Thomson

Thomson contact details

Thomson Americas office (USA, Canada, Mexico)

203A West Rock Road
Radford, Virginia 24141
United States

Telephone +1 540 633 3549

Website thomsonlinear.com/en

UK office and EMEA customer support centre

Caddsdown Blue, Caddsdown Business Park
Bideford EX39 3GB
United Kingdom

Telephone +44 1271 334 500

Email thomson.europe@regalrexnord.com

Web thomsonlinear.com/en/support/global-customer-service

Germany: Thomson Neff Industries GmbH

Nürtinger Straße 70
72649 Wolfschlugen
Germany

Telephone +49 7022 504 403

Email thomson.europe@regalrexnord.com

Sweden: Tollo Linear AB

Bredbandsvägen 12
29162 Kristianstad
Sweden

Telephone +46 44 590 2400

Email thomson.europe@regalrexnord.com

Parent company: Regal Rexnord Corporation

111 W Michigan St
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203
United States

Telephone +1 608 364 8800

Web regalrexnord.com/contact

Show Thomson headquarters on the map Open in Google Maps →

LinkedInYouTube

Contact details as published by Regal Rexnord, checked 2026-10-30. Specify Motion is not affiliated with Regal Rexnord.

Thomson product lines

Who Thomson is

Thomson is one of the long-established names in linear motion. It makes the bearings, guides, screws and actuators that turn rotary power into controlled straight-line movement, and it is particularly well known in the UK for the Electrak family of electric linear actuators fitted to agricultural, construction and materials handling machines, as well as to industrial equipment.

Thomson is part of Regal Rexnord, the American motors and power transmission group. Thomson describes itself as forming Regal Rexnord’s Linear Motion Division together with Nook Industries and Delevan. Thomson is a trademark of its owner.

History and ownership

Thomson dates its origins to 1936. It credits John B. Thomson Sr. with inventing the Linear Ball Bushing bearing and, with it, anti-friction linear technology. The company also says it introduced the first recirculating ball screw on a 1955 Chevrolet and developed a thread-rolling process for ball screw manufacture.

Electric actuators have been part of the range for nearly 60 years, according to Thomson, and the Electrak family was launched in 1982. The latest generation, including the Electrak XD, integrates the motor, gearing, screw and control electronics in one housing.

Ownership has changed over the decades. Today Thomson belongs to Regal Rexnord Corporation, listed on the New York Stock Exchange as RRX. Regal Rexnord says it was formed in 2021 by the merger of Regal Beloit and Rexnord Industries, and that Altra Industrial Motion Corporation joined the group in 2023. Regal Rexnord reports more than 50 brands and around 30,000 associates worldwide.

Product portfolio

The Thomson actuator series we list are:

• Electrak mobile and industrial actuators: Electrak HD, Electrak XD, Electrak MD, Electrak 1, Electrak 10 and Electrak 050.
• Heavy-duty and special actuators: Max Jac, Whispertrak and Warner K2 B-Track.
• Industrial rod-style actuators: PC Series.
• Rodless linear units: WM Powerline and WH Speedline.
• Stepper-driven linear actuators: MLA stepper actuators.

Thomson’s wider catalogue covers linear ball bushing bearings, 60 Case shafting, RoundRail guides, profile rail bearings, ball screws, lead screws and roller screws, ball splines, precision balls, linear motion systems, robot transfer units, lifting columns, screw jacks, control panels and resolvers. For selection help, see our linear actuators hub and the guide to sizing a linear actuator.

What Thomson is known for technically

Thomson’s reputation rests on two areas. The first is rolling-element linear technology: the ball bushing bearing and its shafting, and the ball screw, where Thomson claims early firsts. The second is the self-contained electric actuator for mobile machinery. Electrak models are built for outdoor duty, with sealed housings and wide temperature ranges. The Electrak XD is a good example of the current generation: Thomson publishes dynamic loads up to 25,000 N, ingress ratings up to IP69K, an operating range of -40 to 85 °C, 24 or 48 Vdc input, and onboard controls for controllability and diagnostics. Moving the control electronics into the actuator removes external relays and limit switches, and lets one unit replace a small hydraulic cylinder with its pump, valves and hoses.

