NHB Ball & Roller

What NHB Ball & Roller does

NHB Ball & Roller Ltd. is a privately held precision steel ball manufacturer founded in 1949 (formally established in India in 1968) and headquartered in Mumbai with manufacturing operations in Amalsad and Bilimora, Gujarat. The company produces chrome steel (100Cr6), stainless steel, aluminum, and brass balls in diameters from 1.9mm to 27mm, with quality grades ranging from ISO 3290 G3 up to its proprietary Super-Premium class achieving ovality tolerances below 0.08 micron. Its core technology is built on proprietary lapping, waviness analysis, and metallurgical control processes that the company states only 3-4 manufacturers worldwide can execute consistently at G5 quality.

The company serves four end markets—Automotive (hub bearings, CV joints, water pumps, seat belts, airbags, steering), Industrial (ball screws, construction machinery), Silent Bearing/Electrical (motors, alternators, EV applications), and Medical & Cosmetics (spray and dispenser valves)—with automotive as the primary segment. Distribution is via three sales offices (Italy, France, USA) and nine global warehouses enabling Just-in-Time delivery across 20+ countries. Named anchor customers include SKF Bengaluru, Schaeffler India, and Nexteer India, with multiple Best Supplier awards validating Tier-1 OEM status.

The business model is B2B precision component sales with quote-based pricing, hardware revenue mechanics, and no direct-to-consumer exposure. The company is family-led (third-generation Mehta family) with ~320-500 employees and reported annual turnover of approximately $30 million. It holds TS 16949 and ISO 14000 certifications, is TS-compliant for automotive OEM qualification, and has won the CII TPM Strong Commitment Award (2019).

Name

NHB Ball & Roller

Legal name

NHB Ball & Roller Ltd.

Website

https://nhbball.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

NHB Ball & Roller is a privately held Indian precision steel ball manufacturer (est. 1968) producing ISO 3290 G3+ and proprietary Super-Premium grade balls for automotive, industrial, silent bearing, and medical/cosmetics customers in 20+ countries, with ~$30M annual turnover.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Navsari

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Precision Ball Sales: NHB manufactures and sells precision balls in chrome steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and brass ranging from 1.9mm to 27mm diameter. Annual turnover approximately $30 million with global distribution across 20+ countries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

NHB Ball & Roller manufactures and sells high-precision steel balls in chrome steel (SAE52100/100Cr6), stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and S2 (Rock Bit) materials, with diameters ranging from 1.9mm to 27mm. Its portfolio serves four core markets — automotive (HUB, CV joint, seat belt, water pump, airbag balls), industrial (ball screws, construction machinery), silent bearing/electrical (ESQ balls for motors and alternators), and medical/cosmetics (stainless balls for nasal sprays, eye drops, and dispensers) — distributed to 20+ countries through 9 warehouses and Just-in-Time logistics.

Product overview

NHB Ball & Roller Ltd. is a precision ball and ball bearing manufacturer headquartered in Mumbai with two production plants in Gujarat, India. The company produces balls in chrome steel (SAE52100/100Cr6), stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and S2 (Rock Bit) materials ranging from 1.9mm to 27mm diameter. The product portfolio centers on Super-Premium quality balls exceeding G3 ISO 3290 standards, complemented by specialized variants including HUB balls, CV Joint balls, Seat Belt balls, Water Pump balls (INQ/ESQ), Ball Screw balls, and Medical/Cosmetics balls. The company serves four main market solutions: Automotive (wheel bearings, seat belts, CV joints, water pumps, airbags), Industrial (ball screws, construction machinery), Silent Bearing/Electrical (motors, alternators), and Medical & Cosmetics (sprays, dispensers). Operations include nine global warehouses delivering just-in-time service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NHB Inside: Brand initiative to highlight the contribution of NHB quality balls in various applications, encouraging customers to use the NHB Inside logo on their finished products
• Super-Premium

