Nice Ball Bearings Inc. (USA, a division of RBC Bearings) is celebrating 100 years in business.

Nice manufactures ground, semi-ground and unground specialty ball bearings, primarily for industrial applications. Bore sizes range from 1/4" to 2-1/4".

In 1902, William Nice Jr. founded the Pressed Steel Manufacturing Company, subcontracting ball bearings made from sheet steel. The name was changed to Nice Ball Bearing Company in 1914. After WWI, Nice built its own factory on a 187-acre section of Philadelphia originally deeded to the Nice family in 1699 by William Penn.

Nice was acquired by RBC Bearings in 1997. RBC owns 12 other bearing operations.

With its 2002 Centennial celebration, Nice is also claiming to be the oldest surviving antifriction bearing manufacturer in the United States.

However, it's likely that Nice is the oldest surviving ball bearing manufacturer in the U.S., with Timken as the U.S. industry's oldest surviving manufacturer.

Other antifriction bearing companies of the era sold out, usually to fledgling automakers, and were eventually closed.

Henry Timken's first two patents were awarded in 1898; the Timken Roller Bearing Axle Company was founded in 1899. Timken subcontracted all manufacturing until its first plant opened On December 2, 1901, putting it in bearing manufacturing a few short months ahead of Nice.

Two other candidates are close runners-up for age: Splitdorf (acquired by Torrington in 1912) acquired a ball bearing company sometime shortly after 1902. Bantam Ball Bearing Company (also later acquired by Torrington) began operations in 1905.