Managing Director, where he will oversee the company’s operations and management. Meanwhile, Nirmal Kumar Minda will transition to the role of Executive Chairman, focusing on strategic direction, business oversight and mentoring the leadership team. His role will also encompass championing employee development and fostering a sustainable organisational culture.

Mehra has been instrumental in the company’s growth since joining in 1995.

Furthermore, Uno Minda has also announced key appointments to its Board of Directors, which includes Shekar Viswanathan who brings over four decades of experience, having retired as Vice-Chairman and Whole-time Director of Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

Abhay Damle, Independent Director has held various key government positions, including Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and Director of the Central Institute of Road Transport, Pune.

Paridhi Minda and Pallak Minda, Non-Executive Directors, the daughters of Nirmal Kumar Minda add significant value through their diverse academic and industry experience. Paridhi holds a management degree from Bradford University, a certification from the London School of Economics, and has attended finishing school at Institut Villa Pierrefeu, Switzerland. Pallak is a graduate in Entrepreneurship from Delhi University, has also completed a Master’s Programme for Entrepreneurs and Family Businesses (MPEFB) from IIM Bangalore.

“This realignment and strengthening of our Board reflect Uno Minda’s unwavering commitment to robust corporate governance and sustainable growth. We are confident that Ravi Mehra’s leadership, along with the expertise of our new Board members, will be instrumental in driving Uno Minda’s continued success,” said Nirmal Minda.