New production hall opened in Nanjing for the manufacture of large bearings for wind energy

The Schaeffler Group's largest production site for wind power bearings worldwide

Realization of the entire value chain on site strengthens sustainability

Wind power as a strategic growth area as part of the Roadmap 2025

The global automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler is strengthening its business activities in the wind power sector and is commissioning a new production hall with an area of 22,000 square meters at its eastern Chinese site in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. The focus in Nanjing, a location of the Industrial division, is on the production of large bearings with a diameter of over 800 millimeters, which are mainly used in wind turbines, gearboxes and in heavy industry. The plan is to produce 12,500 units per year. With the new hall, Schaeffler is expanding its production capacities at the site to a total area of 260,000 square meters. This makes Nanjing the largest manufacturing location for wind power bearings within the Schaeffler Group. More than 2,000 people are employed at the site.

"The expansion of production capacities in Nanjing strengthens our Asian network of plants," says Andreas Schick, Board Member for Production, Supply Chain Management and Purchasing at Schaeffler AG. “With the production technology further developed by Schaeffler, we are achieving a significant increase in efficiency. Our own special machines and the implementation of the entire added value on site are essential here. That is sustainability in practice. Our global cooperation once again proves Schaeffler's expertise in industrialization. "

As part of the Roadmap 2025, which describes the Schaeffler Group's strategic direction for the next five years, innovative and sustainable solutions for wind power applications play a central role for Schaeffler. Against the background of ambitious climate goals and targeted subsidies, new energy projects in the wind energy sector are also being developed and implemented in the People's Republic of China. With solutions for rolling bearings, linear technology and direct drives, Schaeffler offers comprehensive technology and application know-how for perfectly coordinated complete systems from a single source.

"The wind power sector is of strategic importance for Schaeffler and continues to have high growth potential," says Dr. Stefan Spindler, Chief Industrial Officer at Schaeffler AG. “We support our partners in the energy transition with innovative products on the way to a sustainable future. With high-performance and reliable large bearings for wind power applications, we shape progress that moves the world. Schaeffler is already represented globally in two out of three wind turbines, making it the world's leading provider of wind bearings. "

The Greater China region has played an increasingly important role in Schaeffler's business success since entering the market in 1995. Despite the challenging market environment, the region posted currency-adjusted sales growth of 8.7 percent in the 2020 financial year. The wind sector cluster of the Industrial division made a significant contribution to this.