Bearings and power transmission products distributor Purvis Industries has strengthened its presence in the heart of the U.S. rust belt with the acquisition of PTE Drives — a single-location distributor in Akron, OH.

PTE Drives is a family-owned, full-line industrial distributor with bearings & PT, electrical and automation, conveyors and conveyor components, and gearing and gear motors. The company focuses on local inventory and technical product knowledge to serve a customer base in the surrounding northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania area.

Dallas-based Purvis, meanwhile, is a major independent distributor of bearings and PT products, with 104 locations across 18 U.S. states. The company was No. 45 on MDM’s 2023 Top Industrial Distributors List, and No. 5 for PT/Bearings distributors.

“We are very excited to join the Purvis family. We have been focused on product expertise and a traditional distributor model of local stock, service, and support for our entire existence,” PTE Drives President Ralph Funk said in an April 16 news release. “The addition of Purvis’ support and engineered services will allow us to assist our customers in more ways than ever before.”

Jeremiah Johnson, Purvis Industries Executive VP & COO, said, “We’re glad to welcome PTE Drives to the Purvis Industries family. We are always looking to partner with distributors that want to serve their customers the right way – through knowledge, relationships, and constant support throughout the relationship,” Purvis EVP and COO Jeremiah Johnson added.