Gates
Product brand
UnclaimedA global manufacturer of power-transmission belts, fluid-power products, hoses, and related engineered components.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Gates Corporation is a Denver-based industrial manufacturer specializing in power-transmission and fluid-power products. Its portfolio includes belts, hoses, hydraulic assemblies, tensioners, pulleys, couplings, and related components used in automotive, transportation, industrial, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, construction, and specialty applications. The company serves both original-equipment manufacturers and replacement, maintenance, and repair markets. The business began in 1911 when Charles Gates Sr. acquired the Colorado Tire and Leather Company in Denver. The company initially made the Durable Tread, a steel-studded leather band designed to extend automobile-tire life. During the 1910s it shifted from leather toward rubber products and adopted the name International Rubber Company. In 1917, Charles Gates's brother John Gates developed a rubber-and-fabric V-belt. The V-shaped belt offered a practical alternative to hemp and rope belts used in automobiles and industrial machinery, establishing the product technology that became central to the company's identity. The company became Gates Rubber Company in 1919 and expanded its domestic manufacturing base before beginning international production. It opened a Canadian manufacturing facility in Brantford, Ontario, in 1954, established Gates Rubber de Mexico in 1958, and built a belt and hose plant in Belgium in 1963. Further international expansion supported the development of a broad global manufacturing and distribution network. During the 1980s, Gates strengthened its position in synchronous and timing belts through the acquisition of Uniroyal Power Transmission Company. This expanded the company's reach in automotive and industrial power transmission and helped establish a stronger presence in Asia-Pacific markets. In 1996, the company was acquired by Tomkins plc, ending approximately 85 years of family ownership. It adopted the name The Gates Corporation in 2003 to reflect a broader portfolio of industrial brands, products, and customers. Ownership changed again in 2010, when Tomkins was acquired by Onex Corporation and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Blackstone agreed to acquire Gates from that consortium in 2014. Gates subsequently pursued a public-market listing under the Gates Industrial Corporation plc name, and its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker GTES. The company continues to operate as a global supplier of engineered belt, hose, and hydraulic solutions, with manufacturing and sales activities spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.
History
Gates Corporation traces its origins to Denver in 1911, when Charles Gates Sr. purchased the Colorado Tire and Leather Company on October 1. The company initially manufactured Durable Tread, a steel-studded leather band fitted around automobile tires to increase their useful mileage. As automotive technology and rubber manufacturing developed, the business began replacing leather with rubber and changed its name to the International Rubber Company in 1917. That same year, John Gates developed a rubber belt reinforced with woven thread and shaped like the letter V. The V-belt was suited to automobiles and industrial machinery and displaced older hemp and rope belt systems in many applications. Its commercial success shifted the company toward power transmission and established a product category that remained central to Gates's business. In 1919, the company adopted the Gates Rubber Company name. Gates expanded across the United States during the following decades, adding factories and employees. Its first international manufacturing facility opened in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, in 1954. The company followed with operations in Mexico in 1958 and a belt and hose plant in Erembodegem, Belgium, in 1963. These steps formed the basis of a broader international production footprint, later extending across Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and other markets. The company's product range developed beyond conventional V-belts. During the 1980s, its acquisition of Uniroyal Power Transmission Company strengthened Gates's position in synchronous and timing belts and helped make it a major global supplier in that segment. The business also expanded its hose and hydraulic offerings, serving automotive, industrial, energy, agricultural, construction, transportation, and other demanding applications. In 1996, Tomkins plc acquired Gates, ending roughly 85 years of family ownership. The company changed its name to The Gates Corporation in 2003, reflecting its broader industrial portfolio and customer base rather than a business focused solely on rubber belts. Gates's former Denver factory was subsequently closed. Historical environmental issues at the site included asbestos in buildings and trichloroethylene in groundwater, with remediation continuing during the 2010s. Demolition of the remaining factory structures began in 2013, and the property was acquired by Denver-based Frontier Renewal in 2014 for cleanup and redevelopment work. Tomkins was acquired in 2010 by an Onex-led consortium that included the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. In 2014, Blackstone agreed to acquire Gates from the consortium. Gates later filed for an initial public offering in 2017 under the Gates Industrial Corporation plc name and became a publicly traded company. The business now combines its historical belt expertise with fluid-power, hose, hydraulic, and engineered component products. Its customers include original-equipment manufacturers, distributors, maintenance organizations, and end users across transportation, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, industrial production, and specialty markets.
- 2017
Initial public offering filed
[1]The company filed for an initial public offering under the Gates Industrial Corporation plc name.
- 2014
Blackstone agreed to acquire Gates
[1]Blackstone agreed to purchase Gates from its Canadian private-equity owners.
- 2010
Tomkins was acquired by an Onex-led consortium
[1]Onex Corporation and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired Tomkins, including Gates.
