Gear Motions acquires Buffalo firm

SOLVAY — Gear Motions, Inc., a Solvay–based gear manufacturer, recently announced its acquisition of Niagara Gear Corp. in Buffalo.

Gear Motions didn’t disclose any financial terms in its news release.

Niagara Gear manufactures ground spur, helical, and pump gears for a global customer base, according to Gear Motions.

“Niagara Gear has a very strong presence in markets we have not traditionally served, such as the military and the aerospace high-speed pump gear markets,” Dean Burrows, president of Gear Motions, said in the news release. “When combined, these great companies will make Gear Motions perhaps the largest U.S. precision gear manufacturer for the commercial and industrial air-end compressor market.”

With the addition of Niagara Gear, Gear Motions expects to expand its custom precision-gear business by nearly 40 percent, the company said.

The acquisition “complements” the firm’s existing businesses and allows it to provide more services and capabilities to both sets of customers, Sam Haines, CEO of Gear Motions, said in the news release.

“It enables Gear Motions to offer more precision applications to a wider customer base and also permits Niagara Gear to supply larger ground and cut spur and helical gears to its existing customers through its new sister company, Oliver Gear,” Haines said.

Niagara Gear joins the Gear Motions group of companies, which also includes Nixon Gear in Solvay, and Oliver Gear and Pro-Gear in Buffalo.

Matthew Babisz, president of Niagara Gear who purchased Niagara Gear in 1974, is retiring after nearly 60 years in the gearing industry, Gear Motions said.

“I am pleased that Gear Motions will keep the Niagara Gear employee base intact and incorporate our workers into the Gear Motions Employee Stock Ownership Plan,” Babisz said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com