NRB Bearings Targets Six New Growth Verticals Beyond Core Auto Business

NRB Bearings Ltd is looking beyond its traditional automotive bearings business for its next phase of growth, identifying six new verticals ranging from aerospace and electrification to robotics and heavy construction equipment.

The Mumbai-based company plans to build these businesses around capabilities it has developed in advanced manufacturing, computational analysis and simulation, materials science, sealing and lubrication technology, Managing Director Harshbeena Zaveri said in her speech at the company's 61st annual general meeting.

The six areas identified by the company are aerospace, automotive adjacencies, "Beyond EV" electrification, mobility beyond vehicles, industrial and heavy construction equipment, and mission-critical friction solutions. NRB Bearings said many of these represent market opportunities running into around $10 billion.

“I want to be clear: while this is a fresh start, it is not a speculative leap into unknown territory,” Zaveri said. “This strategic direction is built entirely on the concrete strengths we have systematically developed over the years.”

The strategy marks an effort by NRB Bearings to reduce its dependence on conventional automotive applications while taking its existing engineering capabilities into businesses where precision, low friction and reliability command higher value.

The company, however, said it does not intend to move away from its core automotive franchise. Instead, it plans to enter adjacent businesses where customers require similar engineering capabilities.

Aerospace Becomes New Growth Pillar

Aerospace is among the most significant new areas for NRB. The company entered the segment through the acquisition of Bengaluru-based Mahant Tool Room, which manufactures precision-machined components used in aerospace engine and fuel systems.

NRB had announced the transaction in January for an upfront cash consideration of ₹27.5 crore. At the time, Mahant Tool Room had a confirmed order book of more than ₹25 crore, according to a stock-exchange filing.

NRB completed the acquisition in July. Its subsidiary also received AS9100D certification for precision-machined components and bearings used in aerospace and defence. The company said the acquisition gives it access to a global aerospace components opportunity that it estimates at $14.5-16.5 billion.

Zaveri said buying an existing aerospace business allowed NRB to avoid the long certification and qualification process usually required to enter the sector.

“The answer is simple: we bought access, not capacity,” she said in the AGM speech.

NRB said its existing R&D and product development capabilities could now be combined with Mahant Tool Room's approvals and operating base to scale the aerospace business more quickly.

The acquisition is also part of the company's longer-term plan to double consolidated revenue by 2031.

Moving Beyond Traditional Automotive Bearings

Within the automotive sector, NRB plans to broaden its product portfolio beyond its traditional transmission and chassis applications.

The company has identified tapered and ball-bearing wheel hubs, spherical roller bearings, steering-system applications, one-way clutch bearings and wheel bearings as growth areas.

The aim is to move from supplying individual components towards becoming a more integrated system partner to vehicle manufacturers and Tier-1 suppliers.

The strategy comes as India's auto-component industry itself moves towards higher levels of localisation and technology content. The industry reported its highest-ever turnover of ₹7.59 lakh crore in FY26, up 12.7%, according to the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA). Supplies to vehicle manufacturers rose 16.3% to ₹6.52 lakh crore, while exports reached $24 billion.

‘Beyond EV’ Electrification

NRB is also widening its electrification strategy beyond passenger electric cars. Its target applications include high-frequency drives, commercial electric vehicle fleets, electric two-wheelers, off-highway electric vehicles and industrial electrification.

The company sees opportunities for specialised bearings and friction-management products in applications where electrical erosion, low friction and efficiency become increasingly important.

This shift comes as electrification starts contributing a larger share of component demand. Electric-vehicle components, excluding lithium-ion batteries, accounted for about 4.6% of domestic OEM component supplies in FY26, according to ACMA.

Robotics, Automation and New Mobility

NRB is defining mobility more broadly than conventional road vehicles. The company plans to target robotics, automated guided vehicles, urban air mobility and advanced automated transit systems, all of which require precision components and friction management.

Industrial and heavy construction equipment forms another vertical. NRB intends to increase its presence in off-highway applications such as construction and mining machinery, where bearings and related components operate under high loads and harsh conditions.

The sixth growth area covers what the company calls mission-critical friction solutions. Potential applications include data-centre cooling systems, renewable-energy drives and precision gearboxes, where equipment failure and downtime can carry high costs.

Digital Twins and R&D to Drive Expansion

Technology will underpin the diversification. NRB said it has developed proprietary computational-analysis software and simulation capabilities alongside expertise in kinematic and dynamic studies, lightweighting, noise reduction, materials, sealing and lubrication.

The company is also using digital twins and digitised design and manufacturing processes. Zaveri said its relatively flat technical decision-making structure allows it to deliver custom digital-twin simulations and co-design proposals “in days rather than months”.
FY26 PAT Rises 77%

The diversification push comes after a strong FY26. NRB's consolidated revenue from operations increased 11% to ₹1,335 crore, while EBITDA rose 19% to ₹267 crore. Profit after tax jumped 77% to ₹146 crore.

Return on equity rose to 15%, while return on capital employed increased to 20%, according to the company.

Chairman Tashwinder Singh said the company intends to continue investing in R&D, advanced manufacturing technology, capacity expansion, new products and customer diversification as it seeks to capture opportunities created by localisation, exports and the China Plus One sourcing trend.

Margins to Remain a Priority

Despite the expansion into several new businesses, NRB said it would remain selective about where it deploys capital.

The company plans to focus on application-engineered, higher-margin niches rather than pursuing scale at the expense of profitability. “While our growth strategy across these high-tech adjacencies is aggressive, our commitment to financial discipline remains absolute,” Zaveri said.

NRB said it intends to scale the new businesses without diluting its existing margin structure or changing its approach to capital allocation.