GGB Bearings Technology

What GGB Bearings Technology does

GGB Bearings Technology (legal entity GGB Heilbronn GmbH) is a global manufacturer of self-lubricating and pre-lubricated plain bearings, bushings, and tribological surface solutions founded in 1897 in Heilbronn, Germany. Its product portfolio spans seven families: metal-polymer bearings (DP4®, DU®, DX®, HI-EX®), fiber-reinforced composite bearings (HPMB®, GAR-MAX®, GAR-FIL), engineered plastics bearings (the EP® series), metal and bimetal bearings (AuGlide®, GGB-DB®, GGB-SHB®, GGB-CBM®, GGB-CSM®), TriboShield® and TriboMate® polymer coatings, and self-aligning bearing assemblies (Exalign®, Mini®, Uni®). The underlying technology centers on PTFE-impregnated metal-polymer composites, fiberglass filament winding, engineered thermoplastics, and low-friction polymer coatings engineered to operate maintenance-free in extreme loads, temperatures, and corrosive environments.

GGB serves 14 industrial verticals — aerospace, automotive, e-mobility, construction/off-highway, energy, fluid power, industrial general, medical, mining, oil & gas, primary metals, railway, recreational, and agriculture — through a global distribution network of 300 distributors in 40 countries and seven manufacturing plants in Germany, Slovakia, France, and India. The company operates an enterprise field-sales model with direct engineering collaboration from early design stages, supplemented by a registration-based B2B webshop, technical content marketing, and presence at major industry trade shows (Farnborough, Hillhead, bauma). Pricing is quote-based and project-specific.

Since 2024, GGB has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Timken Company (NYSE: TK), integrated into Timken's engineered bearings division. The company has accelerated aerospace qualification (EN 9100:2018 at the Slovakia Sučany facility in 2026) and sustainability credentials (EcoVadis Silver Medals at Heilbronn in 2025 and France in 2023), while expanding into e-mobility, polymer coatings, and hydrodynamic composite product lines. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

GGB Bearings Technology

Legal name

GGB Heilbronn GmbH

Website

https://ggbearings.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

GGB Bearings Technology is a German-founded (1897) manufacturer of self-lubricating plain bearings, bushings, and tribological polymer coatings serving 14 industrial verticals — including aerospace, automotive, e-mobility, construction, energy, mining, and medical — through 7 plants and a 300-distributor network across 40 countries, now operating as a subsidiary of The Timken Company.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Thorofare

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Plain Bearings and Bushings Sales: GGB generates revenue through the sale of engineered plain bearings, self-lubricating bushings, and bearing assemblies across multiple material technologies (metal-polymer, fiber-reinforced composites, engineered plastics, metal/bimetal). Products are sold directly to industrial customers and through a global distributor network.
2. Polymer Coatings: Revenue from TriboShield® and TriboMate® polymer coating solutions sold as standalone products or paired coating systems for corrosion and wear protection.
3. Webshop Sales: GGB operates a webshop requiring registration for purchasing products, indicating direct B2B e-commerce capability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GGB Bearings Technology manufactures and sells self-lubricating and pre-lubricated plain bearings, bushings, and low-friction polymer coatings for industrial customers across aerospace, automotive, construction, energy, and other heavy-duty sectors. The product portfolio spans metal-polymer composites, fiber-reinforced composites, engineered thermoplastics, metal/bimetal bearings, TriboShield® polymer coatings, and self-aligning bearing assemblies. Products are sold through direct enterprise sales, a registration-based webshop, and a global distributor network of 300 partners in 40 countries.

Product overview

GGB Bearings Technology is a manufacturer of advanced surface engineering solutions, primarily plain bearings and polymer coatings. The company operates as a Timken Company and offers a comprehensive portfolio organized into seven product families: Metal-Polymer Bearings (DP4®, DX®, HI-EX®, DU®, DU-B®), Fiber Reinforced Composite Bearings (HPMB®, GAR-MAX®, GAR-FIL, HSG), Engineered Plastics Bearings (EP® series), Metal and Bimetal Bearings (AuGlide®, GGB-DB®, GGB-SHB®, GGB-CBM®, GGB-CSM®), TriboShield® and TriboMate® Polymer Coatings (TS225, TS650, TS651, TS742), and Bearing Assemblies & Housings (Exalign®, Mini®, Uni®). These products are self-lubricating solutions designed to reduce friction, enhance durability, and operate maintenance-free across aerospace, automotive, construction, energy, fluid power, industrial, medical, mining, oil & gas, primary metals, railway, and recreational sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DP4®: Metal-polymer plain bearings with high wear resistance and low friction properties
• DU®
• DX®
• HPMB®
• GAR-MAX®
• EP®
• TriboShield®
• TriboMate®
• AuGlide®
• GGB-DB®
• Exalign®
• HI-EX®
• GGB-SHB®
• DTS10®

