This is SMT's first R&D extension outside Sweden. Hakan Kingstedt, managing director and president, Sandvik Asia Ltd, said: “This is a significant step for us since the Sandvik Group will be looking at establishing India as a global hub for knowledge sourcing with this project in India.”

Speaking at the inauguration, Dr Olle Wijk, executive vice-president, SMT and Head of R&D, said: “We want to establish the R&D activity in India because the Asian region is big and rapidly growing for Sandvik Materials Technology. The R&D centre gives us an opportunity for close cooperation with customers in the Asian market.”

Peter Gossas, president, SMT, said: “India ranks high in research capabilities both from competence and cost point of view. The new centre in Pune will showcase the local representation of modeling experts in Asia, where the market is expanding at a rapid pace.”

The Sandvik Group has been consistently investing nearly four percent of its earnings annually in R&D over the years.

The area of focus, to begin with, will be computer modeling, both on alloy design from thermodynamic models and metallurgical processing like rolling and extrusion using FEM/FEA.

Modeling allows reduction of development time for alloys and metallurgical products like tubes, sheets and wires by a process of simulation and optimisation using hi-tech computational systems. The need for experimentation is reduced and introduction of new products are speeded up. This benefits customers while Sandvik retains its technological leadership.