About


Universal Bearings

Universal Bearings aims to be an industry leader in quality, service, and delivery of loose needle rollers and precision bearing products. When we aim—our commitment to precision zeros in on the target. We are one of the few high-quality, high-volume, independent loose needle roller manufacturers in the world.

Over the years, we’ve been noted for consistent quality, quick response to customer needs, and willingness to fine-tune our processes to fit customer requirements. Our strength lies in our ability to mass produce consistent precision bearings at competitive prices within the tight manufacturing tolerances established by our customers.

From cutting to heat treating, precision grinding, inspection, packaging and shipping, we use statistical process control methods to ensure that our parts will meet our customers’ requirements. We inspect all parts thoroughly before packing and shipping. Our goal is to always provide defect-free products to our customers.

Universal Bearings Headquarters

Our History

On November 2, 1959, a small manufacturing operation began in an old body shop on Montgomery Street in Bremen, Indiana with two grinders, one tumbler and three small cutoff machines. In 1961, we moved to a small facility in the Bremen Industrial Park. Through several major expansion projects that facility has grown to over 375,000 square feet.
All of our production processes, from start to finish, are completed in our Bremen, Indiana facility. Our workplace is staffed with over 300 skilled employees and furnished with the cutting-edge equipment that typifies the precision our customers have come to expect. Our product family has grown from our initial offering of various sizes of loose needles to thrust and radial needle bearings, pinion pins, rocker arm axles and an assortment of specialty products.

History of Universal Bearings Needle Pins
Year Description
1959 Company Founded
1996 Product expansion program initiated
1999 Production start of radial drawn cups and thrust bearings
2000 Production start of pinion pins and radial unit cages
2004 Production start of rocker arms and lifter axles
2010 Started to supply rollers for transmission applications
2011 Added secondary machining of shafts and pins
2016 Plant 2 established to expand assembly business
2019 Started to supply CVJ assemblies

Our Certifications

Through the hard work and dedication of our employees, we are a TS-16949, ISO-14001, ISO-90010,and CQI-9-certified roller bearing company.

Since the majority of our business is in the auto industry, we diligently maintain our IATF 16949 certification. This is a quality standard established by auto OEMs to assure our customers that we have a system in place that defines the production processes and audits our processes to confirm that they remain consistent.

The CQI-9 certification relates to our heat treating capabilities and also requires calibration and regular monitoring of our furnaces.

Our ISO 14001 certification tells our customers that we are good environmental stewards: that we have a system in place to prevent environmental damage, are efficient with our waste, and that we have an action plan in place in case of an environmental incident.

We also hold certificates of registration for ISO 9001 and certified to General Motors Built in Quality Supply based (BIQS) audit requirements.

ISO 9001 Certification

Our Awards

We’re proud to be recognized by some of the best and most innovative companies in our industry. Throughout our many years in business, we have earned Ford’s Q-1 award and Chrysler’s Q-E award in addition to awards from Eaton Corporation, Federal Mogul, Denso and other reputable industry titans.

These awards are given to suppliers who demonstrate excellence beyond the ISO/TS certification requirements. The areas that are typically critiqued are: systems, continuous improvement, performance, manufacturing processes and customer relations. When it comes to industry recognition, there’s no greater honor than these prestigious awards.

As an award-winning needle roller bearing company, it’s our goal to continually excel expectations and standards in the automotive markets. We’re committed to continuing our excellence in our field and we thrive to achieve the approval and support of our industry partners.

Awards received by Universal Bearings

Your Trusted Supplier

Apart from our own renowned history, we’ve helped other industry leaders make history as well. Universal Bearings was Delphi Saginaw Division’s first self-certified supplier. As a supplier, we know you trust us with your critical and irreplaceable parts. That’s why we’re so much more than just another needle roller bearing company you work with. We’re your trusted industry partner working with you day in and day out, side-by-side throughout every single one of our processes. From original design concepts all the way to delivery—we track and monitor every single stage in our processes to ensure there are no errors along the way. Quality is of the utmost importance to our team. At Universal Bearings, we’re the manufacturer for purchasing agents and engineers who demand impeccable quality in substantial quantities.

3D Bearing Schematics Gallery

Precision Tolerance, Custom Bearing Components

Rely on Universal Bearings for superior quality at competitive prices. Request a quote or contact us today.