When specifying an Electrak-style actuator, check the dynamic and static load, stroke and retracted length, speed at load, duty cycle, supply voltage, the IP rating and temperature range required, and which onboard control and feedback options you need.

Industries served

Thomson lists industrial automation, medical, mobile off-highway, material handling, transportation, robotics, and aerospace and defence. Across those markets, electric linear actuators of this kind typically adjust implements and machine settings on mobile equipment, open and close hatches, vents and covers, position beds, chairs and patient-handling equipment, and drive slower automation axes where a pneumatic cylinder would otherwise be used.

What to check when replacing a Thomson actuator

On replacement work, the part number tells you less than the duty. Record the stroke, retracted and extended lengths between mounting centres, rear and front clevis or pin sizes, load in both directions, speed, supply voltage, any feedback (potentiometer, encoder or limit switch outputs) and the connector. Check the IP and temperature rating needed at the mounting position, not just the machine’s general environment. Those details decide whether a direct swap or a near-equivalent is possible.

Global and UK presence

Thomson lists sites across North America, Europe and Asia, including Radford in Virginia, Wolfschlugen in Germany, Kristianstad in Sweden, and offices in China, South Korea, India and Brazil. In the UK, its site in Bideford, North Devon, founded in 1994, is described as the main centre for customer support in the EMEA region. Thomson products are also sold through distributors, which its website lists by region.

Specify Motion and Thomson

Specify Motion is independent of Thomson and Regal Rexnord and is not a distributor for either. We can help you source Thomson parts where available, or propose equivalents from our supply network that meet the same published specification, confirmed by an engineer. See our page on alternatives to Thomson actuators or use find a replacement with your current part number.

Contact details at a glance

• UK office: Caddsdown Blue, Caddsdown Business Park, Bideford EX39 3GB
• UK phone: +44 1271 334 500
• Email (Europe): thomson.europe@regalrexnord.com
• Americas office: 203A West Rock Road, Radford, VA 24141, USA, +1 540 633 3549
• Website: thomsonlinear.com

Contact details were taken from Thomson’s and Regal Rexnord’s own websites on 30 October 2026.

Thomson history: key dates

1. 1936Thomson dates its origins to 1936; John B. Thomson Sr. invented the Linear Ball Bushing bearing
2. 1955Thomson says it introduced the first recirculating ball screw on a 1955 Chevrolet
3. 1982Electrak family of electric linear actuators introduced
4. 1994Bideford, UK site founded, later the main EMEA customer support centre
5. 2018Beijing sales and service office opened
6. 2021Regal Beloit and Rexnord Industries merge to form Regal Rexnord
7. 2023Altra Industrial Motion Corporation joins Regal Rexnord

Thomson linear actuators

Rod actuator

Electrak HD

Heavy-duty 12/24/48 V DC ball-screw rod actuator with optional onboard control electronics, sealed for outdoor mobile machinery and positioned as an alternative to small hydraulics.

Rod actuator

Electrak XD

Thomson's highest-force 24/48 V DC rod actuator, using a ball screw and onboard monitoring electronics to reach 25 kN with a higher duty cycle than the HD.

Compact actuator

Electrak MD

Medium-duty 12/24 V DC lead-screw actuator with the same sealing as the HD, offered with low-level switching, position feedback and CAN bus options.

Compact actuator

Electrak 1 / Electrak 1SP

Small sealed acme-screw DC actuator for light intermittent duty, available with limit switches (Electrak 1) or a potentiometer feedback version (1SP).

Compact actuator

Electrak 050 (E050)

Compact, quiet, low-cost worm-drive DC actuator with a short retracted length, suited to medical and office equipment.

Rod actuator · legacy

Electrak 10

Older general-purpose DC rod actuator offered with acme or ball screw up to 6.8 kN; Thomson now files it under legacy products.

