Table of Contents
From their humble beginnings as simple metal circles, bearings have come a long way. The key innovations that have made them one of the most indispensable pieces of machinery in the world.
Today you can learn from me about the top 10 bearing manufacturers in the world, the stories behind them.
01
VDO
- Brand origin: Shandong, China
- Year of establishment: 1992
- Company Type: Factory, Trade
- Main products: Ball bearings, roller bearings, special bearings
You read it right, although our VDO brand is not as influential as the big brands, but we have achieved great success after more than 10 years of unremitting efforts, our annual sales are over 10 million, and I have to take our company as an example of the top 10 bearing manufacturers in the world.
Our bearings are sold all over the world and I am sure you see our brand bearings on many machines. So we have a place in the world’s bearing market.
02
SKF
- Brand origin: Sweden, Europe
- Year of establishment: 1907
- Company type: Supplier
- Main products: A wide variety of bearings, application engineering, 3D computer modeling and other services
In 1907, a young maintenance engineer in Gothenburg, Sweden, Mr. Winquist, who was very distressed by the frequent damage of bearings, invented self-aligning ball bearings and successfully founded SKF Bearing Company in the same year.
Today, SKF has 108 production sites worldwide, sales companies in more than 130 countries and over 17,000 dealer stores.
SKF has been a global technology supplier since 1907. We have a strong capability to continuously develop new technologies and use our know-how to provide our customers with competitive and advantageous products.
We achieve this by combining practical experience in more than 40 industries with expertise in the SKF technology platforms. These five technology platforms are: Bearings & Bearing Units, Seals, Mechatronics, Service and Lubrication Systems.
03
NSK
- Brand origin: Tokyo, Japan
- Year of establishment: 1916
- Company type: Supplier
- Main products: All kinds of bearings, automotive parts, precision machinery products, electronic application products and other fields
Since 1916, when NSK began producing bearings in Japan, it has been a pioneer in the development and supply of bearings of all kinds, contributing greatly to the development of industry and the advancement of machinery.
In the early 1960s, NSK established a sales office in Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A., which was the first step in establishing and operating overseas business locations. 1970 saw the establishment of a production facility outside of São Paulo, Brazil, followed by new production facilities in North America, the United Kingdom, and various Asian countries. In addition, in 1990, NSK acquired UPI, which owned RHP, one of the larger bearing manufacturers in Europe.
Since the mid-1990s, NSK has accelerated its business expansion in China and Asia, especially in the rapidly growing Chinese market, establishing a full range of management systems capable of independent research and development to sales and technical service.
NSK will continue to promote its business activities throughout the Group in accordance with the principles of compliance with the law and corporate social responsibility, and through its global network, NSK will strive to strengthen its development, production, sales, and management capabilities to achieve even greater progress.
04
INA
- Brand origin: Nuremberg, Germany
- Year of establishment: 1946
- Company type: Manufacturing plant
- Main products: Rolling bearings, plain bearings, linear guidance systems, high precision products, engine parts
Was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Nuremberg, Germany. Since its establishment, INA bearing company in Germany has been committed to product innovation to meet the needs of customers and to provide a high-quality guarantee, making it the world’s premier supplier of rolling bearings as well as a recognized partner of automobile manufacturers. From its inception, the company became a world leader in the field of needle roller bearings and soon expanded from the original field of needle roller bearings to a wide range of products.
05
FAG
- Brand origin: Germany
- Year of establishment: 1883
- Company type: Supplier
- Main products: All kinds of bearings, automotive parts, precision machinery products, electronic application products and other fields
As early as 1883, in the small town of Schweinfurt, Germany, Fischer designed a special steel ball grinding machine, which made it possible for the first time to produce fully spherical steel balls using the grinding process. This invention is considered to be the cornerstone of the rolling bearing industry, and FAG manufactures a wide range of ball and roller bearings with outside diameters from 3 mm to 4.25 m, including standard products based on catalogs and non-standard products based on customer-specific requirements. This is why FAG has become one of the leading brands in the machine building industry, the automotive industry and aerospace technology.
06
TIMKEN
- Brand origin: United States
- Year of establishment: 1899
- Company Type: Manufacturer
- Main products: Tapered roller bearings, etc.
