Arrow Gear Company

What Arrow Gear Company does

Arrow Gear Company, founded in 1947 by James J. Cervinka and Frank E. Pielsticker and headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, is a privately held precision gear manufacturer owned by Precision Arrow Gear Group (PAGG LLC). The company specializes in aircraft-quality hardened and ground gears, with spiral bevel gears as its founding and flagship product category. It produces bevel, spur, and helical gears, curvic couplings, and complete gear drives, and operates a full in-house manufacturing stack spanning design, CNC machining, heat treatment, isotropic superfinishing (capable of 2 Ra finishes), and CNC gear inspection. Equipment includes Gleason Phoenix 600 tooth cutting and grinding systems, a Hofler Rapid 800 grinder achieving 0.5 micrometer involute accuracy, a Wenzel WGT 500 bevel gear inspection system, and proprietary robotic chamfering systems. The company is certified to ISO 9001:2015, AS9100 Rev D, and Nadcap (Heat Treating, Chemical Processing, Non-Destructive Testing).

Arrow's business model is B2B custom precision manufacturing with RFQ-driven, quote-based pricing for custom gears and multi-year program contracts with aerospace and defense primes, complemented by a stock-gear catalog (51 lapped spiral bevel sets and 8 ground tooth sets in standard ratios). The company sells exclusively through direct enterprise field sales — RFQ forms, direct phone engagement, and facility visits — with no third-party distribution. Revenue streams include custom gear manufacturing, stock gear sales, gearbox assembly (capability introduced in the late 1980s via Joint Strike Fighter and F22 prototype work), and ancillary precision machining services such as CNC turning, broaching, ID/OD grinding, lapping, and inertia welding. Primary customer segments are aviation and aerospace (engines, transmissions, fixed-wing applications), government and defense (military engines and transmissions), and helicopter industry (main gears and drive-shaft bevel gears), with secondary exposure to UAV/satellite, industrial, mining, robotics, oil and gas, agriculture, food processing, and medical equipment. Named programs include Joint Strike Fighter and F22 Raptor prototypes; Arrow claims to supply more loose gears for jet engines than any other gear company. A 20,000 sq/ft Heat Treat Center of Excellence is currently under construction at the Downers Grove campus.

Name

Arrow Gear Company

Legal name

Arrow Gear Company

Website

https://arrowgear.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Gear Manufacturing

NAICS

Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing (33272)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Gearmotors, Gearboxes & Speed Reducers (IMAGACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rotorcraft Transmissions, Gearboxes & Drive Systems (IMABABAG), Aerospace Fasteners & Hardware (IMABANAA)

Keywords

• Precision gear manufacturing
• Aerospace gears
• Custom gear solutions
• Spiral bevel gears
• Hardened ground gears

Headquarters

HQ city

Downers Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Gear Manufacturing: High-precision custom gear manufacturing including bevel, spur, and helical gears for aerospace, defense, and commercial applications. From prototype to high-volume production.
2. Stock Gears Sales: Sale of standard stock spiral bevel gears in various ratios (1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:3) with both standard and ground tooth options. 51 different sets of lapped spiral bevel gears and 8 different sets of ground tooth gears stocked.
3. Gearbox Assembly: Complete gearbox assembly and gear sub-assembly services for aerospace industry, introduced in late 1980s during Joint Strike Fighter and F22 prototype programs.
4. Precision Machining Services: Additional machining services including CNC turning, broaching, ID/OD grinding, lapping, inertia welding, and heat treatment operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Arrow Gear Company is a precision gear manufacturer specializing in Aircraft Quality Hardened and Ground Gears. The company manufactures bevel, spur, and helical gears, curvic couplings, and complete gear drives for aerospace, defense, helicopter, and industrial markets. Products range from stock spiral bevel gears (51 lapped sets and 8 ground tooth sets) to fully custom gear solutions from prototype through high-volume production, supported by in-house design, heat treatment, inspection, and machining capabilities.

Product overview

Arrow Gear Company is a precision gear manufacturer specializing in aerospace and industrial gearing solutions. The company offers a portfolio of products centered on bevel gears (particularly spiral bevel gears, their original founding specialty), parallel axis gears (spur and helical), and stock gear alternatives. Stock gears include 51 sets of lapped spiral bevel gears and 8 sets of ground tooth gears available in standard ratios. Supporting capabilities include heat treatment, isotropic superfinishing, gearbox assembly, and precision machining services (turning, broaching, welding, grinding, lapping). The company operates from prototype through high-volume production, serving aerospace, defense, helicopter, UAV, satellite, and commercial industrial markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PairGears: Custom gear solutions brand offering tailor-made solutions from prototype to high-volume production.

