Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

Registered UK Charity (No. 115342)

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 164,258 pages of information and 246,079 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Svenska Kullagerfabrik

From Graces Guide

Aktiebolaget Svenska Kullagerfabriken, SKF, maker of bearings.

1907 Business founded. Sven Wingquist, inventor of the double-row self-aligning ball bearing, was one of the founding members and the first Managing Director. Axel Carlander was Chairman of the Board.

A patent application was filed on 6 June. Patents were eventually granted in ten countries.

1908 The first factory was built at Säve Strandgata, Gothenburg.

1910 Skefko Ball Bearing Co. Ltd was registered in the UK. Work started on a plant in Luton.

1916 Acquired Hofors Bruk, one of Sweden's oldest mining and ore smelting companies

1927 AB Volvo, which had been formed by the company, started making motor cars and lorries[1]


By 1969 Skefko Ball Bearing Co of Luton, a subsidiary, was making better profits[2]. SKF invested in modernising its 2 factories in the UK and would build a new European aircraft bearing facility in Irvine in collaboration with group companies[3]

1975 Acquired Sheffield Twist Drill and Steel Co[4]


See Also

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Sources of Information

  1. The Times Mar. 20, 1935
  2. The Times June 2, 1969
  3. The Times Dec. 3, 1969
  4. The Times July 10, 1975
  • [1] SKF website