GGB has a long history of leadership in technology, which has laid the foundation for our position today as the world's largest plain bearings manufacturer.
| 1887 |
O.J. Garlock patented his first industrial sealing system. |
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| 1899 |
Findlay and Battle founded Findlay Motor Metals. The company was renamed to Glacier Antifriction Metal Company two years later. |
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| 1910s |
Began making plain bearings in response to increased demand for internal combustion engines. |
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| 1930s |
Developed a sintered copper/lead process. |
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| 1948 |
Began experimenting with PTFE as a bearing material. |
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| 1950s |
Established Aluminum-Tin (Al20Sn) as a superior engine bearing lining material. |
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| 1950 |
Launched SP. |
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| 1954 |
Test pilot plant built for making sinter bronze-lined steel strip. |
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| 1955 |
Patented a mush impregnation process of porous bronze. Shortly thereafter, introduced DU bearing and AS15 engine bearing material. |
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| 1956 |
Introduced DU, the first steel-backed bearing material based on PTFE. |
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| 1958 |
Garlock Inc. was created as a bearing distributor when an agreement was reached with Glacier. |
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| 1965 |
Launched the self-lubricating DX product for greased applications. |
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| 1970s |
Glacier licenses technology to a number of overseas bearing manufacturers to pay for further R&D. Licensees include: SIC (France), Kolbenschmidt (Germany), Daido Metal Co. (Japan), Garlock Bearings (USA). |
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| 1976 |
Glacier and Garlock Inc. establish joint venture company Garlock Bearings Inc. Glacier delivers strip manufacturing plant and sintering furnace for production of DU and DX. |
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| 1986 |
Launched Hi-eX product (a variation of DX), designed for high temperature applications. |
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| 1988 |
Glacier establishes the Industrial Bearings Business Unit to specialise in industrial applications. IBBU is replaced in 1992 by Glacier Industrial Bearings (GIB), headquartered in Heilbronn, Germany. |
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| 1993 |
Introduced DS for ski lifts. |
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| 1995 |
Introduced DP4 for shock absorbers and other hydraulic applications. |
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| 1996 |
Launched new range of injection-moulded thermoplastic materials. |
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| Late 1990s |
Manufacture of DU and derivatives estimated at more than one billion pieces per year. |
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| 2001 |
Goodrich, the owner of Garlock Bearings Inc., acquired GIB and formed Glacier Garlock Bearings. |
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| 2002 |
Goodrich creates a new public company and splits it off to its shareholders. EnPro Industries, Inc. becomes the new parent of Glacier Garlock Bearings. |
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| 2003 |
Introduced new, lead-free DP31 material for automotive applications
Bernd Fischer named new president of Glacier Garlock Bearings
Acquisition of Saver North America, a producer of self-lubricating composite bearings
Glacier Garlock Bearings expands activities in Asia; Singapore distribution centre opened |
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| 2004 |
Glacier Garlock Bearings changes name to GGB
Offices opened in New Delhi, India and Moscow, Russia; distribution centre opens in South Africa
Opening of new manufacturing plant in Sučany, Slovakia |
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| 2005 |
Office opened in Shanghai, China
GGB moves its headquarter to Chadds Ford, Philadelphia, USA |
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| 2006 |
Office opens in Singapore
Introduces expanded range of solid polymer materials |
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| 2007 |
Introduced sealed bearing cartridges for off-highway equipment applications; opened second sales office in China in Beijing; introduced EP™ series of solid-polymer rod stock for machined parts; acquired Böhringer Kunststofftechnik GmbH, precision injection molder of high-performance plastics |
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