The Timken Company has reached an agreement with pan-European firm Chequers Capital and IGI Private Equity to acquire Rollon Group. A leader in engineered linear motion products, Rollon specializes in the design and manufacture of linear guides, telescopic rails and linear actuators used in a wide range of industries such as passenger rail, aerospace, packaging and logistics, medical and automation. Rollon sales are expected to be about $140 million for the full year 2018. 

"The acquisition of Rollon will further expand the Timken portfolio of leading industrial brands, allowing us to serve existing and new customers in attractive, high-growth end markets around the world," said Richard G. Kyle, Timken president and chief executive officer. "Like Timken, Rollon is an expert in motion technology and is recognized for developing customized linear motion products for their customers' application challenges.  With its proven operating model and value proposition, Rollon will open up exciting new growth opportunities for the company."

Headquartered near Milan, Italy, Rollon has manufacturing operations in Italy, Germany and the United States. Rollon employs approximately 600 people and boasts an extensive sales and engineering network around the world to serve its global customer base.

Rollon's leading linear motion product line complements other Timken brands including Timken, Philadelphia Gear, Groeneveld, Drives and Lovejoy. With this acquisition, Timken continues its strategy to diversify its portfolio with products and services that also include bearings, gear drives, chain, belts, couplings, automated lubrication systems, industrial clutches and brakes, and a variety of related industrial services.

Timken expects the acquisition to be accretive to earnings in the first year of ownership. The transaction, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close in late September 2018 and will be funded with debt.