CANTON, Ohio, Jan. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR) has launched an expanded line of Set-Right Heavy Duty Hub Rebuild Kits in an ongoing effort to offer the most complete line of wheel bearings to the heavy-duty aftermarket.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110110/CL27588 )

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100210/TIMKENLOGO )

The Timken 454-Series of bearings incorporates a special design to accommodate the 2" offset loads found in many new axle designs. The combination of highly engineered raceway profiles and surface finishes provide optimal performance. The 454-Series bearing technology combined with the precision of the new Set-Right Hub Rebuild Kits makes it easier for fleets to maintain consistency in their installation procedures for preset wheel ends.

With the availability of the 454-Series Set-Right Hub Rebuild Kit, traditional Set-Right Kits and MileMate matched sets, Timken provides fleets with complete bearing options to serve all wheel-end configurations, including wide-singles and preset varieties. In addition, recent testing demonstrated that Timken's tapered roller bearings deliver seven times the bearing life of their closest competitor in heavy-duty applications.

The engineering and performance in Timken's heavy-duty wheel end bearings has made them the choice of commercial vehicle manufacturers since the earliest days of the trucking industry. A breadth of product options, matched with consistent training and technical support, reinforce Timken's leadership in the original-equipment and aftermarket sectors.

With demand on the rise, Timken noted it has been expanding capacity at facilities that are important to its heavy-duty supply chain, as well as other industries, including a $50-million investment announced in its U.S.-based steel making capacity announced in 2010, and a $1.7-million investment earmarked this year for the company's Lincolnton, N.C. bearing plant. "The capacity investments we are making paired with organizational changes made earlier this year have positioned us to continue growth and provide a higher level of service to the heavy-duty market," said Tom Tecklenburg, Timken's director of heavy-duty aftermarket business.

About The Timken Company

The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR, http://www.timken.com) keeps the world turning with innovative friction management and power transmission products and services, enabling its customers' machinery to perform more efficiently and reliably. With sales of $3.1 billion in 2009, operations in 27 countries/territories and approximately 17,000 employees, Timken is Where You Turn^® for better performance.

Investor Contact: Steve Tschiegg, Director -- Capital Markets and Investor Relations, Telephone: (330) 471-7446, steve.tschiegg@timken.com  

SOURCE The Timken Company