By Rajitha Sivakumaran
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S
outhwestern Ontario and the automo-
tive industry go hand in hand. Sitting
along a 400-kilometre automotive cor-
ridor are distinguished automakers, more than
700 parts suppliers and another 500 compa-
nies specializing in everything that makes the
industry tick. Thriving in this hub is J/E Bear-
ing & Machine, a family-run operation based
in Tillsonburg. Since its founding in 1983, J/E
has evolved to develop expertise in bearing,
power transmission products, general machin-
ing, CNC machining and repair and overhaul.
Despite being situated in an auto manufactur-
ing hub, J/E differentiates itself by catering to a
number of different industries, but that wasn’t
always the case. Being located in Southwest-
ern Ontario, it was natural for the company to
tailor its services to the automotive industry.
But after the 2007-2008 downturn, J/E lost
nearly 50 per cent of its business. Luckily, a
MARCH 2017
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