Oilgear

Oilgear is an American industrial manufacturer specializing in fluid-power and hydraulic equipment. Its product scope includes hydraulic pumps, valves, motors, meters, presses, and related components and systems used to control, transmit, and measure hydraulic power. The company is headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan, and has historically operated through manufacturing and service facilities in multiple countries. The business originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1921 as an offshoot of hydraulic-power work associated with Bucyrus-Erie. Its early manufacturing activity included a line of hydraulic presses. Rather than remaining limited to a single machine category, Oilgear gradually broadened its portfolio as hydraulic technology became more important in industrial machinery and automated production. The company is described as having survived the Great Depression, after which it continued expanding its range of hydraulic products and engineering services. A notable part of Oilgear's technical development was its early adoption of electronic control technology. The company was among the early users of microprocessors in hydraulic applications, linking conventional fluid-power equipment with digital monitoring and control. During the early 1980s, Oilgear increased its research and development spending with the objective of building complete computer-controlled manufacturing systems. Its approach reportedly involved purchasing memory chips while developing other aspects of the control architecture internally. This placed the company at the intersection of hydraulics, industrial automation, and computerized manufacturing. Over the course of its history, Oilgear also expanded through acquisitions. Businesses associated with its acquisition history include Petrodyne, Towler Hydraulics, Olmsted Products, and Clover Industries. These additions helped extend the company's product and market coverage beyond its original hydraulic-press activities. By 2006, Oilgear had manufacturing and service facilities in approximately 15 countries, reflecting an international operating structure rather than a purely domestic industrial business. In 2006, Mason Wells took Oilgear private in a transaction reported to have cost more than $30 million. Around 2011, the company was reported to employ approximately 750 people worldwide, with operating units in Mexico, France, Italy, Great Britain, and Germany. Its competitive environment included larger fluid-handling and motion-control companies such as Flowserve and Parker Hannifin. Oilgear later reorganized its manufacturing footprint in the United States. In May 2015, it announced that it would close its Milwaukee factory and transfer the production performed there to facilities in Traverse City, Michigan, and Fremont, Nebraska. The decision eliminated 45 manufacturing jobs. Engineering and regional-support personnel remained in the Milwaukee area but were expected to move to a smaller local facility, leaving about 85 area positions. The former Milwaukee plant was sold in 2016 to Global Power Components, which planned to consolidate manufacturing from three nearby West Allis facilities into the site. The available reference material emphasizes Oilgear's historical engineering capabilities, international manufacturing presence, acquisition-led expansion, and transition from conventional hydraulic machinery toward electronically controlled systems. Current ownership details, present-day product catalogs, leadership, and operating scale are not established in the supplied sources.

Oilgear was established in 1921 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, growing out of hydraulic-power work connected with Bucyrus-Erie. The new company initially manufactured hydraulic presses, giving it an industrial base in the application of fluid power to heavy machinery. It subsequently expanded beyond presses into a broader range of hydraulic and fluid-power products, including pumps, valves, motors, meters, components, and integrated systems. The company continued operating through the Great Depression and developed a wider product portfolio during the following decades. Its history reflects the increasing importance of hydraulic technology in industrial equipment: hydraulic systems could deliver high force, regulate motion, and support demanding manufacturing processes. Oilgear's activities consequently extended from individual components to engineered systems combining hydraulic hardware, controls, and application-specific integration. Oilgear also pursued the convergence of hydraulics and electronics. It was among the early companies to apply microprocessors to hydraulic equipment. In the early 1980s, it increased research and development spending to pursue complete computer-controlled manufacturing systems. The company's reported strategy was to buy memory chips while developing other parts of the control technology, an approach intended to create industrial systems with more sophisticated computerized control than conventional hydraulic machinery. Expansion also occurred through acquisitions. The businesses identified in the company's acquisition history include Petrodyne, Towler Hydraulics, Olmsted Products, and Clover Industries. These transactions broadened Oilgear's capabilities and customer reach. By 2006, the company reportedly had manufacturing and service facilities in approximately 15 countries, illustrating its transition from a Milwaukee-origin industrial manufacturer into an international supplier. Its global footprint included units in Mexico, France, Italy, Great Britain, and Germany. In 2006, Mason Wells took Oilgear private in a transaction reported at more than $30 million. By 2011, Oilgear was reported to have about 750 employees worldwide. The company competed in the wider fluid-power and industrial-equipment market with firms including Flowserve and Parker Hannifin. A major later operational change involved the Milwaukee factory. In May 2015, Oilgear announced that it would close the plant and transfer its production to facilities in Traverse City, Michigan, and Fremont, Nebraska. The move eliminated 45 jobs. Approximately 85 engineering and regional-support positions were expected to remain in the Milwaukee area, relocated to a smaller facility. In 2016, Global Power Components purchased the former factory and announced plans to consolidate manufacturing from three existing West Allis facilities there. The supplied references establish Oilgear's historical origins, product development, technological direction, international expansion, private-equity ownership event, and U.S. manufacturing realignment. They do not provide sufficiently current information about its leadership, present ownership structure beyond the 2006 transaction, current workforce, or contemporary product range.