Compact actuator

Max Jac

Light-duty 12/24 V DC actuator built for exposure to mud, salt water and high-pressure washdown, offered with worm or ball screw and analogue or encoder feedback.

Compact actuator · legacy

WhisperTrak

Quiet acme-screw DC actuator designed to medical electrical safety standards for patient handling and mobility products, up to 4,000 N; Thomson still publishes its product page in the legacy section.

Rod actuator

Warner Linear B-Track K2

Rugged rod actuator from the Warner Linear range with acme or ball screw, DC or single-phase AC motors and optional integrated limit and feedback controls.

Rod actuator

PC Series precision linear actuators

Ball-screw rod-style servo actuator in three square profile sizes, for high-speed precise positioning and pneumatic cylinder replacement, with inline or parallel motor mounting.

Rodless screw actuator

WM (POWERLINE) linear units

Ball-screw driven, ball-rail guided rodless linear modules in aluminium profiles for stiff, precise long-stroke axes, with a belt-driven WMZ variant for higher speed.

Rodless belt actuator

WH (SPEEDLINE) linear units

Belt-driven, wheel-guided rodless linear modules for very fast, high-acceleration transfer axes, with stainless washdown versions and a WHZ vertical-axis variant.

Linear stepper actuator

MLA motorized lead screw actuator (stepper motor linear actuators)

Fully housed stepper-motor lead-screw actuator with built-in anti-rotation, part of Thomson's MLS/MLN/MLA motorised lead screw family for small precise positioning.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Thomson website?

Thomson's website is thomsonlinear.com, with the English site at thomsonlinear.com/en. It holds product information for actuators, linear bearings, guides, screws and systems, sizing tools, literature downloads, a distributor locator and the global customer service page with regional phone numbers and email addresses. The parent company's site is regalrexnord.com.

What is the Thomson UK phone number and email address?

Thomson's UK office in Bideford publishes +44 1271 334 500 and the email thomson.europe@regalrexnord.com. The same email serves Germany, Sweden and France. Thomson's website also offers web chat and a distributor locator. For the Americas, the published number is +1 540 633 3549 at the Radford, Virginia office.

Where is Thomson's headquarters?

Thomson's customer service page lists its Americas office at 203A West Rock Road, Radford, Virginia 24141, USA. Thomson is part of Regal Rexnord, whose corporate address is 111 W Michigan St, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203. In Europe, the main customer support centre is at Caddsdown Business Park in Bideford, Devon.

Who owns Thomson?

Thomson is owned by Regal Rexnord Corporation, listed on the New York Stock Exchange as RRX. Thomson says it forms the Linear Motion Division of Regal Rexnord together with Nook Industries and Delevan. Regal Rexnord was formed by the 2021 merger of Regal Beloit and Rexnord, and Altra Industrial Motion joined it in 2023.

Does Thomson have a UK office?

Yes. Thomson's site in Bideford, North Devon, founded in 1994, is described as its main centre for customer support in the EMEA region. The address is Caddsdown Blue, Caddsdown Business Park, Bideford EX39 3GB, phone +44 1271 334 500. Thomson also sells through distributors, which its website distributor locator lists by region.

What does Thomson make?

Thomson makes linear motion components and systems: Electrak electric linear actuators, precision and rodless actuators, linear ball bushing bearings and shafting, round rail and profile rail guides, ball, lead and roller screws, linear motion systems, lifting columns and screw jacks. It serves automation, medical, mobile off-highway, material handling, robotics and aerospace.

Sources

1. Thomson: About us
2. Thomson: Our locations
3. Thomson: Global customer service (phone numbers and email by region)
4. Regal Rexnord: About Regal Rexnord
5. Regal Rexnord: Contact us, global locations
6. Regal Rexnord: Investors overview (NYSE: RRX)
7. Thomson: Electrak XD actuator (published load, IP, temperature and voltage figures)

Figures are summarised from the sources above and from manufacturers' published data on the date shown. Always confirm against the current datasheet for your exact part.