Motion
Motion Industries, the industrial distribution arm of Genuine Parts Company, is North America's largest bearing distributor, selling 19 categories of MRO and industrial products across 462 branches in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersBirmingham, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Motion does
Motion Industries, Inc. (operating as Motion) is a U.S.-incorporated industrial distribution business headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC). It is North America's largest bearing distributor and serves industrial and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) customers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico through 462 physical branches and shops, complemented by a unified e-commerce platform at motion.com.
The company's product catalog spans 19 major categories — bearings, hydraulics, mechanical power transmission, pneumatics, adhesives and sealants, abrasives, cutting tools, electrical, hose and fittings, linear motion, material handling, process pumps, raw materials, seals and gaskets, tools and testing instruments, chemicals and lubricants, facility maintenance, janitorial supplies, and a full suite of safety/PPE — distributed under authorized relationships with over 100 industrial brands including SKF, Timken, Dodge, Schaeffler (FAG), Gates, Rexnord, U.S. Tsubaki, 3M, SMC, ABB, and Loctite. Four wholly-owned service subsidiaries extend the core offering into automation and robotics (Motion Automation Intelligence), conveying systems (Motion Conveyance Solutions), onsite inventory management (Motion Onsite Solutions), and aftermarket repair (Motion Repair & Services).
Motion monetizes primarily through per-unit hardware sales on motion.com (with publicly listed pricing ranging from under $1 to over $7,000) plus account-based B2B procurement with discount pricing, Saved Lists, Approval Routing, and Quick Quotes & Ordering. Go-to-market is a hybrid e-commerce plus field/branch sales model targeting vertical end-markets including Aggregate & Cement, Automotive, Food & Beverage, Data Center, Mining, Government, Oil & Gas, and broader industrial MRO. Dedicated capability is offered through a "Motion Can Find It" hard-to-source service and digital resources via the Knowledge Hub and Motion Learning and Development programs.
Motion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Motion
- Legal name
- Motion Industries, Inc.
- Website
- https://motion.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Motion Industries, the industrial distribution arm of Genuine Parts Company, is North America's largest bearing distributor, selling 19 categories of MRO and industrial products across 462 branches in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Motion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Distribution
- NAICS
- Construction and Mining (except Oil Well) Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (423810), Other Commercial Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (42344), Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Ball & Roller Bearings (3562), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial MRO Supplies for Vehicle/Equipment Workshops (Bearings, Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Fasteners) (TLAKAOAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Municipal & Utility Specialty Vehicle MRO (Refuse Trucks, Sweepers, Bucket Trucks) (TLAKAHAF), Clutch, Torque Converter & Flywheel Rebuild/Remanufacturing (TLAKALAL)
Keywords
Where Motion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birmingham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Motion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Industrial Product Distribution: Motion generates revenue through the distribution of industrial supplies including bearings, hydraulics, pneumatics, mechanical power transmission components, safety equipment, janitorial supplies, and facility maintenance products. Products are sold at per-unit prices ranging from under $1 to thousands of dollars depending on complexity. The model combines one-time transactional sales with repeat business from MRO customers.
- Bearings Distribution: As North America's largest bearing distributor, Motion sells ball, roller, plain, sleeve, and mounted bearings from major brands like SKF, Timken, Dodge, NSK, Sealmaster, and FAG. Products range from $20-$700+ per unit.
- Hydraulics Distribution: Distribution of hydraulic components including accumulators, cylinders, pumps, valves, motors, and accessories from brands like Hydac, Enerpac, Vickers, Danfoss, and Power Team. Products range from under $50 to over $7,000.
- Mechanical Power Transmission Distribution: Sale of belts, chains, pulleys, couplings, speed reducers, clutches, brakes, and U-joints from brands including Gates, U.S. Tsubaki, Rexnord, Martin, and Falk. Unit prices typically range from under $20 to several hundred dollars.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard per-unit pricing for individual purchases |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Business Account Benefits |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Motion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Motion Industries distributes industrial supplies and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) products to businesses and individuals through its motion.com e-commerce platform and 462 physical branch locations across North America. The company distributes bearings, hydraulics, pneumatics, mechanical power transmission, safety equipment, material handling, janitorial, adhesives, abrasives, and other industrial components from major brands. It offers business and personal accounts with features like Saved Lists, Approval Routing, Quick Quotes & Ordering, and the specialized Motion Can Find It sourcing service for hard-to-find parts.
