What Forest City Gear does

Forest City Gear is a third-generation, family-owned custom gear manufacturer founded in 1955 and headquartered in Roscoe, Illinois. The company specializes in fine and medium-pitch custom gears (spur, helical, worm, internal, rack and pinion, splines, serrations, sprockets, and ratchets) ranging in size from microns up to 500mm in diameter and from 0.127 to 8.0 module at AGMA class 10 or higher. Its end markets are aerospace and defense (AS9100 and Nadcap accredited, ITAR certified), outer space (gears for four NASA Mars rovers and the International Space Station), medical and dental (ISO 13485), robotics, transportation, off-highway, recreation and motorsports, and food and packaging. Customers engage through a quote-based RFQ process for project-specific builds, with revenue generated from custom contract manufacturing rather than catalog or licensed products.

The company's underlying technology stack is built around in-house CNC gear hobbing (including carbide re-hobbing and crown hobbing), gear shaping, gear and thread grinding, CNC turning and milling, and a metrology department anchored by ZEISS CONTURA coordinate measuring machines, KAPP NILES KNM 4X analytical measuring machines, and Mitutoyo FORMTRACER contour tracers - inspection capabilities pitched at 10 millionths of an inch. Forest City Gear reinvests 25-40% of revenues into new equipment annually, a capex intensity that supports continuous capability upgrades, including a 2025-2026 build-out of new inspection and multi-tasking machines. GTM is sales-led and direct (enterprise), with the company exhibiting at industry events (MPT Expo, Midwest Aerospace Conference, AGMA Annual Meeting) and generating quotes through website forms, phone, and fax. Pricing is custom per project with net 30 standard terms. The customer mix is diversified across multiple long-tenured B2B relationships (e.g., Wilshire Precision Products, Kansas Gun Drilling, Machine Specialties Inc., Twinco) alongside program-driven work for government and aerospace OEMs.

Name

Forest City Gear

Legal name

Forest City Gear Co

Website

https://forestcitygear.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forest City Gear is a third-generation, family-owned custom manufacturer of fine and medium-pitch precision gears serving aerospace, defense, outer-space, medical, robotics, and industrial customers worldwide from Roscoe, Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Gear Manufacturing

NAICS

Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612)

akta.pro primary industry

Gearmotors, Gearboxes & Speed Reducers (IMAGACAF)

Keywords

• Precision gear manufacturing
• Custom gear production
• Fine pitch gears
• Aerospace gear components
• Gear inspection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Roscoe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Gear Manufacturing: B2B custom precision gear manufacturing for aerospace, defense, medical, robotics, transportation, and other high-precision industries. Manufacturing services include high-volume production, one-of-a-kind precision gears, and everything in between. Revenue is generated through project-based manufacturing contracts with quotes based on specifications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Forest City Gear manufactures fine and medium pitch custom precision gears for aerospace, defense, medical, robotics, transportation, off-highway, recreational, food/packaging, and outer space applications. Capabilities span gear hobbing, carbide re-hobbing, gear shaping, gear grinding, thread grinding, CNC machining, gear inspection, high-volume production, and engineering services. Gears range from microns to 500mm in diameter and from 0.127 to 8.0 module at AGMA class 10 or higher.

Product overview

Forest City Gear operates as a custom gear manufacturing company offering a unified portfolio of precision gear products and manufacturing services. The core offering is custom fine and medium pitch gears (spur, helical, worms, internal, splines, serrations, sprockets, ratchets) supported by complementary manufacturing capabilities including CNC gear hobbing, gear shaping, gear grinding, thread grinding, CNC machining, and comprehensive gear inspection. The company also provides engineering services and Cut Teeth Only options. All capabilities are integrated under the company's quality management system and technical expertise, with the company's precision inspection department supporting all production processes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Gear Manufacturing World-class custom manufacturing of fine and medium pitch gears including spur gears, helical gears, worms, worm gears, internal gearing, rack and pinion, splines, serrations, sprockets, and ratchets. Gears range from microns in size up to 500mm in diameter, and from 0.127 module up to 8.0 module at AGMA class 10 or higher. Targeted at enterprise aerospace, defense, medical, robotics, transportation, and space customers.
• CNC Gear Hobbing & Carbide Re-Hobbing Generative machining process for cutting external teeth using hobbing machines. Includes carbide rehobbing to remove equal material from heat-treated gears to eliminate distortion (achieving AGMA 9 or better quality economically), crown hobbing for barrel-shaped teeth that reduce noise, and capabilities including spline lengths up to 500mm and diameters up to 400mm. Used by enterprise customers across aerospace, defense, robotics, and industrial sectors.
• Gear Shaping
• Gear Grinding
• Thread Grinding
• CNC Machining Comprehensive CNC machining services including turning, milling, OD/ID grinding, bore honing, and lapping. Capabilities span gear hobbing through laser marking, with precision lathes and 3-, 4-, and 5-axis mills. Supports gear blank manufacturing in-house and full component realization for precision industrial customers.
• Gear Inspection Comprehensive metrology service analyzing pitch, runout, lead, and profile error to 10 millionths of an inch. Uses advanced equipment including Mitutoyo contour tracers, ZEISS CONTURA CMMs, and KAPP NILES analytical measuring machines. Supports all production processes and is a critical enabler of AGMA class 10+ certification for aerospace and defense customers.
• Engineering Services
• Cut Teeth Only
• High-Volume Gear Production Dedicated high-volume production capability including a robotics industry cell and the specialized Roscoe Works facility for large production runs with the company's trademark quality standards. Serves industrial customers requiring volume production with aerospace-grade precision.

