COMPANY PROFILE

The Ball and Roller Bearing Company was founded in Danbury, Connecticut in 1905 by a mechanical genius named Lewis Heim. Heim is widely recognized as the inventor of the centerless cylindrical grinder, without which the exacting tolerances required of modern bearings could not be achieved. His invention revolutionized the bearing industry forever, ultimately earning Heim a total of 28 patents. Heim's centerless cylindrical grinder became the basis for all modern centerless grinding machines, and in 1922, he sold all of his patent rights in the machine to a fledgling company in Ohio by the name of Cincinnati Milling Machine Company, which is now Cincinnati-Milicron Corp.

From its inception, B&RB has manufactured a wide array of ball thrust, roller thrust, and journal roller bearings. The Company joined with other emerging Connecticut companies like Fafnir, New Departure and Torrington to make the State the leading center of bearing manufacturing in the country.

During the War Years, B&RB was the prime contract supplier of bearings for all US Army tanks. It also manufactured and continues to manufacture submarine periscope bearings and a variety of pump bearings for the US Navy. After the war, as the country moved from wartime manufacturing to domestic production, B&RB became a major supplier of journal roller bearings for the paper and textile industry. Today, with the capacity to manufacture bearings from 3/4" to 24" in diameter, B & RB bearings are used for applications ranging from railroads and oil wells to machine tools and pumps. Ball and Roller Bearing has even supplied bearings to NASA for the Space Shuttle program.

Now in its second generation of family ownership, we have expanded our line to include tapered roller thrust bearings. We have increased our capacity to manufacture specialty bearings, and continue to place the highest priority on responding to our customers' price and delivery requirements, while delivering quality products. B & RB produces the highest quality ground bearings, using only the best bearing steels with brass or bronze retainers and cages. Every bearing is manufactured in our facility in New Milford, Connecticut to exacting ABMA Standards. Because of our agility, we can adjust our production schedule to deliver a bearing(s) with a shorter lead time than our competition.

We are proud of our ability to provide this type of service to the bearing industry, and look forward to serving you.