FK Bearings
FK Bearings is a U.S. manufacturer of precision rod ends, spherical bearings, and custom-engineered motion control components serving performance racing, off-road, and industrial customers through direct factory sales and regional representatives across North America.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersSouthington, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What FK Bearings does
FK Bearings Incorporated is a U.S. manufacturer of precision rod ends, spherical plain bearings, custom-engineered bearings, and related motion control components, established in 1983 by the Fragola family in Southington, Connecticut and operated as a privately held family business. The product portfolio spans more than 20 rod end series and 10 spherical bearing series, offered in inch (1/8" through 2" bore for rod ends; 3/16" through 6" for sphericals) and metric dimensions, and manufactured from low carbon steel, alloy steel, 17-4PH precipitation-hardened stainless steel, and 7075-T6 aluminum. The company's technology differentiation centers on self-lubricating race options, including PTFE fabric liners, oil-impregnated sintered phosphor bronze races, and PTFE-lubricated nylon/carbon-fiber reinforced races used across commercial, precision, heavy-duty shank, metric, and high-misalignment product families.
The company sells direct to end customers and through regional sales representatives across North America, with manufacturing at the ISO 9001:2015-certified Southington headquarters and stocked warehouses in Indiana and California supporting fulfillment. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales to three primary customer segments: performance racing, off-road and off-highway equipment, and a diversified industrial base covering construction, mining, material handling, transportation, automation and robotics, machine tools, agricultural equipment, and military vehicles. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; customers obtain quotes through the sales team, and the company emphasizes inventory availability and same-industry reputation (over 35 years of operation, Fragola family branding) as primary purchase drivers rather than published pricing tiers.
FK Bearings firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FK Bearings
- Legal name
- FK Bearings Incorporated
- Website
- https://fkrodends.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- FK Bearings is a U.S. manufacturer of precision rod ends, spherical bearings, and custom-engineered motion control components serving performance racing, off-road, and industrial customers through direct factory sales and regional representatives across North America.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FK Bearings industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bearings and motion control components
- NAICS
- Ball and Roller Bearing Manufacturing (332991), Motor Vehicle Steering and Suspension Components (except Spring) Manufacturing (336330)
- SIC
- Ball & Roller Bearings (3562)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wheel Hubs, Bearings & Knuckles (Hubs/Bearings/Spindles/Knuckles) (IMACAIAI)
Keywords
Where FK Bearings is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Southington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
FK Bearings business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Bearing Product Sales: Sale of rod ends, spherical bearings, and related motion control products. Products include over 20 different series of commercial and precision rod ends (inch sizes 1/8" through 2", metric 5mm-30mm) and 10 series of spherical bearings. Revenue generated through direct sales to industrial, motorsports, and off-road customers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
FK Bearings product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FK Bearings manufactures precision rod ends, spherical plain bearings, custom-engineered bearings, and related linkage components in over 20 rod end series and 10 spherical bearing series. Products are built in multiple materials (low carbon steel, alloy steel, 17-4PH stainless steel, 7075-T6 aluminum) with options including PTFE liners, sintered bronze races, and nylon races. The company sells factory-direct to performance racing teams, off-road equipment manufacturers, and industrial OEMs across North America.
Product overview
FK Bearings is a leading USA manufacturer of rod ends, spherical bearings, custom-engineered bearings, and related products established in 1983. The company offers over 20 different series of commercial and precision rod ends (with inch bore sizes from 1/8" through 2" and Metric bores from 5mm-30mm) and 10 different series of commercial and precision spherical plain bearings (with inch bore sizes from 3/16" through 6" and Metric bores from 5mm-160mm). The core product lines include: Rod Ends (Commercial/Industrial series: CM/CF, ECM/ECF, SCM-T/SCF-T, CMX/CFX; Precision series: JM/JF, JMX/JFX, NJM/NJF, M-SB/F-SB, KMX, SJM-T/SJF-T, RJM/RJF, RJMX-T, HJMX-T, PMX-T, ALJM/ALJM-H/ALJF; Heavy Duty Shank: RSM, RSMX, HRSMX-T, ALRSM; Metric and Special Size series); and Spherical Bearings (Commercial Series: COM/COMH, COM-M, IN-P; Precision Narrow: FKS/FKS-T, FKSSX-T/FKSSX-TV; Wide: WSSX-T/WSSX-TV; Heavy Duty Precision: AIN; High Misalignment: HIN-T; Fractured Race: GEZ-ES/GE-ES). The company also offers complementary accessory products including Ball Joints, Solid Rod Ends, Bearing Cups, Clevis, High Misalignment Bushings, Adjuster Ladder, Jam Nuts, Center Finders, Boots, Face Seals, and Weldable Tube Ends. Products serve construction equipment, mining, material handling, transportation, off-highway equipment, automation and robotics, machine tools, agricultural equipment, military vehicles, and performance racing markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Rod Ends
Companies that use FK Bearings
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
FK Bearings technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
FK Bearings partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- FragolacoreFragola is the family-owned parent company of FK Bearings. The partnership represents the Fragola family's ownership and operation of FK Bearings, with Fragola putting their family name and reputation into every product shipped.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights4 records
FK Bearings competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Boston Gear: US manufacturer of power transmission and motion control components including bearings, gear drives, and clutches. Overlaps with FK Bearings in industrial MRO and OEM channels, though broader in product scope.
