The automotive aftermarket has long been familiar with Torrington bearings. Although most people know that Torrington is a company that manufactures these bearings, the term “Torrington bearing” has become synonymous with needle roller thrust bearings. “Torrington bearing” has become a generic term describing a type of bearing as much as it indicates a manufacturer who produces those bearings.
The Torrington Company was established in 1898 in Torrington, Conn. It was an independent company until an acquisition by Ingersoll Rand Corp. in 1968. In 2003, Torrington Bearing was sold to the Timken Company, which produced Torrington brand bearings until 2009. In 2009, JTEKT Corporation of Japan acquired the Torrington bearing line – including the manufacturing plants and tech center along with 3,400 employees – from Timken. Torrington became part of the JTEKT’s Koyo Bearings.
Since 2013, these products formerly known as Torrington bearings were marketed solely under the Koyo brand name.
In April and November 2022, JTEKT North America provided notification regarding the unification of the Koyo bearing brand to the JTEKT brand. Be aware there is no change in ownership associated with the name change. This change is simply a consolidation of the Koyo bearing brand to the globally recognized JTEKT brand.