In the 1890s, as a wagon manufacturer, Henry Timken found that heavy freight wagons in sharp turns are often very difficult. To solve this challenge, he adopted a tapered roller bearing design that could withstand both radial and axial loads. The results of this application were very exciting and brought numerous benefits to the customer. First and foremost, the application enables the carriage to run more smoothly and reduces maintenance and replacement costs. In some cases, the bearings can also improve the performance of the wagon, thereby reducing the number of mules and horses used. Most importantly, the smoother turns reduce the chance of losing cargo. Always looking out for his customers’ interests, Henry Timken soon discovered that there were many other applications where tapered roller bearings could improve equipment performance as well. Henry Timken and his two sons, H.H. Timken and William Timken, founded the Timken Roller Bearing and Axle Company in 1899, laying the foundation for the global enterprise that drives the world today. Throughout the years, Timken has helped customers succeed with a clear corporate vision, industry focus, advanced processes and global expansion.
07
NTN
- Brand origin: Osaka, Japan
- Year of establishment: 1918
- Company type: Manufacturing plant
- Main products: World comprehensive precision machinery manufacturing
NTN was founded in Japan in 1918 and is headquartered in Nishi-Ku, Osaka, with 11 production plants, 25 sales offices and 3 research institutes in Japan and 20 wholly-owned production plants, 2 research institutes and 48 sales offices abroad.
History of NTN Bearings
1918 NTN began research and production of ball bearings
1923 NTN trademark established
1927 NTN Manufacturing was established.
08
Koyo
- Brand origin: Japan
- Year of establishment: 1921
- Company type: Manufacturing plant
- Main products: World comprehensive precision machinery manufacturing
Koyo bearing was founded in 1921. Koyo is a world comprehensive bearing products manufacturer with a long history and culture, ranking third in Japan, whose various bearings are widely used in general machinery and other industries and professional fields, enjoying high popularity and friendship quality praise among users around the world.
The business items of Nippon Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. include bearings, automotive steering gears, automotive instrumentation, constant velocity universal joints, oil seals, work machines, industrial heat treatment furnaces and electronic controllers. In recent years, the company has significantly increased its overseas automotive steering production capacity with steering production bases in Thailand, Malaysia, India, Korea and China, making it the first and second largest manufacturer of automotive steering systems in Japan and the world.
09
IKO
- Brand origin: Japan
- Year of establishment: 1950
- Company type: Manufacturer
- Main products: Needle bearings and guide bearings
IKO bearing is a technology and technology development-oriented industrial parts manufacturer, the products are mainly needle bearings and guide bearings.
IKO is a history of more than seventy years, producing needle roller bearings and linear guide is known as a professional bearing manufacturer, in all parts of the world and enjoy a high reputation, it is the production of needle roller bearings in Japan’s oldest history, a complete variety, the highest level of specialization of the manufacturer; IKO Kafa created a four-row cylindrical roller heavy-duty guide is known throughout the world.
10
NACHI
- Brand origin: Japan Fujiyama
- Year of establishment:1928
- Company type: Manufacturer
- Main products: Machine Tools, Functional Parts, and Materials
Since its foundation, NACHI has been committed to the development of machine technology and machinery manufacturing. Over the past 75 years, NACHI has continued to combine various core technologies to promote research and development. Currently, our main products include cutting tools, machine tools, bearings, hydraulic equipment, robots for automated production, special steel, ultra-precision machinery for the IT industry, and environmental systems.
Note: The brands (or companies) and products presented above are presentations based on publicly available information. We refer to trademarks only to describe the brands and present knowledge, which does not imply any association or partnership with them. All trademarks and logos are the property of their brand owners. We are not an office, branch or authorized agent of the brand in China and we only provide reseller services. If a brand owner believes that our use infringes on their trademark or copyright, please contact us and we will take immediate action to remove or disconnect the link.
Note: The brands (or companies) and products presented above are presentations based on publicly available information. We refer to trademarks only to describe the brands and present knowledge, which does not imply any association or partnership with them. All trademarks and logos are the property of their brand owners. We are not an office, branch or authorized agent of the brand in China and we only provide reseller services. If a brand owner believes that our use infringes on their trademark or copyright, please contact us and we will take immediate action to remove or disconnect the link.
