Cloyes was founded in the early 1920s in Cleveland, Ohio, by Raymond Cloyes, who started the business by manufacturing by hand a small quantity of replacement fiber and aluminum timing gears for trucks and automobiles. Carrying them in a market basket, he sold them to the replacement parts jobbers in Cleveland. Cloyes expanded his customer base, and was soon making a few gears for OEM automotive customers as well as for industrial and government applications. Thus began the story of Cloyes Gear Works, now known as Cloyes Gear and Products, Inc.

In 1954 the company was purchased by Harry D. Myers of Cleveland. Mr. Myers determined that is was possible to follow the growth of the expanding automotive market, as well as to broaden and intensify the sales and distribution segments. In 1955, the Cloyes product line was being sold through just 22 warehouse distributors. By 1961, Cloyes had four fulltime salesmen traveling the country, and there were 116 warehouse distributors and 8,000 jobbers handling the line.

In the early 1960s, the company constructed a new manufacturing facility in Paris, Arkansas. Cloyes' aftermarket business began to expand greatly in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Cloyes was the first to offer a line of replacement timing components to fit essentially any product with an internal combustion engine. The sales network continued to expand nationwide, with salespeople calling on and selling to auto parts warehouse distributors nationwide.

Today, Cloyes distributes timing components under the Cloyes name, and various others. We are the oldest and largest supplier of timing components in the aftermarket. Cloyes also has a well-regarded name in the race-engine parts business. In 1970, Cloyes revolutionized the race industry with the development and introduction of the very first True® Roller Timing system. Cloyes has since added a number of patents relating to our high performance line.

In the late 1970's, Cloyes established a sales office in Detroit and OEM automotive sales increased rapidly. Cloyes soon was supplying General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.

With the influx of powdered metal (PM) parts into the timing business both in the aftermarket and in the OEM sector, Cloyes began to buy PM sprockets from Rush Metals in Billings, Oklahoma. Cloyes purchased Rush Metals in 1980, and still today, Rush produces a mix of OEM automotive parts, industrial parts and aftermarket automotive parts.

In 1987, Cloyes built an additional plant in Subiaco, Arkansas. This was necessary to support the increase in our high-volume machined sprocket business. To support the increasing use of PM in camshaft drive systems, a 1990 expansion to 160,000 square feet, added PM compacting equipment.

In 1996, Cloyes purchased RFR Technologies, a manufacturer of inverted tooth timing chain and transmission drive chain located in Canada. The manufacturing was relocated to Arkansas, and Cloyes began producing these products in its Subiaco facility.

In 1998, a new distribution facility was opened in Ft. Smith, AR. This 50,000 square foot facility is dedicated to serving our Aftermarket customers.

In 2000, expansion continued with major renovation to the facility in Subiaco, AR. This included the installation of state-of-the-art robotic automation to our high volume production lines.

In 2002, Cloyes Europe GmbH was formed in partnership with Sumitomo Corporation of Japan. This led to the construction of a 50,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Zittau, Germany for the manufacture of engine and transmission components for the European automotive marketplace. Operations began there in January 2003.

Also in 2002, Cloyes acquired the timing component business assets of Dynagear Inc., its largest aftermarket competitor. Incorporating the newly acquired production equipment with existing equipment, all chain production was relocated to a new facility in Naperville, IL.

In May of 2004, Cloyes Dynagear Mexicana was established to service and expand Cloyes aftermarket distribution throughout Central and South America.