Products and services

• Bevel Gears Precision bevel gears including spiral bevel gears, manufactured to aerospace-grade hardened and ground standards. Includes Flight Safety Critical Parts for aerospace applications.
• Master Gears Master gears used as reference standards for precision measurement and calibration of gear cutting and inspection equipment.
• Parallel Axis Gears Spur and helical gears for parallel shaft applications, complementing the bevel gear product line.
• Stock Gears Pre-manufactured spiral bevel gears available in standard ratios (1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:3) for quick delivery. Includes both standard lapped gears (AGMA Q9) and ground tooth gears (AGMA Q11).
• Standard Stock Gears Standard non-ground spiral bevel gears available in ratios including 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 3:2, and 4:3. Carburized and hardened to AGMA Q9 quality.
• Stock Ground Tooth Gears Ground tooth spiral bevel gears offering superior precision for high-speed applications exceeding 8,000 SFPM. Manufactured to AGMA Quality Number 11 or better, shot peened for fatigue life.
• Curvic Couplings Precision curvic couplings for connecting rotating components with high torque capacity and accurate alignment.
• Gearboxes Complete gear drives and gearbox assemblies for aerospace and industrial applications.
• Aerospace Gearing Specialized gearing products for aerospace applications including jet engines, transmissions, and flight safety critical components.
• Custom Gears Tailor-made custom gear solutions from prototype to high-volume production, leveraging over 200,000 different gear setups and developments.
• Heat Treat Services Full range of heat treating operations including tempering, quenching, and case hardening, operated from the Heat Treat Center of Excellence facility.
• Isotropic Superfinishing Surface finishing process that can improve gear tooth finishes down to 2 Ra microinches for extended service life.
• Gearbox Assembly Complete gearbox assembly and gear sub-assembly services for aerospace and industrial applications.
• Other Machining Services Additional precision machining including CNC turning, broaching, inertia welding, ID grinding, OD grinding, and lapping.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000+ different setups and developments completed
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Precision Arrow Gear Group (PAGG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArrow Gear is part of Precision Arrow Gear Group which also includes Precision Gear Group and Precision Gear Industries. The parent company provides strategic direction and organizational structure for the gear manufacturing operations.
• Precision Gear IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Precision Arrow Gear Group family of companies. Heat treat equipment relocated from Precision Gear Inc. in College Point to Arrow's Downers Grove facility.
• PRI (Performance Review Institute)minorOthersThird-party registrar for AS9100 REV D certification and Nadcap accreditation programs for aerospace quality standards.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gleason Corporation: Gleason is the global leader in gear manufacturing machinery and also produces high-precision gears for aerospace and defense. Arrow Gear is a documented customer of Gleason Phoenix cutting and grinding systems, making Gleason both a supplier and a direct competitor in aerospace-grade bevel gear production.
• Klingelnberg Group: Klingelnberg is a German-based precision gear manufacturer serving aerospace, automotive, and industrial markets with cylindrical gears, bevel gears, and gear inspection systems. Directly comparable to Arrow Gear in bevel gear expertise and aerospace customer base.
• Liebherr Aerospace: Liebherr manufactures aerospace gearboxes, flight control systems, and landing gear components. Comparable to Arrow Gear in supplying transmission and power-train gears for commercial and military aircraft, including helicopter programs.
• Safran Transmission Systems: Safran produces helicopter transmission systems and aerospace power transmission components. Direct comparable to Arrow Gear's helicopter transmission OEM business and aerospace-grade bevel gear offerings.
• Overton Chicago Gear: Overton Chicago Gear is a precision gear manufacturer specializing in custom gears, gearboxes, and power transmission components for industrial and aerospace applications. Comparable US-based specialty gear manufacturer serving similar markets.
• Forest City Gear: Forest City Gear is a US-based precision gear manufacturer producing custom spur, helical, bevel, and worm gears for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. Direct competitor in the same specialty gear segment with similar quality certifications.

Broad incumbents

• Triumph Group: Triumph is a large diversified aerospace supplier with precision machining, gear manufacturing, and MRO capabilities across multiple aircraft platforms. A broader incumbent that competes in some of Arrow Gear's aerospace component markets with greater scale.
• Precision Castparts Corp (PCC): PCC is a large aerospace and industrial components manufacturer with precision machining capabilities for aerospace and defense markets. A broad incumbent with extensive aerospace component supply relationships that competes with specialty gear suppliers.

Regional players

• Hexcel Corporation: Hexcel supplies advanced composite and aerospace components though not a direct gear specialist, it serves as an adjacent aerospace parts supplier with comparable customer base (commercial aerospace, defense, helicopter OEMs).

Emerging players

• Berkshire Hathaway Precision Metalwork: Specialty aerospace machining and metalworking supplier providing precision components for aerospace and defense markets. Comparable mid-tier parts supplier operating in adjacent turbine, transmission, and structural aerospace component areas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arrow-gear-company
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArrowGearCompany

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Arrow Gear Company