Together with German competitor FAG Kugelfischer Georg Shäfer AG and the US company NN Ball & Roller Inc, SKF has started a jointly owned company for the manufacture and sale of chrome steel balls used for bearings and other products. The company, named NN Euroball Aps, has acquired the parties’ respective ball factories in Eltmann, Germany; Kilkenny, Ireland; and Pinerolo, Italy. The company has some 700 employees and yearly sales are expected to be about 100 million euros (USD 90 million). The company expects that economies of scale will enhance competitiveness in both cost and quality.