SKF AB (Sweden; Stockholm: SKFB; 5251R9N7) has opened its eleventh Solution Factory, this one in Montigny, France.

After rolling out the concept, SKF has been very quick to identify and build on Solution Factory success -- in just over 18 months, there are eleven: Brazil; Shanghai, China; Tianjin, China; France; Germany; India; Italy; South Africa; Sweden; Taiwan; and the United States. Initial plans called for ten worldwide, and in a longer time frame.

Solution Factories are SKF's effort to create an opportunity for customers to experience the company's wide range of offerings under one roof. Previously, there were few, if any, natural opportunities for bearing and seal customers to see and evaluate all of SKF's five basic platforms -- bearings, seals, services, lubrication, and mechatronics. In a Solution Factory, customers are exposed hands-on to value-added products, services and technologies -- lubrication systems, mechatronics, support, remanufacturing and repair, condition monitoring, troubleshooting, and many others.

SKF hoped that customers exposed to its array of interrelated offerings through a Solution Factory would see the advantages inherent in getting all of their mechanical and support systems, including training, from a single integrated source. And with their undivided attention, SKF found it can help them see the value proposition in terms of combining services to cut costs and improve efficiency.

Solution Factory locations are not just sales support, but also offer training classes, failure analysis, engineering support, lubrication services, sealing solutions, bearing reconditioning and spindle service, and inventory.

SKF has not indicated how successful the Solution Factory locations have been in terms of bringing top-line growth, or if there is an expected measure. However, the continuing fast rollout across major markets seems to indicate the project has been successful, particularly in leveraging sales to existing customers. The company also has not indicated how many more Solution Factory locations are planned, or where they might be located.