• 2016

  Former Milwaukee plant changes ownership

  [1]Oilgearen.wikipedia.org

  Global Power Components purchases the former Oilgear factory and announces plans to use it for consolidated manufacturing operations.

• 2015

  Milwaukee manufacturing closure announced

  [1]Oilgearen.wikipedia.org

  Oilgear announces that it will close its Milwaukee factory and transfer production to Traverse City, Michigan, and Fremont, Nebraska.

• 2011

  International workforce and operations reported

  [1]Oilgearen.wikipedia.org

  Oilgear is reported to employ approximately 750 people globally and to operate units in several European countries and Mexico.

• 2006

  Oilgear becomes privately held

  [1]Oilgearen.wikipedia.org

  Mason Wells takes Oilgear private in a transaction reported to be valued at more than $30 million.

• 1980

  Oilgear expands computerized hydraulic research

  [1]Oilgearen.wikipedia.org

  During the early 1980s, Oilgear increases research and development spending to pursue computer-controlled manufacturing systems and applies microprocessor technology to hydraulic systems.

• 1921

  Oilgear is founded in Milwaukee

  [1]Oilgearen.wikipedia.org

  Oilgear is established in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as an offshoot of hydraulic-power work associated with Bucyrus-Erie and begins manufacturing hydraulic presses.

• The company survives the Great Depression

  [1]Oilgearen.wikipedia.org

  Oilgear remains in operation through the Great Depression and subsequently expands its hydraulic product range.

Industrial fluid-power and hydraulic engineering supplier focused on components, systems integration, and electronically controlled manufacturing applications.

• Hydraulic equipment

  Hydraulic pumps

  Oilgear's hydraulic pumps form part of its core fluid-power portfolio. These products are used to convert mechanical input into pressurized hydraulic flow for industrial machinery and engineered hydraulic systems. The supplied reference identifies pumps as a principal product category but does not specify current models, performance ratings, or applications.

• Hydraulic equipment

  Hydraulic valves

  Hydraulic valves are among Oilgear's identified fluid-power products. They regulate or direct hydraulic flow and therefore support the control of pressure, speed, force, and movement in industrial equipment. The available material does not establish a model-level product list or current catalog status.

• Hydraulic equipment

  Hydraulic motors

  Oilgear has manufactured hydraulic motors as part of its broader equipment range. Hydraulic motors convert pressurized fluid into rotary mechanical motion and can be incorporated into industrial machinery and integrated fluid-power systems. Specific product families and current availability are not identified in the supplied sources.

• Fluid-power instrumentation

  Hydraulic meters

  Hydraulic meters are included among Oilgear's fluid-power offerings. They support measurement and monitoring within hydraulic installations, complementing the company's pumps, valves, motors, and control technologies. The reference material does not provide detailed specifications or identify a current branded meter line.

• Industrial machinery · 1921

  Hydraulic presses

  Hydraulic presses were part of Oilgear's original manufacturing activity when the company was founded in Milwaukee in 1921. They provided the initial application for the company's hydraulic-power expertise and connected Oilgear to heavy industrial manufacturing. The supplied material does not document specific press models or whether the category remains active.

• Systems engineering

  Integrated hydraulic systems

  Beyond individual components, Oilgear has supplied integrated fluid-power and hydraulic systems. These systems combine components such as pumps, valves, motors, meters, and controls for industrial applications requiring coordinated hydraulic performance. The available sources describe the category broadly and do not identify current system platforms or named packages.

• Industrial automation · 1980

  Computer-controlled manufacturing systems

  In the early 1980s, Oilgear expanded research and development efforts aimed at complete computer-controlled manufacturing systems. These initiatives represented an extension of the company's hydraulic expertise into microprocessor-based control and industrial automation. The reference does not provide commercial product names, launch dates, or details of later platform development.

• 2015

  Manufacturing footprint consolidationStrategy

  Background

  Oilgear reviewed its U.S. manufacturing footprint and decided to discontinue production at its Milwaukee factory.

  Action taken

  The company announced the closure of the Milwaukee plant, moved production to Traverse City, Michigan, and Fremont, Nebraska, and eliminated 45 jobs. Engineering and regional-support staff were to move to a smaller Milwaukee-area facility.

  Aftermath

  The former plant was sold to Global Power Components in 2016. The reference material does not quantify the financial effect of the consolidation.

  Source

• 2006

  Private-equity acquisition by Mason WellsM&A

  Background

  Oilgear had developed an international manufacturing and service presence and was subsequently acquired in a transaction led by Mason Wells.

  Action taken

  Mason Wells took Oilgear private. The transaction was reported to have cost more than $30 million.

  Aftermath

  Oilgear operated as a privately held company, with later reference material reporting approximately 750 employees worldwide in 2011.

  Reported acquisition cost. more than $30 million (2006 transaction)

  Source

• 2020.04

  Reported2020.07.07

  Oilgear acquires mono-radial pump range rights[2]Oilgear收购单径向泵系列知识产权energyglobal.com

  Oilgear acquired the intellectual property rights for Andrew Fraser’s mono-radial pump range in April 2020.

Read more

1. 1Oilgearen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Oilgear收购单径向泵系列知识产权energyglobal.com