Hundreds of employees at a ball and roller bearing manufacturer with over 125 years in business could lose their jobs as production at the factory is to end.

Hundreds of employees at a ball and roller bearing manufacturer with over 125 years of history may lose their jobs as the company plans to end production at the factory.

NSK informed staff on Tuesday (31st March 2026) that the site will close. The company announced it has begun consultations with the union and elected representatives regarding a proposal to withdraw production from its Northern Road site.

The site is scheduled to close by March 2027, affecting 220 employees.

A statement from the company said: “Due to persistent challenges in the profitability of locally manufactured products in Europe, NSK has been implementing measures such as withdrawing from unprofitable businesses and reorganising production sites.

“This proposed production withdrawal is part of those ongoing reforms. NSK will consult with all stakeholders on the potential withdrawal.”

The factory was established in 1900 by Allen Ransome, who relocated his woodworking company from London to Newark.

In 1906, the business began producing its own bearings, based on a design by employee Henry Marles.

By 1918, the Newark factory produced over 50,000 bearings each month. The woodworking business was later sold, and the bearings division, renamed Ransome & Marles, occupied the entire Stanley Works site.

The site manufactured components for the Harrier Jump Jet, De Havilland Comet, the first Mini, and the Spitfire, Hurricane, and Lancaster Bombers.

On March 7, 1941, a bombing at the factory resulted in the deaths of 29 men and 12 women, with 165 injured. This event, known as ‘Newark’s Black Friday,’ marked the town’s largest wartime loss of life. Many victims are buried in Newark Cemetery, where an annual tribute ceremony is held.

In 1970, Ransome and Marles merged with British firms Hoffmann and Pollard to form RHP, employing 17,500 people across eight factories.

The bearings division was sold in 1987 as the board shifted focus to electrical operations. Three years later, Japanese bearing manufacturer NSK acquired the new parent company, UPI.

Until now, Newark was the only location outside Asia manufacturing NSK’s top-tier Super Precision Bearings.

Last November, NSK announced production would end at its two Peterlee sites in County Durham, with closure timelines to be determined separately. The company stated, “Currently, we cannot provide a reliable quantitative forecast on the impact of this decision on our business performance.