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The eBearing News
October 1, 2004
Nidec Will Close Torrington Plant
copyright © 2004 eBearing Inc.
Nidec America Corp. (USA, a division of Nidec Corp., Japan) will close its manufacturing plant
in Torrington, Connecticut, putting as many as 120 people out of work by 2006.
Nidec said the move had nothing to do with demand for the plant's products -- electric fans
and small, high-precision DC motors for computers, electronics and telecommunication
equipment -- which continues to grow.
Instead, the company said, it is simply following its customers as they move their plants to
low-cost manufacturing venues in Asia, particularly China, Thailand and the Philippines.
In 1984, Nidec purchased the axial flow fan division of the Torin Corp. in Torrington, which later
became Nidec America.
The company's other U.S. manufacturing plant, in Canton, Massachusetts is not affected.
Canton manufactures brushless fans and precision motors.
Nidec bought the Canton plant from the former Power General Corporation in 1984,
which also produced switching power supplies and converters.
In 2002, Nidec kept the fan business but sold the Power General power supply business to Ault Inc.
Nidec is the world's largest manufacturer of brushless DC fans and fan motors. The company's
specialty is quiet fans, a segment growing in demand not only from computers
and electronic equipment, but also from new applications such as automobiles, flat panel
televisions and videogame systems.
Key to the popularity of Nidec fans is their use of proprietary Nidec Bearing Revolution
(NBR) bearings in the fans. Replacing standard ball bearings, NBR units are advanced sleeve
bearings which run quieter, last longer and have less vibration than ball bearing fans.
In addition to the U.S., Nidec produces brushless fans and precision motors in Thailand, China
and Vietnam. Production is being expanded in all locations.
Nidec's largest business segment is hard disk drive spindle motors, where it has a commanding
global market share. Almost 85% of those motors use fluid dynamic bearings, up from 65%
a year ago. Nidec said it believes there will shortly be little or no demand for conventional
ball bearing spindle motors as production capacity for fluid dynamic bearings catches up
with demand.
While the manufacturing facility is being closed over the next 12 to 24 months, Nidec will still
maintain a sales office in Torrington, and its other U.S. sales offices are unaffected.
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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
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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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