Motion Industries

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."

Marks and Spencer merged Motion Industries with Genuine Parts Company in 1972. Motion Industries now forms the Industrial Parts Group of Genuine Parts. 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.

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." The rebranding also coincided with Motion's 75th anniversary.

Operations

Motion Industries is an industrial parts distributor for products including bearings; mechanical power transmission; electrical and industrial automation; hose, belting, and gaskets; hydraulic and pneumatics; process pumps; hydraulic and industrial hose; material handling; seals and accessories; and industrial/safety supplies. It also provides fabrication and repair services. The company's business units Motion Automation Intelligence (Motion Ai), Motion Conveyance Solutions and Motion Repair & Services were formed to offer specialized, related products and services in those respective areas.

As of 2023, Motion had annual sales of over $8 billion and 200,000 customers. Its customers cross numerous industries, including aggregate and cement, automotive, chemical and allied products, equipment and machinery, equipment rental and leasing, fabricated metals, food and beverage, iron and steel, lumber and wood, oil and gas, pulp and paper, and rubber products.

Motion placed first in Modern Distribution Management's list of Top Bearings/PT Distributors in 2024, and second on Industrial Distribution's 2023 Big 50 list.

Facilities

There are more than 550 Motion facilities, including branches, distribution and fulfillment centers, and service centers located throughout North America. Additionally, there are more than 150 locations in Australasia.

Acquisitions

Motion has made many acquisitions throughout the decades; a few of the larger ones include Berry Bearing (1993), BC Bearing/US Bearings/Norcan (2010), and Kaman Distribution Group (2022).

The acquisition of Inenco (completed 2019), now Motion Asia Pacific, expanded Motion's global markets.

Legal

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. 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.

References

References

1. (2024-03-21). "Genuine Parts Company Announces Officer Promotion". Birmingham Business Journal.
2. (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.
3. "Motion Industries". Genuine Parts Company.
4. (January 19, 2021). "Motion Industries Rebrands as Simply 'Motion'". MDM.
5. "Motion Press Release".
6. (2015-04-02). "Motion Industries relocates to new location in Mattoon".
7. "MDM Top Distributors List 2024".
8. "The 2023 Industrial Distribution Big 50".
9. (9 September 1993). "Bearings business on a roll in Chicago".
10. Cooper, Lauren B.. (2010-03-03). "Motion Industries finalizes purchase of Canadian distributor.".
11. (2022-01-04). "Motion Completes $1.3B Acquisition of Kaman Distribution".
12. "Genuine Parts Company Completes Acquisition Of Leading Industrial Distributor In Australasia".
13. (2012-11-14). "Motion Industries sued on claims of age discrimination". West Virginia Records.
14. (2015-08-06). "Industrial equipment supplier alleges non-payment by client". Louisiana Record.