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The eBearing News
May 25, 2004
Timken Acquires Alcor Engine
copyright © 2004 eBearing Inc.
The Timken Company (USA) has acquired Alcor Engine Company Inc. (USA) and its affiliate, Advance Repair
Technologies Inc. (USA).
Founded in 1997 in Arizona, Alcor manufactures, "realistically priced replacement parts," for gas turbine
engines, primarily those used in helicopters. Alcor is also a Timken distributor.
Alcor's first efforts, as with a number of other independent suppliers, were directed to the popular
Rolls-Royce A250, otherwise known as the Allison 250. In turboshaft and turboprop variants, there have
been over 28,000 manufactured since the 1960's and 18,000 still in service. At just over 200 pounds,
the A250, for example, is the most popular "light turbine" helicopter and fixed wing aircraft engine,
currently powering over 13,000 light and medium helicopters worldwide.
The company recently added support for the Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal and Lycoming) T53 and
General Electric T58 gas turbine engines, both of which are larger and have wider military applications.
Their installed base is equally broad, however. The GE series, for example, was in production from 1954 to 1984
with over 7,000 produced by GE and licensees.
Alcor literature describes its mission to, "provide our customers with an alternative source for
high-quality identical replacement parts while enabling seamless interchangeability between higher-priced
OEM parts and PMA parts."
Making the acquisition, Timken provoked some confusion. A number of analysts asked eBearing why the
company would move back toward the very same aerospace market it left behind by divesting the
Torrington Standard Plant to RBC earlier this year. But comments by J. Ron Menning, Timken's Industrial division
VP of Aerospace and Defense, help to illustrate the Alcor acquisition is a move toward value-added
services; less about expanding the bearing market than about opening wider market opportunities.
Mr. Menning said, "With its outstanding engineering and manufacturing expertise, Alcor brings strategic
resources to Timken that
allow us to build on our heritage of innovation. This strategic acquisition represents a strong growth opportunity
through the significant expansion in our capabilities and product base as we move to deliver increased value to
the aviation industry. The addition of the Alcor product lines expands our ability to grow beyond bearings and
deliver innovative solutions through complex products, integrated subsystems and service to aviation customers."
Renamed Timken Alcor Aerospace Technologies, Alcor will retain its management, all 22 workers, and remain
in its current Gilbert, Arizona location.
Barry Stonehouse, formerly head of Alcor, becomes General Manager of Timken Alcor Aerospace Technologies.
Mr. Stonehouse said, "Alcor's customers will benefit from Timken resources and market presence. Direct access
to Timken friction management technology and Timken research located in Canton, Ohio, will help us strengthen
product performance and expand our ability to serve the market."
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- by Bruce A. Carr
from individual research,
tips and commercial sources.
Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
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eBearing.com ... for everything that moves™
Entire contents Copyright 1999-2008, eBearing Inc. All rights reserved.
eBearing.com and "... for everything that moves" are registered
trademarks of eBearing Inc.
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eBearing.com ... for everything that moves™
Entire contents Copyright © 1999-2008, eBearing Inc. All rights reserved.
eBearing.com and "... for everything that moves" are registered trademarks of eBearing Inc.
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