BNL Bearings (UK; website) said it is building a greenfield polymer bearing manufacturing facility in Rayong, Thailand.

Scheduled to be complete and online by late 2008, the plant will focus on producing BNL's traditional lineup of polymer bearings for customers in Asian markets.

Approximately 50 workers will be involved in the initial startup of production, with more than 40 machines planned.

The precision molding equipment is being supplied by KraussMaffei; capacity ranges from 35 through 160 ton.

Spun off from Sarnatech BNL, BNL was acquired by Plastics Capital UK (UK) in 2005. Founded in 2002, Plastics Capital is a private equity investment company. Notoriously publicity-shy, PC has repeatedly declined to discuss its operations or plans. The company is run by Faisal Rahmatallah, Chairman of Broker Network Holdings, a UK-based insurance broker.

article: Plastics Capital acquires BNL Bearings
BNL is a world leader in lubricant-free thermoplastic rolling element bearings, producing approximately 50 million bearings each year. It is also a leading automotive Tier 1 supplier of custom plastic bearings for various in-car applications. The bearings usually have integrally formed shafts, gears or mechanical assemblies, and are found in most photocopiers, office machines, signs, cameras, computer scanners, food processing equipment and chemical processing equipment.

The Thai plant buildout is the latest step in an Plastics Capital's aggressive expansion program for BNL Bearings.

In 2007, Plastics Capital extended the BNL business by acquiring Cobb-Slater Ltd., a small polymer bearing and related product manufacturer based in Darley-Dale, UK. BNL shuttered Cobb-Slater's facility and moved production to its own facility in Knaresborough.

article: BNL acquires, shutters Cobb-Slater polymer bearing business
BNL's founder, David Garnett, is widely acknowledged as the inventor of the molded polymer bearing (BNL, or "Bearing No Lube"). Mr. Garnett developed the molded polymer bearing idea when he worked for Koyo. He left Koyo in 1970 to found BNL Bearing. Mr. Garnett passed away in 2003.