SKF was founded in 1907 as Aktiebolaget Svenska Kullagerfabriken. The inventor of the double-row self-aligning ball bearing, Sven Wingquist was one of the company's founders as well as the first Managing Director. Later in the year, the company's first factory was constructed in Säve Strandgata, Gothenburg. In 1908, the company opened branch offices in France and Germany as well as appointed agents in Austria, Australia, Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, and Finland. A year later, SKF Ball Bearing Co., a subsidiary, was established in New York. The company also opened a small workshop in France as well as appointed agents in Japan, Argentina, and Italy within the same year. In 1910, SKF registered a new company in the UK: Skefko Ball Bearing Co. Ltd and started building a plant in Luton. In addition, the company appointed agents in Portugal, The Netherlands, and Norway. A year later, the Luton factory was opened. In addition, the French and German branch offices became limited companies. Agents were appointed in Spain, Poland, and Russia within the same year. In 1912, SKF built a lab in Gothenburg. The company also increased its reach into the international market by appointing agents in Romania, Mexico, China, India, South Africa, and Bulgaria. In 1913, the branch office in Denmark was formed into a company and an agent was appointed in Serbia. SKF formed subsidiaries in Holland, Russia, Norway and Belgium a year later. To manage its business in Brazil, the company also formed a company in Gothenburg named Aktiebolaget S.A. des Roulements à Billes Suédois SKF. A South African sales company was established by the British SKF company in the same year.