Governors America celebrates 40th, new product launch

Governors America Corp (GAC) announced it is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026. It is also launching a new linear actuator for small Caterpillar and Perkins engines.

Governors America is celebrating 40 years since its founding in 1986. (Photo: Governors America Corp)

Established in 1986, GAC’s origin is rooted in the closure of the American Bosch factory in Springfield, MA, USA, when a group of engineers and sales professionals, led by Agawam native and engineer William Ferry, recognized the potential for advanced engine control solutions. Over the years, GAC evolved from a small engineering partnership to a family-owned and operated business, with current CEO Sean Collins taking the helm in 2011.

GAC’s engine-governing solutions are now used in a range of applications, including diesel- and gaseous-fuel power generation, marine engines for commercial and military use and various industrial applications.

As GAC looks to the future, it said it will continue to invest in technology and employee development to maintain its leading position in the engine control industry.

Linear actuator for small diesel engines

ALR160M linear actuator. (Photo: Governors America Corp)

As part of that investment, the company announced it has launched the ALR160M linear actuator, which is purpose-built to support a range of small diesel engines, including the Caterpillar C0.5, C0.7 and C1.1; Perkins 402D05, 403D07 and 403D11; and Shibaura (Perkins) N843 and N844. These engines are commonly found in auxiliary power units (APUs) used in anti-idling systems for tractor-trailers and locomotives, as well as in marine generators and airport ground support equipment.

The series is specifically designed to support applications where size, accuracy and ease of integration are critical, GAC asserted. By enabling enhanced engine control, the actuator allows even legacy engines to integrate with modern control systems, it said, helping to optimize performance while reducing fuel consumption.

The ALR Series uses precision linear ball bearings in place of bushings to improve response, repeatability and reliability, GAC explained. An integral return spring delivers the fail-safe feature, which the company said ensures that when power is switched off or battery power is lost, the output shaft extends to its zero-fuel position to stop fuel delivery.