Timken Sold Belts Business to Gates Industrial
Manufacturers of power transmission components should monitor supply chain shifts following this asset divestiture.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Manufacturing
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The Timken Co. finalized the sale of its belts manufacturing business to Denver-based Gates Industrial Corporation on September 28, 2026. This transaction consolidates power transmission manufacturing assets for Gates, including a plant in San Jose Iturbine, Mexico.
Why it matters
The divestiture allows Jackson Township-based Timken to narrow its focus toward motion technology as it works to reach 2028 margin targets. Meanwhile, the move enables Gates Industrial Corporation to scale its presence in the power transmission market.
The divestiture of the belts unit aligns with Timken's strategic objective to meet its 2028 margin targets. The sale excludes the former Timken Belts facility in Springfield, Missouri, which ceased operations earlier in 2026.
The players
The Timken Co.
An Ohio-based manufacturer specializing in engineered bearings and motion technology.
Gates Industrial Corporation
A Denver-based global manufacturer of power transmission and fluid power solutions.
The details
Gates Industrial Corporation assumed control of the manufacturing infrastructure, specifically acquiring the production facility in San Jose Iturbine, Mexico. By exiting the belts business, Timken reallocates capital and resources away from non-core operations to prioritize its motion technology segment. Operational leadership at affected sites now falls under the Gates organizational structure.
Timeline
The Timken Belts plant in Springfield, Missouri, closed in 2026.
The Timken Co. completed the sale of its belts business on September 28, 2026.
Market Landscape
This deal follows the earlier 2026 closure of the Timken Belts plant in Springfield, Missouri, signaling a broader retreat from the legacy belts segment. The asset transfer marks a definitive consolidation of power transmission capabilities under the Gates Industrial umbrella.
Operators in the power transmission sector should prepare for shifts in vendor relations as Gates assumes control of the San Jose Iturbine site. Supply chain managers should verify existing contracts or service level agreements previously held with the Timken belts division.
The takeaway
Companies can increase margin performance by shedding non-core assets to focus on specialized technical strengths. Operators should conduct a full audit of their supply chain partners whenever a major consolidation event occurs in their procurement space.
Further reading
For broader trends in industrial sector consolidation, visit our Manufacturing section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Massillon Independent.
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