- 2003
The business adopted The Gates Corporation name
[1]The renaming reflected an expanded portfolio of industrial products, brands, and customers.
- 1996
Tomkins acquired Gates
[1]The British engineering group Tomkins plc acquired Gates, ending the company's long period of family ownership.
- 1980
Uniroyal Power Transmission Company acquired
[1]The acquisition strengthened Gates's position in synchronous and timing belts and supported its international growth.
- 1963
European belt and hose plant opened
[1]Gates built a manufacturing plant in Erembodegem, Belgium, its first of several European facilities.
- 1958
Mexican manufacturing operations established
[1]Gates Rubber de Mexico was established as the company continued expanding outside the United States.
- 1954
First international manufacturing facility opened
[1]Gates opened a production facility in Brantford, Ontario, marking its first international manufacturing expansion.
- 1919
The company became Gates Rubber Company
[1]The International Rubber Company adopted the Gates Rubber Company name.
Products and positioning
An engineering-led global supplier of durable power-transmission and fluid-management systems for original equipment, aftermarket, and industrial maintenance applications.
Industrial power transmission · 1917
Power-transmission belts
Gates manufactures V-belts, synchronous belts, timing belts, and related drive components for transferring mechanical power. These products are used in industrial machinery, automotive systems, agricultural equipment, construction machinery, material-handling systems, and other applications requiring controlled motion and durable operation.
Automotive
Automotive belt systems
The automotive portfolio includes timing belts, serpentine belts, tensioners, pulleys, and associated kits for passenger vehicles, light trucks, fleet vehicles, heavy-duty vehicles, snowmobiles, and other applications. Products serve both original-equipment and aftermarket repair channels.
Fluid power
Industrial and hydraulic hoses
Gates supplies hoses and hydraulic assemblies for fluid transfer, hydraulic power, and demanding industrial environments. Applications include energy, mining, oil and gas, marine, construction, agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, and maintenance operations.
Bicycle components
Bicycle carbon belt drives
The company's carbon belt-drive products are designed as alternatives to conventional bicycle chains. They use reinforced belt construction for clean, low-maintenance power transmission on compatible bicycles.
Process and specialty products
Specialty belts and hoses
Gates also develops belts and hoses for process and specialty environments, including food processing, laboratories, offices, homes, and other applications requiring specific material, dimensional, or performance characteristics.
Brand decisions
2017
Pursuit of a public listingStrategyBackground
After successive changes in private ownership, Gates pursued access to public equity markets.
Action taken
Gates Industrial Corporation plc filed for an initial public offering.
Aftermath
The company became associated with the public-market Gates Industrial Corporation plc structure and trades under ticker GTES.
2003
Renaming as The Gates CorporationStrategyBackground
The business had expanded beyond its historical rubber-belt identity into a wider range of industrial products and customer markets.
Action taken
The company changed its name to The Gates Corporation.
Aftermath
The new name positioned the company as a broader industrial supplier rather than a single-product rubber manufacturer.
1980
Acquisition of Uniroyal Power Transmission CompanyM&ABackground
Gates sought to broaden its power-transmission portfolio and strengthen its position in synchronous and timing belts.
Action taken
The company acquired Uniroyal Power Transmission Company.
Aftermath
The transaction helped make Gates the world's largest synchronous and timing-belt manufacturer according to the referenced company history.
1917
Development of the V-beltProduct launchBackground
Automobiles and industrial machinery commonly used hemp or rope belts, creating demand for a more durable and effective rubber-based transmission product.
Action taken
John Gates developed a V-shaped belt made from rubber and woven reinforcement.
Aftermath
The product became a foundation of the company's growth and helped establish Gates as a major power-transmission manufacturer.
Recent events
Reported
Gates launches ThermalPro electric water pump platform[3]
Gates launched its next-generation ThermalPro electric water pump technology for automotive, light commercial and heavy-duty vehicles, with pumps available for OEM and aftermarket applications globally.
Reported
Gates introduces MXT-XTP hydraulic hose[4]
Gates introduced MEGASys MXT with XtraTuff Plus cover (MXT-XTP), a hydraulic hose featuring its patent-pending wire-braid technology. The product is available globally wherever Gates hydraulic products are sold.
Reported
Gates introduces Carbon Drive Moto X9 belt[5]
Gates introduced the Carbon Drive Moto X9 synchronous drive belt for motor-driven two-wheelers, including motorcycles and scooters.
Reported
Gates announces Galesburg layoffs[6]
Gates Rubber Co. announced that its Galesburg facility would transition from hose production to a core compounding mill over the next 14 months, resulting in 120 union and non-union jobs being cut. The company said severance packages and professional job counselors would be offered to those affected.
Sources6 sources
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