NRB Bearings Corporation has established a New Product Development (NPD) facility in Columbia, South Carolina, marking the company's entry into domestic manufacturing operations. Vice Chairman and Managing Director Harshbeena Zaveri inaugurated the facility on January 19, 2026.
The center will serve NRB's North American automotive customers, including Meritor, Magna, Dana, Daimler's Detroit Diesel division, and BorgWarner, while supporting expansion into the industrial sector.
Located on the Midlands Technical College campus, the facility represents the first phase of NRB's "Made in USA" initiative. The company signed an agreement to establish the application engineering and prototyping center to provide locally developed friction solutions to its growing customer base.
The center will implement NRB's Design-to-Delivery model in North America, covering the complete NPD process for new product launches and resourcing programs. Services include application analysis, benchmarking, simulation, design and prototype development, metrology, and inspection. The facility will also develop manufacturing processes tailored to the North American market.
The initial setup includes a metrology laboratory equipped to provide precision measurement, inspection, and benchmarking services for automotive and industrial clients.
According to NRB Bearings USA's Board of Directors, Columbia was selected for its university-industry collaboration opportunities, manufacturing and engineering resources, and proximity to key customers. The company indicated this investment demonstrates its commitment to the US market and aims to improve speed-to-market, innovation, and customer responsiveness.
The partnership with Midlands Technical College provides access to technicians and engineering talent, creating collaboration between industry and educational institutions. NRB indicated the facility serves as a foundation for establishing a manufacturing presence in the United States.