SKF, the world's leading bearing supplier, announced a new investment of 580 million Yuan ($83 million) to the second phase of its Dalian factory in Northeast China's Liaoning province. With a 25,000 sq m facility added its current 80,000 sq m factory, completion of the second phase project in 2009 is expected to double manufacturing capacity.

The new factory is to support continued business growth in China and other parts of Asia, especially in the areas of renewable energy, metalworking, mining, construction and industrial transmission industries. As a leading global supplier in the areas of bearings, seals, services and lubrication systems, SKF is represented in more than 130 countries and has 15,000 distributors worldwide.

The Dalian factory mainly manufactures large and medium size bearings. It was planned to go through three phases. Reviewing the past three years since the SKF establishment, its business develops fast, stable and healthy. Earlier this year, SKF Dalian won the SKF group's Excellence Award.