Skip to main content

Serving You Since 1917

Amarillo Gear Company has been in operation since 1917, in Amarillo, Texas. We have been manufacturing and shipping an unparalleled line of gearboxes worldwide since 1934.

Our first product line consisted of right angle drives used with vertical turbine pump applications. In the beginning, when combined with a pump and engine, these right angle pump drives were generally used for agricultural irrigation.

Our Products

Today, our pump drives are still used in many irrigation applications, but are also heavily used with fire water protection systems, marine liquid barge systems, flood control operations, sewage and water treatment systems, and other industrial applications.

Another cornerstone product is our line of gearboxes specifically designed for tough duty in wet cooling towers, fin-fan heat exchangers, and air-cooled condensers. In these applications, a motor is coupled to the input shaft and a fan is mounted to the output shaft. These applications span industries from electrical power generation, to HVAC, to any process cooling.

Our right angle drives are offered in a variety of models, ratios, and power ratings. Rated power range is from 5 HP (3.7 kW) to 3,000 HP (2,237 kW).

Our Services

What sets us apart is we offer the only complete gear drive testing facility in the industry. Using our “state-of-the-art” testing laboratory, we can provide complete noise, temperature, and vibration certification. All data is taken under full thrust and power loading up to 500 HP (373 kW).

We also maintain a strict quality program which involves each employee. We are ISO 9001:2015 compliant. Gear drives are manufactured to precise specifications from top quality materials. Permanent records are kept on each gear drive for future reference, when quick and accurate replacement parts are required. Your Amarillo Gear investment is increased by our maintenance of an accurate parts history.

Our Locations

Amarillo Gear Company is a Marmon Water/Berkshire Hathaway company. Our headquarters and primary manufacturing plant are in Amarillo, Texas. We have regional plants in Monterrey, Mexico and Changzhou, Jiangsu, China.

Our Affiliations

History

1917

COMPANY FOUNDED

Company established as Amarillo Welding and Machine Works by the Johnson family in Amarillo, Texas producing vertical turbine pumps and steel fabrications.

1934

CREATION OF IMPROVED PUMP DRIVE

Wesley Johnson designed an improved version of a vertical turbine pump drive, which became the industry standard. The business focus went totally to manufacturing these purpose built right angle gear drives.

1950

JOINED AGMA

Amarillo Gear became an American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) member, and has remained a member to this day.

1964

PURCHASED BY THE MARMON GROUP

Assets of Amarillo Welding and Machine Works were purchased by The Marmon Group of Chicago, and the company’s name was changed to Amarillo Gear Company.

1972

NEW PRODUCT LINES

Began manufacturing a new product line for right angle gearboxes designed specifically for the harsh environment in wet cooling towers.

1978

JOINT VENTURE IN MONTERREY, MEXICO

Joint venture in Monterrey, Mexico with the Elizondo Family creating Reductores de Mexico S.A.

1989

PURCHASED CLARK WIND MACHINE

Purchased Clark Wind Machine in Exeter, California and renamed the company Amarillo Wind Machine.

2001

INTRODUCED PARALLEL SHAFT GEARBOX

Introduced a parallel shaft gearbox designed specifically for air-cooled condensers.

2008

PURCHASED BY BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY

The Marmon Group was purchased by Berkshire Hathaway and Amarillo Gear became a part of Marmon Water/a Berkshire Hathaway Company.

2011

SEGMENTED AFTERMARKET BUSINESS

Segmented Amarillo Gear’s aftermarket business to better focus on service and repairs for installed base of gearboxes.

2014

CREATION OF AMARILLO GEAR SERVICE

Renamed aftermarket group to Amarillo Gear Service and expanded scope of work and expertise.

2016

LAUNCHED THE QUANTUM SERIES

Launched the Quantum Series, the next generation of air-cooled condenser gearboxes incorporating no seals and 3 pending patents.

2017

DESIGN & LAUNCH OF THE GLOBAL GEARBOX SERIES

The design and launch of the new International double reduction Global gearbox for wet cooling towers that meets AGMA specifications at a great value.

2018

NEW PLANT IN CHANGZHOU, JIANGSU CHINA

Amarillo Gear manufacturing operations started in July 2018 supporting production of the Global double reduction gearboxes for wet cooling.