Kaman Corp. (USA) is acquiring RWG Frankenjura-Industrie Flugwerklager GmbH (Germany), a leading manufacturer of aerospace bearings for civilian and military customers.

RWG is privately held and the terms of the sale were not immediately disclosed. The company has approximately 85 employees and had 2001 sales of approximately USD $10 million.

Kaman said RWG will operate as a separate subsidiary within Kaman's aerospace segment.

RWG is a strategic supplier of precision bearings to aircraft manufacturers and subassembly contractors, primarily in Europe. Major customers include Airbus, Rolls Royce, Saab, Dassault and many others; Airbus is the company's largest customer.

Kaman's President and CEO Paul Kuhn said, "RWG increases Kaman's presence in European aircraft markets, and complements our existing line of proprietary Kamatics bearings for aircraft and other specialized uses. At the same time, RWG's presence in U.S. markets will be increased."

Kaman indicated the acquisition should be complete by late July.