SYRACUSE — A change in corporate ownership in 2023 has set the stage for new synergies that bearing producer Kilian Manufacturing Corp. hopes to build upon in 2024. Milwaukee, Wisconsin–based Regal Rexnord Corp. acquired Kilian’s former parent company, Massachusetts–based Altra Industrial Motion Corp., at the end of March. “We’re excited in that within the family […]
SYRACUSE — A change in corporate ownership in 2023 has set the stage for new synergies that bearing producer Kilian Manufacturing Corp. hopes to build upon in 2024.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin–based Regal Rexnord Corp. acquired Kilian’s former parent company, Massachusetts–based Altra Industrial Motion Corp., at the end of March.
“We’re excited in that within the family of Regal Rexnord, there are companies that support bearings,” says Kilian Senior Plant Manager Jim Sartori. “So now we’re part of a peer group.” That means a better corporate understanding of Kilian’s products and customers, as well as peers to learn from and interact with, he notes.
“We’re hoping it gives us some growth opportunities,” Sartori adds. The hope is to grow both sales and employment.
Kilian’s primary products and services are the design, manufacturing, and support of custom-machined race bearings, often combined with other components to create value-added assemblies.
“The vast majority of everything we design, test, and build for our customers are specific to their application needs,” says Sartori. “Where we pride ourselves is we have a terrific group of engineers.”
In the automotive industry, Kilian products are used in a number of applications including transfer cases, transmissions, sliding doors, and steering applications. Kilian also markets industrial markets including aircraft, conveyors, furniture, and food and beverage applications.
“Anything that rolls or assists with motion … is where you can find a bearing,” Sartori says.
Within those markets and industries, the company is poised for growth, he says. “We have some really good opportunities that should be happening in 2024.” That includes a new application for use in U.S. Postal Service vehicles, the RAM Promaster cargo van, GM’s BrightDrop electric delivery van, and Amazon’s electric delivery vans.
“We’re also working on some significant new programs for the aircraft markets,” Sartori adds.
Kilian currently employs 145 people in its Syracuse plant with another 45 at its machining facility in Toronto, Ontario in Canada. Sartori hopes to see both numbers grow in the coming year.
“I love working here because of the people,” Sartori says. “We have a very diverse cultural representation within our facility.”
Frederick Kilian founded the company in 1920, and the Kilian family ran the business until 1975.
New owner Regal Rexnord says it is a leader in the engineering and manufacturing of industrial powertrain solutions, power transmissions components, electric motors and electronic controls, air-moving products, and specialty electrical components and systems.