- NSK: Global Japanese bearing manufacturer with a spherical plain bearing product line serving automotive, industrial, and aftermarket customers — competes with FK Bearings at the OEM and distributor level on larger-volume programs.
- NTN: Global Japanese bearing and constant-velocity joint manufacturer with spherical plain bearings serving automotive and industrial markets — comparable broad-line competitor with significantly greater scale than FK Bearings.
- SKF: Global Swedish bearing and motion control manufacturer. While SKF's core focus is rolling-element bearings, its spherical plain bearing and rod end lines overlap with FK Bearings in industrial and heavy equipment applications.
- RBC Bearings: Public, NASDAQ-listed specialty bearings manufacturer with a dedicated rod end and spherical bearing product line (including the Heim Bearings brand). Substantially larger than FK Bearings but competes directly in the same product categories and end markets.
- Timken: US-headquartered, NYSE-listed engineered bearings and power transmission manufacturer. Spherical plain bearings and rod ends overlap with FK's product portfolio in heavy industrial, aerospace, and defense applications.
Direct peers
- Aurora Bearing Company: Privately held US manufacturer of rod ends and spherical plain bearings headquartered in Aurora, Illinois — the most directly comparable competitor to FK Bearings in size, product mix, and North American industrial / motorsports customer base.
- QA1 Precision Products: US manufacturer of rod ends, spherical bearings, coilover shocks, and related motion control components for motorsports and industrial customers. Highly comparable in product portfolio, end-market focus (racing, off-road, industrial), and direct-sales distribution model.
- Heim Bearings: Iconic US rod end brand now owned by RBC Bearings — competes head-to-head with FK Bearings' rod end lines in motorsports, aerospace, and industrial applications, often cited as the historical benchmark in the category.
Emerging players
- PBC Linear (Pacific Bearing Company): US manufacturer of plain bearings, rod ends, and linear motion components. Smaller and more linear-motion focused, but serves overlapping industrial OEM customers and competes in adjacent spherical plain bearing niches.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
FK Bearings social profiles
Digital presenceFK Bearings compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
FK Bearings financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FK Bearings leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
FK Bearings funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FK Bearings 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 FK Bearings
What does FK Bearings do?
FK Bearings manufactures precision rod ends, spherical plain bearings, custom-engineered bearings, and related linkage components in over 20 rod end series and 10 spherical bearing series. Products are built in multiple materials (low carbon steel, alloy steel, 17-4PH stainless steel, 7075-T6 aluminum) with options including PTFE liners, sintered bronze races, and nylon races. The company sells factory-direct to performance racing teams, off-road equipment manufacturers, and industrial OEMs across North America.
Is FK Bearings a public or private company?
FK Bearings is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was FK Bearings founded?
FK Bearings was founded in 1983. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is FK Bearings based?
FK Bearings is headquartered in Southington, United States, in the North America region.
How does FK Bearings make money?
One revenue line is on record: bearing Product Sales.
Who are FK Bearings's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Boston Gear, NSK, NTN, SKF, RBC Bearings and Timken. Direct peers are Aurora Bearing Company, QA1 Precision Products and Heim Bearings. PBC Linear (Pacific Bearing Company) is listed as an emerging player.
Does FK Bearings have an API?
No public API is recorded for FK Bearings.
What industry is FK Bearings in?
FK Bearings's product category is Bearings and motion control components. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAIAI, Wheel Hubs, Bearings & Knuckles (Hubs/Bearings/Spindles/Knuckles). Its NAICS code is 332991 and its SIC code is 3562.