NHB Ball & Roller Pvt Ltd is a leading manufacturer and supplier of high- quality steel and aluminum balls for bearings, automotive and cosmetic industries. With two factories based in India, NHB has built a reputation for delivering superior quality products and excellent customer service.
To learn more about NHB products and lean manufacturing systems, we have recently met Giuseppe Panaccione, NHB Vice President and Business Development manager, in NHB Italian offices located in Pinerolo (North-West of Italy) from where a professional customer service team support all European clients.
Dear Mr. Panaccione, can you please explain why bearings manufacturers should consider buying balls from NHB for their precision ball bearings?
One of the primary reasons why clients should consider buying products from NHB Ball & Roller is the company’s commitment to quality. All products are manufactured using the latest technology and equipment and lean thinking principles to ensure that they meet or exceed industry standards. “Leadership through Quality” has been our company mantra for the last 10 years and sums up well the secret of the corporate transformation that NHB has undergone over the past 10 years.
Any other reasons?
NHB team is also committed to offer a superior customer service. The company has a team of knowledgeable and experienced professionals who are dedicated to providing clients with the best possible service, to build long-term relationships with clients and to work closely with them to understand their unique needs and requirements. In other words, we daily work to be recognized as value providers, studying and implementing even innovative technical and logistic solutions to generate competitive advantage.
You mentioned the corporate transformation happened in the last years. Would you explain a little more about it?
We worked hard in the last years to transform the company culture and to create a new identity coherent with the long-term strategy that we had in mind. It was a radical change that touched all the aspects of the business: the people, the processes, the methods and the organization. We came from an history of several customer complaints, poor customer service and productivity.
We used the tools of lean thinking to review all business processes, trained all the employees to the new methods, created value streams to improve flow, to reduce inventories and the reaction times to market, so dramatically increasing both service levels and quality. We also worked technically on the manufacturing process to fine tune it … but that was the easiest part.
What do you mean? Which was the hardest part?
To touch technology is easy: it has to do with know-how and, in case, with availability of capitals for investments. What is much more complicated is to change the people mindset, to explain – and to show by facts – that a different way of doing is not only possible, but more effective both in terms of company results and all employees satisfaction.
By the way, allow me to underline that such impressive company transformation happened in NHB in the last few years would not have been possible without the determination, the strength and the great intelligence of our CEO Kalpesh Mehta, who got involved in first person and acted as catalyst of energies.
Which is the main product of NHB?
NHB’s flagship product consists of balls for bearings application made in G5 quality. G5 is a high precision grade of steel ball, which means that it has very tight tolerances for size and roundness. This level of precision ensures that the ball bearings operate smoothly and efficiently, reducing friction and wear on the bearing components. Very few companies in the world are able to consistently produce such level of quality. NHB can do it at very competitive conditions incomparable with those of other market players.
Which are the advantages for a ball bearings manufacturer in using G5 steel balls instead of G10 or other lower grades balls?
Using G5 steel balls can improve the load capacity of a bearing. NHB G5 steel balls are made from high-quality steel that is heat-treated to increase its strength and toughness. This means that bearings with G5 steel balls can handle heavier loads than bearings made with lower-grade steel balls. Furthermore G5 steel balls have excellent surface finish and low surface roughness, which can further reduce friction and increase the lifespan of the bearing. This can result in longer service intervals, reduced maintenance costs, and increased reliability of the overall system.
In summary, using NHB high-quality steel balls in grade G5 can provide a competitive advantage to ball bearings manufacturers by improving the precision, load capacity, and longevity of their products. This can result in increased customer satisfaction, repeat business, and a strong reputation for quality and reliability.
What are the NHB plans for the future? At least for the part that you can disclose to our readers.
Indeed in these last few months the whole management team has been working on the definition of the new company strategy for the next 5 years. What I can disclose is our intention to further focus the whole organization on the processes and products quality through the implementation of the new NHB Business System (NBS). It is a management system 100% founded on the Lean Thinking principles. We are committed to implement it without any single (even small) deviation.
Does NHB aim to company growth?
Yes, of course. We do think the growth will be the indirect obvious result of our proper and deep implementation of the new NBS.
Are you interested also in acquisitions of other business? And, in case yes, in India or somewhere else?
We do understand that, to be a global player in the market, NHB needs to have a global manufacturing footprint. We are looking all around and we are open to intercept any good acquisition opportunity that marries our strategy and leverages our strengths. Not necessarily only in the balls business …
Does it mean that you are interested to consider also other type of business for your M&A activities?
We are interested in manufacturing high precision products, those ones whose tolerances are expressed in fractions of microns. We look for non-repetitive high series manufacturing where we can put in place our strong competences of flow management, lean methods and quality focus.
More information about NHB balls can be available on the company website or writing to info@nhbball.in