Products and services

• Super-Premium Precision Balls Chrome steel (100Cr6) precision balls exceeding ISO 3290 G3 quality with ovality better than 0.08 micron and surface roughness Ra of 0.004 micron, manufactured using proprietary lapping, waviness analysis (speed signal method), and product control technologies for bearing assemblers requiring the highest grade.
• HUB Bearing Balls (Long Life) Chrome steel balls designed for wheel hub bearing applications with fine metallurgical structure and proper residual stress distribution ensuring reliable bearing life. Available with optional 'Long Life' specification delivering L10 life 3-4 times longer than standard HUB balls and higher resistance to fatigue and wear.
• CV Joint Balls Chrome steel balls for constant velocity (CV) joints subjected to 100% Eddy Current Testing to detect micro-cracks, overlaps, and re-hardening, ensuring safety function under the high loads experienced in automotive drivetrains.
• Seat Belt Balls Passivized stainless steel balls for automotive seat belt retractor mechanisms with geometrical precision and thermal stability; new generation aluminum balls with lower density and special surface treatment are offered for faster reaction time.
• Water Pump Bearing Balls (INQ/ESQ) Chrome steel balls for water pump bearings offered in INQ and ESQ specifications; the ESQ (Electrical Standard Quality) variant delivers superior geometrical precision for smooth rotation and enhanced thermal stability.
• Ball Screw Balls Chrome steel balls for ball screw applications supplied in a large spread of gauges to control radial and axial clearance; Super-Premium specification is available for high-speed applications requiring superior precision positioning.
• Electrical Standard Quality (ESQ) Silent Bearing Balls Large steel balls with superior geometry engineered for silent large bearing applications in construction and heavy machinery, meeting electrical industry requirements for low-noise operation under heavy load.
• Airbag Sensor Balls Stainless steel balls for automotive airbag sensor systems manufactured to ISO 3290 G100-or-better geometry, supporting reliable sensor actuation in safety-critical airbag deployment systems.
• Medical & Cosmetics Stainless Balls Stainless steel balls for nasal sprays, eye drops, perfume dispensers, air fresheners, soap dispensers, and cosmetic applicators, produced with advanced washing processes, controlled manufacturing environment, and particle count measurement capability to meet international cleanliness standards.
• Silent Bearing Solution Balls (Electrical Motors & Alternators) Precision balls engineered for electric motors, alternators (including for electric vehicles), air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and industrial spindles; Super-Premium quality balls with smooth geometry minimize friction for silent, intermittent-noise-free rotation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Super-Premium balls achieve ovality better than 0.08 micron (G3 standard)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• JTEKT: Japanese bearing and steering systems manufacturer (Koyo, Toyoda) with integrated precision ball operations. Comparable on automotive wheel bearing applications and tier-1 OEM supply relationships.
• NTN: Japanese global bearing and driveline manufacturer with in-house precision ball capability. Comparable on automotive bearing end markets, precision-grade requirements, and global OEM customer overlap.
• SKF: Global bearing and precision component incumbent that also manufactures steel balls internally. Comparable as both a key NHB customer and a vertically integrated competitor in precision bearing components.
• Schaeffler: German global bearing and automotive supplier (INA, FAG, LuK) that is both a major NHB customer (Best Supplier award recipient) and a potential vertically integrated competitor for precision ball supply.
• NSK: Japanese global bearing manufacturer producing ball bearings, automotive components, and precision machinery. Comparable through its in-house ball production and shared tier-1 automotive customer set.

Regional players

• Salzer Group (Salzer Bearings): India-based bearing and steel ball manufacturer serving South Asian and select export markets. Comparable on geography (Indian manufacturing), automotive customer base, and chrome steel ball product line.

Direct peers

• Jiangsu Lixing General Steel Ball: China-based precision steel ball manufacturer serving automotive bearings, industrial machinery, and electrical applications. Comparable on product line (chrome steel balls across ISO 3290 grades), scale, and export-driven GTM.
• Tsubaki Nakashima: Japanese-headquartered global leader in precision steel balls serving automotive bearings, linear motion, and industrial applications. Closest direct comparable by product category, customer overlap, and ISO 3290 quality grade focus.
• Amatsuji Steel Ball Manufacturing: Japanese precision steel ball manufacturer producing chrome, stainless, and ceramic balls for bearings, automotive, and industrial markets. Directly comparable on product range, quality grades, and tier-1 OEM customer base.

Emerging players

• Bal-Tec (Micro Surface): US-based precision ball manufacturer specializing in tight-tolerance and exotic-material balls (ceramic, tungsten carbide) for aerospace, medical, and instrumentation. Comparable on precision-grade capability and niche end markets such as medical and cosmetics dispensing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NHB Ball & Roller