# SKF

> Swedish ball bearing and seal manufacturing company

**Wikidata**: [Q52846](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q52846)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SKF)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/skf

## Summary
SKF is a Swedish ball bearing and seal manufacturing company founded in 1907, headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. It operates as a public company and is classified as a business, enterprise, and industrial concern within the global metal industry.

## Key Facts
- **Inception**: 1907-00-00T00:00:00Z  
- **Website**: http://www.skf.com  
- **Aliases**: Swedish ball bearing factory  
- **Classification**: Public company, business, enterprise, concern  
- **Location**: Gothenburg, Sweden (second-largest city in Sweden and capital of Västra Götaland County)  
- **Sitelink Count**: 32 (across connected knowledge entries)  
- **Key Personnel**: Sven Gustaf Wingqvist (Swedish engineer, 1876–1953), Assar Gabrielsson (Swedish businessman, 1891–1962)  
- **Associated Organization**: AB Volvo (Swedish manufacturing company founded in 1927)  
- **Predecessor/Successor**: RIV (former Italian steel company founded in 1906)  
- **Industries**: Industrial manufacturing, metal industry  
- **Financial Market**: Listed on OTC Markets Group (American financial market established in 1913)  

## FAQs
**What is SKF?**  
SKF is a Swedish company specializing in manufacturing ball bearings and seals, operating as a publicly traded enterprise since 1907.  

**Where is SKF based?**  
SKF is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, the second-largest city in Sweden and capital of Västra Götaland County.  

**Who founded SKF?**  
SKF was founded by Sven Gustaf Wingqvist, a Swedish engineer, and Assar Gabrielsson, a Swedish businessman, in 1907.  

**What products does SKF manufacture?**  
SKF produces ball bearings and seals, primarily serving the industrial manufacturing and metal industries.  

**How is SKF classified in business terms?**  
SKF is categorized as a public company (offering securities to the public), business, enterprise, and concern, reflecting its scale and structure in industrial operations.  

**What notable organizations is SKF linked to?**  
SKF is associated with AB Volvo (a Swedish manufacturing company) and RIV (a former Italian steel company), though specific relationships are not detailed in the provided data.  

**How is SKF traded?**  
SKF operates as a public company, with securities available to the general public through the OTC Markets Group, an American financial market established in 1913.  

## Why It Matters
SKF is significant as a foundational player in the industrial manufacturing sector, providing critical components like ball bearings and seals essential for mechanical systems across industries. Its longevity (founded in 1907) and status as a public company highlight its economic stability and global influence. Based in Gothenburg—a major European industrial hub— SKF exemplifies Sweden’s historical strength in metal production and engineering innovation, with ties to organizations like AB Volvo indicating its role in advancing automotive and heavy industrial technology.  

## Notable For
- Pioneering ball bearing manufacturing in Sweden since 1907.  
- Operating continuously for over a century as a public enterprise.  
- Classification as a "concern," denoting a significant European business grouping.  
- Association with historical figures like Sven Gustaf Wingqvist (Swedish engineer) and Assar Gabrielsson (Swedish businessman).  
- Strategic location in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city and industrial heartland.  
- Connection to AB Volvo, a landmark Swedish manufacturing company, suggesting historical industry integration.  
- Listing on OTC Markets Group, enabling public trading of its securities.  

## Body
### History  
Founded in 1907 in Gothenburg, Sweden, SKF emerged as a dedicated ball bearing and seal manufacturing company. Key figures in its establishment include Sven Gustaf Wingqvist, a Swedish engineer (1876–1953), and Assar Gabrielsson, a Swedish businessman (1891–1962). The company’s longevity is underscored by its continued operation as a public entity, with securities available to the general public since inception.

### Business Classification  
SKF is formally classified under multiple industrial categories:  
- **Public company**: Offers securities to the general public.  
- **Business and enterprise**: Functions as an organizational unit producing goods with autonomous decision-making.  
- **Concern**: Signifies a notable European-style business grouping.  
These classifications reflect its scale, independence, and strategic importance in industrial sectors.

### Core Operations  
- **Products**: Ball bearings and seals.  
- **Industries**: Industrial manufacturing and metal industry.  
- **Impact**: Supplies essential components for mechanical systems, enabling advancements in automotive, heavy machinery, and metal fabrication.  

### Geographical Foundation  
Headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city and capital of Västra Götaland County (founded in 1621). This location positions SKF within one of Sweden’s primary industrial and economic hubs. Sweden itself is identified as the country of origin, a Northern European nation with industrial roots dating to the 900s.

### Key Personnel  
- **Sven Gustaf Wingqvist**: Swedish engineer (1876–1953), involved in SKF’s founding.  
- **Assar Gabrielsson**: Swedish businessman (1891–1962), co-founder of SKF.  
Their expertise and leadership established SKF’s technical and commercial foundations.

### Corporate Connections  
- **AB Volvo**: A Swedish manufacturing company (founded 1927) listed under SKF’s key personnel section, though the precise nature of their relationship is unspecified in the provided data.  
- **RIV**: A former Italian steel company (founded 1906), referenced in SKF’s "Preceded/Succeeded by" context, indicating historical ties to European steel and bearing industries.  

### Financial and Market Presence  
- **Public Trading**: Operates as a public company, with securities traded through the OTC Markets Group.  
- **OTC Markets Group**: American financial market established in 1913, headquartered in New York (United States), providing price and liquidity data for over-the-counter securities.  
- **Online Presence**: Official website at http://www.skf.com.  

### Knowledge Connectivity  
- **Sitelink Count**: 32 across connected knowledge entries, indicating moderate representation in structured data repositories.  
- **Aliases**: Recognized as "Swedish ball bearing factory" in reference contexts.  
- **Related Entities**: Linked to industrial manufacturing, metal industry, Gothenburg, and OTC Markets Group, emphasizing its ecosystem role in engineering, geography, and finance.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lobbyfacts.eu/datacard/ab-skf?rid=509927950077-76)
2. GRID Release 2017-01-10
3. Google Knowledge Graph
4. 20th Century Press Archives
5. ROR release v1.19
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. GRID Release 2016-12-06
8. Quora
9. [Source](https://investors.skf.com/sites/skf-ir/files/library/H%C3%A5llbarhetsrapport%202023.pdf)
10. [Source](https://investors.skf.com/sites/skf-ir/files/pr/202503077466-1.pdf)
11. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
12. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
13. YouTube API
14. Wikirate
15. [Internet Domains Wikibase](https://domains.wikibase.cloud/entity/Q153106)