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Motion Industries, Inc.
FormerlyOwen Richards Co.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryIndustrial Equipment & Components
Founded1946; 78 years ago (1946)
Headquarters
Birmingham, Alabama
,
United States
Key people
Randy Breaux (president)[1]
RevenueIncrease$6.53 billion USD (2019)
Number of employees
6,974 (2017)
ParentGenuine Parts Company
Websitemotionindustries.com

Motion Industries, Inc. is an American distributor of industrial parts headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Since 1972, it has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company.

History

Motion Industries began as Owen Richards Co., an industrial supply company, which Caldwell Marks and William Spencer III purchased in 1946 in Birmingham. They changed the name to Motion Industries, according to the founders, "because everything we do moves – we’re in the bearing and transmission business."[2]

Marks and Spencer merged Motion Industries with Genuine Parts Company in 1972. Motion Industries now forms the Industrial Parts Group of Genuine Parts.[3] According to Marks, Motion Industries was one of the first industrial distribution companies to establish a central distribution center and set-up an electronic parts database.[2]

In January 2021, Motion Industries announced an official rebrand as Motion. The company announced that "the move to rebrand is intended to solidify the company’s structure and advance its position in the marketplace." [4] The rebranding also coincided with Motion’s 75th anniversary.

Operations

Motion Industries branch office Livonia, Michigan

Motion Industries is an industrial parts distributor for products including bearings, mechanical power transmission, electrical and industrial automation, conveyor belting, hydraulic and pneumatics, process pumps, hydraulic and industrial hose and industrial/safety supplies. It also provides fabrication and repair services.[5] As of 2017, Motion Industries had annual sales of $4.96 billion and 300,000 customers. Its customers cross numerous industries including: food and beverage, pulp and paper, iron and steel, chemical, mining, petrochemical, automotive, wood and lumber, and pharmaceuticals.[6] At $4.96 billion in sales, Motion Industries placed fourth on Industrial Distribution's 2018 "Big 50" list of industrial distributors.[7] It was also recognized as "Distributor of the Year" by 3M in 2014.[8]

Facilities

There are more than 500 Motion Industries offices located throughout the United States and in Canada through its Motion Canada subsidiary. The company operates in Mexico through its Motion Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. division.[9]

Acquisitions

In the late 1990s, Motion Industries acquired Illinois Bearing Co. in Mattoon, Illinois.[5] On October 26, 2013 Motion Industries acquired AST Bearings.[10] In 2015 the company acquired Miller Bearings, an Orlando-based industrial parts distributor.[6]

On February 14th, 2019 Motion Industries acquired Axis New England and Axis New York (Axis), an automation and robotics company based in Danvers, Mass. [11]

In 2012 Donald G. Maynor II, an employee, sued Motion Industries for age discrimination, alleging that the company fired him due to his age in violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act.[12] In 2015 Motion Industries sued Superior Derrick Services for $1 million due to non-payment of a portion of a contract for parts delivered between 2011 and 2014.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Motion Industries names new President". Birmingham Business Journal. 2018-12-19. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
  2. ^ a b Garrison, Greg (2013-10-06). "Man in Motion: From meeting with JFK to helping start companies and launch Kirklin Clinic, businessman Caldwell Marks led Birmingham behind the scenes (Life Stories)". The Birmingham News. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  3. ^ "Motion Industries". Genuine Parts Company. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  4. ^ "Motion Industries Rebrands as Simply 'Motion'". MDM. January 19, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Stroud, Rob (2015-04-02). "Motion Industries relocates to new location in Mattoon". Journal Gazette & Times-Courier. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  6. ^ a b Barth, Cindy (2015-02-03). "Miller Bearings acquired by Motion Industries". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  7. ^ "The 2018 Industrial Distribution Big 50 List".
  8. ^ "3M Presents Distributor Of The Year Awards". Industrial Distribution. 2014-07-17. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  9. ^ "Company Profile". Reuters UK. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  10. ^ Press release from AST Bearings
  11. ^ "Motion Industries acquires Axis". The Robot Report. 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
  12. ^ Asbury, Kyla (2012-11-14). "Motion Industries sued on claims of age discrimination". West Virginia Records. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  13. ^ Ostrow, Carol (2015-08-06). "Industrial equipment supplier alleges non-payment by client". Louisiana Record. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
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