Timken to build bearing plant

today announced plans to build a new bearing manufacturing facility in

. The plant, which will be located in Chennai in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, will produce a range of antifriction bearings for global markets.

Timken's new facility will be built in one of India's new Special Economic Zones (SEZs), which provide a range of tax benefits, including duty-free import of equipment and material used in the manufacture of goods destined for sale outside of India. The facility will be located in Chennai's Mahindra World City, and construction is expected to begin by the end of the year.

The plant is estimated to cost $25m. Production is expected to begin during the fourth quarter of 2007. Timken, which currently employs approximately 1,000 people in India, anticipates adding approximately 300 positions to operate the Chennai plant.

Timken's Indian operations currently include a bearing manufacturing plant in

and a Global Innovation Centre in

that designs, develops and tests new friction management and power transmission technologies.