Welcome to Bay Motor Products, Inc.

History

Bay Motor Products, Inc. was founded in December of 1982 by David Space and Donald Bleich. David was a finance major from the University of Michigan and Donald a Michigan State engineering graduate. The assets of the company were purchased from a bank that had foreclosed on the defunct Ventrola Mfg. Co. and its several wholly owned subsidiaries which included the B.B.S. Motor Company.

The first motors were shipped in July of 1983. The company was successful initially as it had a large captive customer that had taken over the Ventrola ventilator line. Nutone bought out that organization and eventually Bay Motor Products, Inc. lost its only substantial customer as Nutone wanted to standardize on their existing supplier. Because the financial position of the company became precarious, in 1986 David bought out Donald's interest in the company. Shortly thereafter, Jerry Hill joined the company as a partner. Jerry had over 20 years of motor engineering and sales experience with the former Universal Electric, now a major division of A.O. Smith.

Initially the company manufactured sleeve bearing motors only. Over the next several years the marketing was refocused and the motor was redesigned. The redesigning of the motor included the addition of an oil retention system, several shaft diameters, end frame styles and ball bearings. This allowed the motor to be marketed in a variety of light and heavy duty applications.

Through customer requests, the company was directed into air moving assemblies. This introduction promoted the development and manufacturing of various Cross Flow, Tangential, Centrifugal blowers and Axial Flow fans.