National Engineering Industries Limited (NEI), the powerhouse behind the iconic NBC Bearings brand, is rewriting the script of Indian manufacturing by embracing digital transformation at scale. Founded in 1946 with a humble annual output of 30,000 units, NEI has grown into a global leader producing over 200 million bearings across 2,300 variants for customers in more than 30 countries. With deep roots in precision engineering and a legacy of quality, NEI has now taken a bold leap into Industry 4.0 turning a traditional brownfield plant in Jaipur into a fully connected, smart manufacturing facility. This transformation not only reshapes how the company operates but sets a new benchmark for the industry at large.
Legacy Meets Digital Ambition
Founded in 1946, National Engineering Industries Limited (NEI) began its journey with the manufacture of a modest 30,000 bearings in 19 sizes. Today, under the NBC Bearings marque, the company produces over 200 million bearings annually, offered in more than 2,300 variants and serving customers across 30+ countries spanning five continents. This global footprint reflects not only production scale but also the company’s commitment to quality, dependability and engineering excellence Yet, as global manufacturing ecosystems shift toward connected operations and digital intelligence, NEI’s leadership understood that sustaining growth would require a transformation deeper than incremental automation it needed a fundamental rethink of how data, machines, and people interact on the factory floor.
The Need for Real-Time Intelligence
Traditionally, NEI’s manufacturing data was recorded manually on paper and uploaded into analytical systems with a 24-hour delay. This lag meant that production decisions whether related to quality, maintenance, or material allocation were reactive, based on yesterday’s performance rather than today’s reality.
Management saw this not only as an operational challenge but as a strategic barrier to competitiveness. “We needed to move from reactive to proactive management,” said senior leaders at NEI. Real-time data would empower supervisors to address issues as they emerged reducing downtime, improving quality outcomes and enhancing overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). With benchmarks already above industry averages, even a 2–3% improvement in OEE would signify a substantial operational uplift.
A Connected Vision: Industry 4.0 in Action
At the heart of NEI’s digital vision was the creation of a Connected Enterprise a seamless flow of trusted information from demand planning through to shop floor execution and dispatch. This vision was championed by President & CEO Rohit Saboo, who saw the transformation as a strategic imperative to future-proof the business and reinforce NEI’s position as an employer of choice.
To make this vision a reality, the company launched a comprehensive digital performance management initiative. The goal was simple yet ambitious: to transform legacy processes into a smart, connected ecosystem that unifies data across supply chain, energy, resource allocation and scheduling thereby unlocking deeper insights for decision-making.
Technology Partnership and Execution
Achieving this transformation required the right technology and the right partner. NEI turned to Rockwell Automation, leveraging its FactoryTalk® InnovationSuite and ThingWorx Asset Performance Management (APM) platforms to bridge the gap between Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT).
The implementation involved connecting more than 300 CNC and PLC machines spanning different makes, models and generations to a unified Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) network. NEI built an OPC UA data layer and deployed a scalable IoT platform that enabled real-time data acquisition, reporting and dashboards accessible across organizational roles, from operators on the shop floor to executives in enterprise functions.
By standardizing on Rockwell’s ThingWorx APM, NEI established a single, secure source of truth for industrial operations data. FactoryTalk Analytics™ DataView further enhanced visibility into performance illuminating production line trends and key metrics in easy-to-use dashboards.
From Insight to Action: Culture on the Shop Floor
Once live, the platform’s impact was immediate. Real-time dashboards replaced static Excel sheets, enabling supervisors and operators to monitor performance as it happened. Machine health signals helped the team anticipate potential breakdowns reducing unplanned downtime and enhancing operational continuity.
Perhaps most importantly, the introduction of real-time intelligence shifted mindsets. Teams moved from reactive firefighting to proactive problem-solving a cultural transformation that is often as significant as the technology itself. The power of immediate insight fostered ownership and accountability, making every employee a stakeholder in operational excellence.
A Blueprint for Enterprise-Wide Transformation
With the Jaipur plant already reaping the rewards of digital connectivity, NEI’s leadership isn’t stopping there. The company plans to extend the platform across all manufacturing facilities creating a single enterprise network with seamless data exchange and remote monitoring capabilities.
This broader rollout will unify disparate operations under one digital umbrella enhancing visibility across locations, enabling remote oversight and reinforcing NEI’s ability to respond swiftly to market dynamics. Leaders believe this scaled vision will not only embed agility into the organization but also catalyze new operating models for the future.
A Strategic Imperative with Lasting Impact
NEI’s digital transformation journey illustrates a critical truth about modern manufacturing: technology alone is not the destination it is the catalyst for a more agile, insight-driven enterprise. By integrating people, processes and technology, NEI is building resilience into its operational DNA delivering value not just for today, but for decades to come.
From a company that once relied on manual handwritten logs to one where machines, data and decisions converge in real time, the transformation speaks to the power of strategic vision, strong partnerships and an unwavering commitment to excellence. NEI’s story is not just about digitalization it’s about redefining what’s possible in Indian manufacturing for a connected, competitive future.
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