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Timken acquiring linear-motion supplier Rollon

★ By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

The Timken Company, a world leader in engineered bearings and power transmission products, has reached an agreement with pan-European firm Chequers Capital and IGI Private Equity to acquire Rollon Group. A leader in engineered linear motion products, Rollon specializes in the design and manufacture of linear guides, telescopic rails and linear actuators used in a wide range of industries such as passenger rail, aerospace, packaging and logistics, medical and automation. Rollon sales are expected to be about $140 million for the full year 2018.

“The acquisition of Rollon will expand the Timken portfolio of leading industrial brands to let us serve existing and new customers in attractive, high-growth end markets around the world,” said Richard G. Kyle, Timken president and chief executive officer.

Headquartered near Milan, Italy, Rollon has manufacturing operations in Italy, Germany and the United States. Rollon employs approximately 600 people and boasts an extensive sales and engineering network around the world to serve its global customer base.

“Like Timken, Rollon is an expert in motion technology and is known for developing customized linear motion products for their customers’ application challenges. With its proven operating model and value proposition, Rollon will open up exciting new growth opportunities for the company,” added Kyle.

Rollon’s leading linear motion product line complements other Timken brands including Timken, Philadelphia Gear, Groeneveld Drives, and Lovejoy.

With this acquisition, Timken continues its strategy to diversify its portfolio with products and services that also include bearings, gear drives, chain, belts, couplings, automated lubrication systems, industrial clutches and brakes, and a variety of related industrial services.

Timken expects the acquisition to be accretive to earnings in the first year of ownership. The transaction, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close in late September 2018 and will be funded with debt. Presentation materials related to this transaction have been posted to the company’s website at investors.timken.com.


The Timken Company engineers, manufactures and markets bearings, gear drives, belts, chain, couplings, lubrication systems and related products, and offers a spectrum of powertrain rebuild and repair services. The leading authority on tapered roller bearings, Timken today applies its deep knowledge of metallurgy, tribology and mechanical power transmission across a variety of bearings and related systems to improve the reliability and efficiency of machinery and equipment all around the world. The company’s growing product and services portfolio features many strong industrial brands including Timken, Fafnir, Philadelphia Gear, Groeneveld Drives, and Lovejoy. Known for its quality products and collaborative technical sales model, Timken posted $3 billion in sales in 2017. With more than 15,000 employees operating from 33 countries, Timken makes the world more productive and keeps industry in motion.

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Filed Under: Featured, Industry news, Slides + guides (all), Track roller (cam + wheel) guides Tagged With: timken

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