Bison supplies power transmission equipment to the global marketplace. Our established production capacity is in excess of 500,000 units annually and our products are used in all 7 continents. Our customers depend on the reliability and durability of our products in demanding applications.

As a dynamic and innovative company, Bison recognizes the importance of listening and responding to our customer’s needs. We are committed to achieving Total Customer Satisfaction. Our Annual Quality Plan describes our efforts to achieve this goal.

Bison delivers on customer support! This site has many features designed to meet today’s needs of OEM and distributor markets, including:

• Product Pages with Downloadable CAD drawings in DWG and DXF formats
• An On-Line Catalog and Search are available to determine motor choice for a specific application
• Full technical specifications on our robust gearmotors, motors and reducers
• Off-the-shelf availability of gearmotors and motors through 3 HP / 2.2 Kw.

Please note our Contact Us page, which can be accessed from anywhere in this site. Let us know if you have any comments or suggestions.

PMDC Motor Acquisition
Bison Gear and Engineering of St. Charles, Illinois has enhanced its marketing leadership with the consolidation of the Bison Electric Company formerly located in Elgin, Illinois.

With this relocation and consolidation into the St. Charles facility in 2002, it has shortened lead-times to our customers while eliminating waste with excess material handling with our manufacturing process. With this acquisition, we were able to retain the expertise and experience of the motor division employees.

Lean Manufacturing
The Total Quality Management (TQM) program evolved in 1999 to a Lean Manufacturing strategy using the tools of Lean such as 5-S, Kaizen Blitzes, Kanban, and Single Minute Exchange Of Dies (SMED) as the primary means of improvement. Initially, Bison engaged in the training of its associates in Lean Methodologies and then moved it into motion within the manufacturing facility. Bison utilized this knowledge to evaluate the work processes to convert the manufacturing processes where components were made in batches, into one-piece-flow cellular manufacturing. In addition inventory and production scheduling began to be converted from a Material Requirements Planning (MRP) system into Kanban arrangements.

Value Stream Maps have been used as an important tool to identify any activities that do not add value to the process (value as determined by the customer). Dozens of Kaizen events were then eliminating waste throughout the entire value stream that has resulted in providing products with shorter lead times and fewer defects using less human effort, inventory, and costs.

Bison Meets and Helps Set Industry Standards

• Bison is a member of the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA), and all of Bison gearmotors and reducers are certified to meet AGMA’s high standards.
• Bison personnel are also members of AGMA and ISO Standards Committees.
• Bison has the engineering and manufacturing capabilities to meet military specifications, and the company’s quality assurance system is certified to MIL I-45208A.
• Most of Bison’s standard motors are Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed and Canadian Standard Association (CSA) certified, and all are capable of meeting both UL and CSA standards.
• CE listings are available, with IP-54 enclosures and Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) on select models in our PMDC product line.
• Bison Gear and Engineering personnel serve on the Industry Advisory Council (IAC) on electric motors at Underwriters Laboratories.