Products and services

• DP4® Metal-Polymer Bearing Metal-polymer low friction plain bearing with high wear resistance, available in flanged and curved groove designs, used in industrial machinery, automotive, and aerospace applications.
• DX® Metal-Polymer Bearing Metal-polymer plain bearing designed for grease-lubricated applications in agricultural and heavy machinery.
• HI-EX® Half Bearing High-temperature lubricated lead-free half bearing for hydrodynamic applications in demanding environments.
• DU® Self-Lubricating Bearing Self-lubricating metal-polymer bearing available as special forms, providing maintenance-free performance for industrial and aerospace applications.
• DU-B Bronze-Backed PTFE Bearing Metal-polymer bronze-backed PTFE plain bearing available as special sliding plates for aerospace applications.
• HPMB® Fiber Reinforced Composite Bearing High precision fiber reinforced composite bearing with self-lubricating filament wound cylindrical bushings for aerospace applications.
• GAR-MAX® Composite Bearing Self-lubricating fiberglass reinforced plain bearing for agricultural and heavy-duty applications.
• GAR-FIL Filament Wound Composite Bearing Filament wound composite bearing providing self-lubricating performance in demanding applications.
• EP® Engineered Plastic Bearing Self-lubricating engineered plastic plain bearing for automotive seating and general industrial use.
• EP®12 Flanged Bushing Self-lubricating engineered plastic flanged bushing suitable for energy applications including solar trackers.
• EP®15 UV-Resistant Bearing UV-resistant engineered plastics bearing with overmoulding design for outdoor and solar tracker applications.
• EP®22 Medical-Grade Bushing Self-lubricating engineered plastic bushing with high performance and special clip cover for medical applications.
• EP®30 High-Performance Bearing High-performance engineered plastic bearing for demanding industrial applications.
• EP®43 Aerospace Flanged Bearing Self-lubricating thermoplastic flanged bearing ideal for dry working conditions in aerospace applications.
• EP®44 E-Mobility Bearing Self-lubricating polymer plain bearing with carbon fibers and PTFE for e-mobility applications.
• EP®63 Aerospace Special Bearing Thermoplastic dry bushing with unlimited dimensions for aerospace special applications.
• AuGlide® Bimetal Bearing Bimetal lead-free plain bearing available as cylindrical bearings and sliding plates for automotive applications.
• GGB-DB® Cast Bronze Bearing Maintenance-free cast bronze cylindrical bearing and bushing with solid lubricant inserts for renewable energy applications.
• GGB-SHB® Case Hardened Steel Bearing Case hardened steel cylindrical bearing for agricultural applications requiring high load capacity.
• GGB-CBM® Thin-Wall Powder Metallurgy Bushing Thin-wall cylindrical bushing produced by metallurgic powder process for energy applications.
• GGB-CSM® Monometal Flanged Bearing Self-lubricating flanged bearing and flange bushing as thick walled monometal bearing for mining applications.
• TriboShield® Polymer Coating System Low-friction polymer coating system (TS225, TS650, TS651, TS742) for tribological surface solutions across industrial, corrosive, and extreme operating environments.
• TriboMate® Paired Coatings Solution Paired coatings solution designed to be combined with existing bearing solutions for enhanced performance and longevity with high corrosion resistance.
• Exalign® Self-Aligning Bearing Assembly Self-aligning bearing assembly for industrial machinery applications.
• Mini® Self-Aligning Shaft Assembly Compact self-aligning shaft assembly for space-constrained applications.
• Uni® Self-Aligning Bearing Housing Self-aligning bearing housing for versatile industrial applications.

Named customers3 records

Segments14 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Timken CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024GGB officially joined The Timken Company as a subsidiary, providing access to Timken's global distribution network, manufacturing scale, and complementary product portfolio. This acquisition integrates GGB's advanced plain bearing and tribological coating technologies with Timken's broader industrial bearing capabilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NSK: Japanese bearing manufacturer with global industrial and automotive bearing portfolio. Overlaps with GGB in industrial, automotive, and railway segments and serves similar B2B customers with broader bearing solutions.
• NTN Corporation: Japanese bearing maker with global industrial, automotive, and aerospace bearing portfolio. Comparable end-market coverage and B2B customer base, though focused predominantly on rolling-element bearings.
• Schaeffler: German bearing and automotive supplier with INA and FAG brands producing plain bearings (INA) alongside rolling-element bearings. Highly comparable end-market exposure (automotive, industrial, aerospace, e-mobility) and broad product portfolio.
• The Timken Company: GGB's parent company since 2024; broader engineered bearings portfolio spanning tapered roller bearings, gear products, and power transmission. Significant overlap in industrial, automotive, and aerospace end markets — the acquiring entity that controls GGB's strategic direction.
• JTEKT Corporation: Japanese bearing and steering systems manufacturer (Koyo brand). Comparable in automotive, industrial, and aerospace markets, though focused primarily on rolling-element bearings.
• SKF: World's largest rolling-element bearing manufacturer with broad industrial portfolio. Overlaps with GGB in industrial, automotive, and aerospace markets and serves similar B2B customers, but dominates in ball/roller bearings rather than plain bearings.

Direct peers

• Saint-Gobain: Through its NORGLIDE/Mersen operations, Saint-Gobain manufactures PTFE-based self-lubricating plain bearings and metal-polymer bearing materials. Directly comparable to GGB's metal-polymer (DP4, DU) and TriboShield/TriboMate coating offerings across automotive and industrial customers.
• Igus: German-based manufacturer of polymer plain bearings, bushings, and self-lubricating tribology products. Highly comparable to GGB across product categories (polymer/plain bearings, linear bearings) and target markets (industrial, automotive, e-mobility, medical).
• Daido Metal: Japanese specialist in plain bearings, particularly for automotive engines and turbochargers. Highly comparable to GGB's metal and bimetal bearing lines (AuGlide, GGB-DB) with shared focus on automotive and industrial OEM customers.
• Dowlais Group (GKN Automotive): Through GKN's powder metallurgy and plain bearings business, Dowlais manufactures sintered bronze and metal-polymer plain bearings for automotive and industrial markets. Directly comparable to GGB's metal/bimetal and metal-polymer product families.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ggbearing
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ggbearings
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ggb

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 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 GGB Bearings Technology