Hub City

Hub City is a manufacturer of standard and custom worm gear, mounted bearings, speed increasers, bevel gear, parallel shaft and in-line speed reducers, and gearmotors. These power transmission products are used in various industries including transportation, construction, packaging, material handling, food processing, pharmaceutical, and communication.

History

Hub City started out as a repair shop for farm implement and steam powered equipment in 1892. Ansel T. Green, the founder of the company, had worked for the railroad for 10 years since moving to Aberdeen, South Dakota before opening up his shop. In the years that followed, the company expanded its services to include rebuilding. In 1906, the company name was changed to Hub City Iron Works. During the 1920s, Hub City started to manufacture tractor replacement valve guides as well as design and manufacture tools for repairing and rebuilding internal combustion engines. During the 1930s, the company's product line expanded to include special tooling for the Model A and early V8's, machines for babbitting bearing and connecting rods of engines, valve seat installation tooling, and special fixtures used for boring tractor cylinder sleeves. During the war, Hub City manufactured replacement parts that the government used in jeeps, tanks, aircrafts, and the like. The company also produced tooling that were used for these parts. After the war, the company became a major manufacturer of engine replacement components. In 1956, the company added gearboxes, also known as reducers, to its product line. During the 1960s, Hub City was acquired by Lancaster Corporation, which was later renamed Safeguard Scientifics. In 1972, a fire destroyed the Aberdeen Division of Safeguard's main offices, warehouse, assembly area, job shop, and other areas. While the manufacturing part of the company was untouched, a major portion of it was destroyed. In 1973, construction of a new plant began. The following year, a new office building was constructed. Several years later, the Safeguard Casting Division was formed. In 1980, the company added another building to house the assembly area of a new reducer. Three years later, Browning/Emerson Electric's Mounted Bearing Division was acquired by Hub City. Inside a new facility in Brookings, South Dakota, the new division began manufacturing bearings. The Southwest Assembly/Distribution center was built in Dallas, Texas. In 1984, the newly created assembly/distribution center started shipping reducers. In the same year, the Hub City Canada Warehouse was established and assembly of Hub City reducers began in Australia. In 1985, the company opened assembly/distribution centers in Norcross, Georgia (Southeast) and in Westfield, Massachusetts (Northeast). The following year, the Midwest Assembly/Distribution Center was opened in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Santa Fe Springs, California was the site for the Western Assembly/Distribution Center. In 1988, the Aberdeen Assembly/Distribution cetner was opened. In 1989, Safeguard was acquired by Hub City, Inc., a company based in Aberdeen. In 1992, Regal-Beloit Corporation acquired Hub City, Inc.

Headquarters & Locations

Hub City, Inc. is headquarted in Aberdeen, South Dakota with six Assembly/Distribution centers in the United States: Santa Fe, Springs, California (West); Irving, Texas (Southwest); Allentown, Pennsylvania (Northeast); Fayetteville, Georgia (Southeast); Indian Trail, North Carolina (East); and Lakeland, Florida. The company also has an assembly/distribution center in Brampton, Ontario.