Quantifiable outcome

• AGMA class 10 or higher quality achievable
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MitutoyocoreTechnology or Integration · 25 June 2026Mitutoyo provides FORMTRACER contour tracer systems (FTA-H4C4000-D) for advanced inspection capabilities. Forest City Gear purchased its second Mitutoyo contour tracer in 2026 to expand inspection of complex geometries, intricate root fillet forms, and small corner break requirements.
• ZEISS Industrial Quality SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationZEISS is a key technology partner providing coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) for gear inspection. Forest City Gear purchased two new ZEISS CONTURA CMMs in 2026, representing the third and fourth currently in use. The partnership focuses on precision inspection capabilities for aerospace-grade components with fast turnaround times.
• KAPP NILES / KAPP TECHNOLOGIEScoreTechnology or IntegrationKAPP NILES is a strategic equipment partner providing gear inspection machines including the KNM 4X analytical measuring machine. Forest City Gear pilots new equipment installations with KAPP. Director of Operations Jared Lyford and Gear Grinding Lead Kevin Chatfield attended KAPP NILES Tech Tour in Germany to learn about new technology developments.
• Helios Gear Products (formerly Koepfer Gear School)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelios Gear Products runs the Helios Gear School, an educational program for entry-level professionals in gear manufacturing. Forest City Gear has steadfastly supported the school since its establishment in the early 1990s, hosting facility tours and mentoring students. Forest City Gear has sent 53 lifetime attendees to the school.
• Rock River Valley Tooling & Machining Association (RRVTMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRRVTMA is the region's chapter of NTMA, comprising manufacturing leaders. Forest City Gear's Jared Lyford serves as RRVTMA President. The association awards scholarships and facilitates apprenticeships in tooling, machining, welding, and engineering. Forest City Gear participates in RRVTMA facility tours and sponsors association activities.
• Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce (GRCC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForest City Gear President Kika Young serves on the GRCC board of directors and contributes through the Talent Committee and Rockford Area Aerospace Network (RAAN). The partnership focuses on workforce development, manufacturing promotion, and regional economic growth.
• Rockford Area Aerospace Network (RAAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRAAN is a regional aerospace industry network. Forest City Gear sponsors and exhibits at the Midwest Aerospace Conference (MAC), hosted by RAAN, GRCC, and IMEC. President Kika Young serves on the RAAN committee to strengthen the region's aerospace cluster.
• Rock Valley CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForest City Gear partners with Rock Valley College for workforce development. The company supports the SMART (Summer Manufacturing and Readiness Technology) Camp for middle school students and provides CNC Lathe Technician Lucy Mulderink as a camp presenter. Josh Gates serves as adjunct professor teaching Mastercam and CNC setup classes.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gear Motions (NYS Gear): Custom precision gear manufacturer with multiple US facilities producing spur, helical, bevel, and worm gears. Directly comparable custom gear manufacturing capability with similar aerospace, defense, and industrial customer mix.
• Winzeler Gear: Custom precision gear manufacturer serving aerospace, medical, defense, and industrial markets. Comparable in scale and precision capabilities to Forest City Gear, with similar custom-engineered gear solutions.
• Bison Gear & Engineering: Custom gear and gearmotor manufacturer with precision machining capabilities serving industrial, medical, and aerospace markets. Overlaps with Forest City Gear in custom gear production with comparable quality certifications.
• Arrow Gear Company: Precision gear manufacturer specializing in custom spiral bevel, straight bevel, and hypoid gears for aerospace, defense, and industrial applications. Comparable in size and customer base to Forest City Gear, with overlapping precision gear capabilities and aerospace certifications.
• Overton Chicago Gear: Custom precision gear manufacturer based in the Midwest serving aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial markets. Closest direct competitor to Forest City Gear in fine and medium pitch custom gear work with comparable AGMA quality levels and AS9100 certifications.
• Milwaukee Gear Company: Custom gear manufacturer producing precision gears, gear assemblies, and gearboxes for industrial and aerospace customers. Midwestern US peer with comparable custom gear focus and quality certifications.

Broad incumbents

• Sumitomo Drive Technologies: Global manufacturer of power transmission products including precision gear drives, gearboxes, and motion control solutions. Significantly larger than Forest City Gear but serves overlapping industrial, aerospace, and robotics end markets with related precision gearing products.
• Gleason Corporation: Global leader in gear technology, manufacturing both gear production machinery and finished gears. Much larger and broader than Forest City Gear but operates in the same precision gear ecosystem as both a potential equipment supplier and competitor for high-end gear manufacturing.
• Rexnord ( Regal Rexnord ): Large diversified industrial manufacturer producing gears, bearings, power transmission, and motion control components across aerospace, industrial, and commercial markets. Much larger scale than Forest City Gear but competes in overlapping aerospace and precision gear segments.

Emerging players

• KHK Gear Manufacturer: Japanese-based gear manufacturer with growing US presence producing standard and custom gears. Offers competitively priced precision gears with broad catalog offerings — partial overlap with Forest City Gear's custom precision work but more focused on standard gear configurations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/forestcitygear
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forest-city-gear
• Facebookfacebook.com/ForestCityGear

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forest City Gear