Ryder-Heil Bronze (USA, privately held; website) has been acquired by an employee of the company, Herb Kleine.

Mr. Kleine acquired the company from three other owners, all Ryder-Heil employees themselves. The trio had acquired Ryder-Heil in 1994 from Raymond Heil. Mr. Heil in turn had acquired the business in 1979 from the founding Ryder family.

Located in Bucyrus, Ohio, the company began in 1910 by P.H. Ryder as Ryder Brass Foundry, initially just a casting operation. The company began adding finishing operations in the 1920s, and gradually gained momentum as a manufacturer of bearings, bushings, wear plates and thrust washers.

Bearings and bushings can be produced in dimensions up to 42" OD. The company will also perform secondary operations such as drilling, tapping, countersinking, adding a radius, split, chamfer, or oil groove.

Mr. Kleine said the ownership transition will be seamless, that all operations and jobs will remain intact and in Bucyrus.

Making the announcement, Mr. Kleine said: "Ryder-Heil is recognized as a leader in the bronze bearings and bushings industry because of our highly skilled people, our well-equipped facility, and our made-to-order products. Our experienced personnel ensure all parts are machined to customers’ precise tolerances to keep their machines running at peak performance. As a long-time locally-owned business, we will continue to provide our clients the same exceptional quality and timely individualized customer service to which they have become accustomed."