SKF Acquires a Railway Bearing Service Company in Australia


GOTEBORG, Sweden, May 5, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- SKF (Nasdaq:SKFR) has acquired one of the leading railway bearing service companies in Australia, Rolling Stock Supply & Service Pty Ltd, (RSSS). The company is a major supplier of new and reconditioned wheel set bearings and axleboxes for railway rolling stock in the Australian, New Zealand and Asian markets.

RSSS, established in 1988, with yearly sales of about 60 MSEK, has modern workshop facilities in both Western Australia and Victoria. Their service engineering provides a mobile on site wheel set bearing removal service as well as technical service training and trackside assistance.

"The acquisition of RSSS further strengthens our ongoing commitment to the railway industry and brings us closer to our customers in the region. The combined resources of RSSS and SKF, including construction of new workshop facilities, will allow us to further increase our high level of service to end user customers as well as to rolling stock builders," said Egon Ekdahl, Director of SKF Railways.

SKF is the leading rolling bearing supplier to the world railway industry, providing a full assortment of bearing related products and services for all types of railway vehicles such as freight cars, locomotives, multiple units and high speed vehicles.

Aktiebolaget SKF (publ.)

For further information, please contact: Lars G Malmer, SKF Group Communication, tel. +46 (0)31 337 1541, e-mail: Lars.G.Malmer@skf.com

Aktiebolaget SKF, SE-415 50 Goteborg, Sweden, tel. +46 (0)31 337 1000, fax +46 (0)31 337 2832, www.skf.com

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