Aetna Bearing Company recently completed an interstate move from Illinois to Michigan. Started as Schulz Bearing Company in 1916 in Chicago, the fledgling company occupied 7,500 square feet of floor space. A name change to Aetna Ball Bearing Manufacturing Company the next year marked the beginning of a long and storied history for the innovative company.
Aetna Bearing Company developed a patent for a “T” type bearing for a clutch release in 1934, produced bearings for Hamilton Standard propellers, M-7 tank destroyers, Sherman tanks, Sikorsky helicopters and more during World War II and expanded multiple times to accommodate its growth and development. In 1988, the company again obtained a patent — this time for its “Variable Contact” clutch release bearing whose creation featured key industry designs. It introduced its “alligator process” to usher in CNC hard-turning technology and achieved its QS9000/ISO9000 Certification in 1998.
In order to support their enlarging customer base, Aetna Bearing Company completed a move from Illinois to Livonia, Michigan in September 2018. Focusing on the automotive, aerospace, industrial, military, mining and agricultural sectors, the company is currently leasing space in the centrally-located city of Livonia. This burgeoning city provides the company with room to expand further while also being well positioned to hone its strategy of emphasizing research and development and refining their product portfolio. Situated between Ann Arbor and Detroit, and being in close proximity to Detroit Metro Airport, Livonia offers a thriving business community and a talented workforce. As Kal Beidas, the company’s president since 2016, noted these attributes support Aetna Bearing Company’s growth. The company is excited to build its “next 100 years in the automotive capital of the world.”
Aetna Bearing Company
Since 1916, Aetna Bearing Company has designed innovative and creative bearing solutions for many of the nation’s top industries. Throughout its 100+ years in the business, Aetna Bearing Company’s research and development lead the industry in the introduction of manufactured and custom products that keep the world moving forward. Contact us for more information or to request a quote.