Product overview
Motion is North America's largest industrial supplies distributor offering a comprehensive catalog of industrial products and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) solutions. The company operates as a single unified e-commerce platform with account-based ordering features (Business Accounts, Personal Accounts) offering capabilities like Saved Lists, Approval Routing, and Quick Quotes & Ordering. The core product portfolio spans Bearings (their largest category, including ball, roller, and linear bearings with repair services), Hydraulics (accumulators, cylinders, pumps, valves, motors), Mechanical Power Transmission (belts, chains, couplings, speed reducers), Pneumatics (compressors, cylinders, valves), Adhesives & Sealants, Material Handling equipment, and a full suite of Safety/PPE products (Hand Protection, Hearing Protection, Eye/Face Protection, Head Protection). Supporting categories include Abrasives, Chemicals/Lubricants, Cutting Tools, Electrical, Facility Maintenance, Hose & Fittings, Linear Motion, Process Pumps, Seals & Gaskets, Tools & Testing Instruments, and Janitorial supplies. Motion serves industries including Aggregate & Cement, Automotive, Chemical, Data Center, Equipment & Machinery, Food & Beverage, Government, Mining, Oil & Gas, Pulp & Paper, Semiconductor, and Water Treatment across 462 locations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bearings
Companies that use Motion
Customer profileSegments8 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Motion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Motion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Motion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- W.W. Grainger: W.W. Grainger is the largest MRO industrial distributor in North America, operating the KeepStock program, Grainger.com e-commerce, and a deep branch network. It is Motion's most direct and largest competitor across nearly every product category Motion carries, including bearings, safety, and fluid power.
- MSC Industrial Direct: MSC Industrial is a large US-focused MRO distributor selling metalworking, bearings, power transmission, safety, and fluid power products through catalogs, e-commerce, and direct sales. It directly overlaps with Motion's core bearings and power-transmission categories.
- Fastenal: Fastenal distributes fasteners, tools, safety supplies, and increasingly higher-margin industrial vending and on-site solutions. Its on-site and vending strategies overlap with Motion's Motion Onsite Solutions subsidiary, and it competes head-to-head in fasteners, safety, and general MRO.
- Applied Industrial Technologies: Applied Industrial Technologies is a leading North American distributor of bearings, power transmission, fluid power, and industrial rubber products with a branch network and technical service capabilities. It is one of Motion's closest peers in the bearings and mechanical power transmission categories where Motion claims market leadership.
- Kaman Distribution Group (now part of Motion Industries acquisition history): Kaman Distribution Group (historically a Motion competitor in bearings, power transmission, and fluid power distribution) was actually acquired by Motion Industries' parent in the broader consolidation trend, illustrating the consolidation pressure in this peer set. Comparable on product mix and customer base.
- McMaster-Carr: McMaster-Carr is a leading direct/e-commerce industrial supplier known for extreme breadth of MRO, hardware, and material-handling products with a best-in-class digital catalog. It competes with Motion particularly in maintenance, material handling, and fastener categories for technical buyers who prefer self-service digital procurement.
- Zoro (Grainger subsidiary): Zoro is Grainger's SMB-focused e-commerce arm offering a broad assortment of industrial supplies at competitive price points. It targets the same smaller-account customers Motion serves through motion.com and competes aggressively on digital UX and pricing transparency.
- Würth Industry North America: Würth Industry is the North American industrial division of the global Würth Group, focused on fasteners, tools, and MRO supplies with significant direct-sales and on-site service models. It overlaps with Motion in fasteners, tools, and on-site industrial supply services.
Regional players
- ERIKS (a private-equity-owned industrial distributor): ERIKS is a major European industrial distributor of bearings, power transmission, fluid power, and sealing products, primarily serving EMEA. While geographically distinct, it competes with global Motion parent GPC and is a comparable industrial-MRO peer in product breadth and customer types.
Broad incumbents
- Amazon Business: Amazon Business is the B2B arm of Amazon offering industrial MRO, office, and facility supplies with fast fulfillment and aggressive pricing. While not a specialist industrial distributor, it competes with Motion on catalog breadth, price transparency, and digital procurement experience, particularly in lower-complexity MRO and consumables.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Motion social profiles
Digital presenceMotion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Motion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Motion subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Motion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Motion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Motion
What does Motion do?
Motion Industries distributes industrial supplies and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) products to businesses and individuals through its motion.com e-commerce platform and 462 physical branch locations across North America. The company distributes bearings, hydraulics, pneumatics, mechanical power transmission, safety equipment, material handling, janitorial, adhesives, abrasives, and other industrial components from major brands. It offers business and personal accounts with features like Saved Lists, Approval Routing, Quick Quotes & Ordering, and the specialized Motion Can Find It sourcing service for hard-to-find parts.
Is Motion a public or private company?
Motion is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Motion founded?
Motion was founded in 2001. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Motion based?
Motion is headquartered in Birmingham, United States, in the North America region.
How does Motion make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Industrial Product Distribution is the primary driver. The others are bearings Distribution, hydraulics Distribution and mechanical Power Transmission Distribution.
Who are Motion's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are W.W. Grainger, MSC Industrial Direct, Fastenal, Applied Industrial Technologies, Kaman Distribution Group (now part of Motion Industries acquisition history), McMaster-Carr, Zoro (Grainger subsidiary) and Würth Industry North America. ERIKS (a private-equity-owned industrial distributor) is listed as a regional player. Amazon Business is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Motion have an API?
No public API is recorded for Motion.
What industry is Motion in?
Motion's product category is Industrial Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAKAOAK, Industrial MRO Supplies for Vehicle/Equipment Workshops (Bearings, Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Fasteners), with a secondary code of TLAKAHAF, Municipal & Utility Specialty Vehicle MRO (Refuse Trucks, Sweepers, Bucket Trucks). Its NAICS code is 423810 and its SIC code is 5080.