Bearings and Drives is the oldest and the original B&D Industrial
company. John Nations, one of the founders of Bearings and Drives, grew
up working in his father’s sawmill business in Senoia, Georgia during
the Great Depression. His first job was with Pye Barker Supply in Atlanta. In
1947, he opened Bearings and Drives after purchasing a small Griffin business
for $9,000. Nations relocated the business in 1950 to Macon, Georgia,
which remains the corporate headquarters today. The first branch outside
of Macon was opened in Atlanta in 1956. Andy Nations became president
of Bearings and Drives in 1983, and John Nations served as Chairman of the
Board until he passed away in 2006.
Over the years, the company has grown into a multi-state corporation with branches
all over the Southeastern USA. Today, Bearings and Drives is the largest
independently owned distributor that sells and services industrial bearings
and power transmission equipment in the region, and it consistently ranks among
the largest industrial distributors in the United States. Bearings and
Drives’ product line has expanded to include electrical drives and controls,
fluid power equipment, and conveyor systems.
Andy Nations sums up the company’s simple yet powerful philosophy by
stating the Golden Rule, “We treat our customers the way we want to be
treated.” This formula has paid off; the company’s commitment
to excellence was recognized in 1986, when Bearings and Drives was named “Distributor
of the Century” by Industrial Distribution Magazine.
The company features multiple branches spread out over five states, in order
to provide in-stock products with inventories customized to local industries. While
we do maintain a large distribution center in Macon, Georgia, we strive to
keep critical parts as close to your plant as possible to avoid emergency situations.
Bearings
and Drives
