Our History

Babbitt Bearings, Inc. was founded as a family business, and that focus has remained for more than 75 years. Through three generations, the same family that started this endeavor has continued it, and today are as actively involved as the founding members. We have relationships with customers that span four decades, and though the names may change, the service, the product, and our commitment remain the same.

Babbitt Bearings Inc. began under the name Service Machine Corporation of Syracuse in 1943, and was formed as a tooling and machining job shop to service the local manufacturing area. Syracuse was a busy industrial city at that time with many major pillars of US manufacturing operating in the immediate vicinity. To service the needs of these customers, Service Machine started like many job shops: doing some of everything for everyone.

However, one customer, Carrier Corporation, needed a source to provide their babbitted bearings. They didn't just need a babbitted bearing, but a supplier committed to producing high quality, consistent product tailored to their designs and production needs. Service Machine Corp rose to the challenge. What started as odd jobs became the primary focus, and by the 1960s this focus surpassed the general job shop role. In 1971, Service Machine Corp began doing business as Babbitt Bearings, Inc. to reflect our specialty. This core competency allowed BBI to grow in size and service, and begin supplying babbitted product throughout the Northeast, steadily adding new players, primarily focused in high speed rotary equipment.

In 2014, to mark the transition to the latest generation of family ownership, the name Service Machine Corporation of Syracuse was officially retired. We are now officially and solely Babbitt Bearings Inc. This removes one link to our history, but makes it plain who we are.