The past decade has been one of strong growth for us, but 2024 brought its share of challenges. While many bearing manufacturers faced steep declines, we managed to hold our ground, seeing no rise but also avoiding a downturn despite tough market conditions.

It wasn’t easy, but by staying agile and adapting to market shifts, we prevented a more severe decline.

Looking ahead to 2025, we’re focusing on key regions to strengthen our position in the extremely competitive and demanding bearings industry. This includes consolidating our main markets in Europe and the Middle East, developing the North American market through new strategies and partnerships, and expanding in Central and South America through RKB Sudamericana. Despite geopolitical uncertainties, we’re confident that these efforts will drive organic sales upward.

We know the road ahead won’t be without obstacles, but with a solid foundation and a clear vision, we’re ready to keep pushing forward, aiming to reach a $100 million turnover by 2030.

With full control over our production line, we will invest significant resources to improve our production plants, boosting our ability to achieve positive results. Additionally, we have developed an additive manufacturing workshop and a new metrology laboratory.

Together we are worth more!

Reinforcing our network is mandatory to tackle this year’s increasing industrial uncertainties. Growth remains at the heart of our vision for 2025. Expanding our reach isn’t just a goal; it’s a commitment to strengthening our presence in strategic markets and delivering even greater value to our customers.

In 2024, we were proud to maintain our spot among the top 2% of Swiss companies for the 11th year in a row. This recognition isn’t just about numbers; it reflects the trust we’ve built, our financial stability, and our dedication to excellence in the bearing industry. As we move forward, we remain focused on innovation, resilience, and raising the bar even higher.

We have also launched RKB Balkans in North Macedonia, dedicated to sales and back-office operations, and RKB Sudamericana in Panama, featuring a large, modern bearing storage facility designed to serve Central and South America swiftly.

RKB Sudamericana is strategically located in the Albrook Free Zone, offering fast access to both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and excellent transport links, including a terminal, subway, train, airport, and nearby hotels. The facility also includes offices, a showroom, and a training room for technical support. Additionally, Albrook’s extended customs hours allow RKB to provide rapid service, significantly reducing transit times.

In honour of our nearly 90-year legacy, established by the Colleoni family, we strive for continuous improvement as we enter a new phase, where we will focus on our core business – special projects with a high level of technical cooperation with our customers.

RKB Bearing Industries

The RKB Bearing Industries Group, a Swiss-based manufacturing organization, has been a key player in the bearing industry since 1936. Leveraging decades of experience, RKB possesses the specialized knowledge and skills required to design and produce industrial bearings from a 1 mm bore diameter to over a 2,000 mm outer diameter. With a global distribution footprint reaching over 70 countries, RKB provides value-driven solutions characterized by impressive operational adaptability, top-tier services, extensive stock reserves, quick shipping times, and the hallmark quality expected of a premium bearing provider.

You can also read the full article in the March 2025 issue of Bearing News magazine or our website’s media library.