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      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on  September 4, 2001
                                                  Registration No. 333-_________
================================================================================
                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                      APPLIED INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

                  Ohio                                        34-0117420
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (State or other jurisdiction of                      (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                       Identification No.)

    One Applied Plaza, Cleveland, Ohio                          44115
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                    (Zip Code)

      Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. 1997 Long-Term Performance Plan
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                Robert C. Stinson
   Vice President-Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Secretary
                      Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.
                    One Applied Plaza, Cleveland, Ohio 44115
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (216) 426-4000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


================================================================================================================
                                             Proposed Maximum        Proposed Maximum
Title of Securities         Amount to be     Offering Price          Aggregate Offering         Amount of
to be Registered            Registered        per Share  (1)         Price (2)                  Registration Fee
================================================================================================================
                                                                                     
Common Stock,               2,000,000          17.88                 35,760,000                  8,940
no par value
================================================================================================================


(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the
     registration fee.

(2)  Pursuant to Securities Act Rule 457(c), the proposed maximum offering price
     per unit is calculated as the average of the high and low prices for the
     Common Stock as reported in the New York Stock Exchange consolidated
     reporting system as of August 28, 2001.
================================================================================

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                                     PART I

              The documents containing the information specified in this Part I
of Form S-8 will be sent or given to the participants as specified by Rule
428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Such documents and the
documents incorporated by reference herein pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this
Form, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of
Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.



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                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.       INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
              ---------------------------------------

The following documents filed by Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (the
"Company") are incorporated herein by reference, except to the extent that any
statement or information therein is modified, superseded or replaced by a
statement or information contained in any other subsequently filed document
incorporated herein by reference:

         (a)      the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                  June 30, 2000;

         (b)      the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended March 31, 2001; and

         (c)      the description of the Common Stock, no par value, of the
                  Company ("Common Stock"), contained in the Company's
                  Registration Statement on Form S-4 (SEC File No. 333-27801)
                  filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 23,
                  1997.

Until the Company files a post-effective amendment to this Registration
Statement indicating that all securities offered have been sold, or
deregistering all such securities which remain unsold, all documents
subsequently filed by the Company or the Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.
1997 Long-Term Performance Plan (the "Plan") pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Item 4.       DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.
              -------------------------

              Not applicable.

Item 5.       INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.
              --------------------------------------

              Not applicable.

Item 6.       INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
              -----------------------------------------

              Under Ohio law, Ohio corporations are authorized to indemnify
directors, officers, employees, and agents within prescribed limits. Ohio law
permits, the Company to indemnify a director, officer, employee and certain
other persons ("Covered Persons") against expenses, judgments, fines, and
settlements reasonably incurred in a nonderivative suit, and against expenses
reasonably incurred in a derivative suit, if the Covered Person acted in good
faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company. In addition, Ohio law permits, the Company to
indemnify a Covered Person in a criminal action or

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proceeding, other than in a derivative suit, if the person had no reasonable
cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

              Unless ordered by a court, no indemnification of expenses in a
derivative suit is authorized by Ohio law or if the Covered Person is finally
adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his or
her duty to the Company. However, if a Covered Person is successful on the
merits or in defense of any matter, indemnification of expenses is mandatory. In
addition, under Ohio law, a director's expenses shall be paid by the Company as
they are incurred, provided the director agrees to reasonably cooperate with the
Company and to repay the amounts advanced if it is proved by clear and
convincing evidence that the director's action or failure to act was done with
reckless disregard for the best interests of the Company.

              Under Ohio law, a director is not liable for monetary damages
unless it is proved by clear and convincing evidence that the Director's action
or failure to act was undertaken with deliberate intent to cause injury to the
Company or with reckless disregard for the best interests of the Company. There
is, however, no comparable provision limiting the liability of officers,
employees, or agents of a corporation. The statutory right to indemnification is
not exclusive and is in addition to any other rights granted to persons seeking
indemnification.

              The Company's Code of Regulations provides that the Company shall
indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Ohio
law, including circumstances in which indemnification is otherwise discretionary
under Ohio law. The Company has entered into indemnification agreements with its
officers and directors containing provisions that are in some respects broader
than the specific indemnification provisions contained in the Ohio Law. The
indemnification agreements may require the Company, among other things, to
indemnify its directors against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of
their status or service as directors (other than liabilities arising from
willful misconduct or willful disregard of duties), to advance their expenses
incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be
indemnified, and to obtain director's insurance if available on reasonable
terms.

              It is the opinion of the Commission that indemnification
provisions such as those contained in the Company's Code of Regulations and
these agreements have no effect on a director's or officer's liability under the
federal securities laws.

              The Company has also obtained directors and officers' liability
insurance covering, subject to certain exceptions, actions taken by The
Company's directors and officers in their capacities as such.

Item 7.       EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.
              -----------------------------------

              Not applicable.

Item 8.       EXHIBITS.
              --------

              The Exhibits to this Registration Statement are listed in the
Exhibit Index on Page _, which Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by this
reference.

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Item 9.       UNDERTAKINGS.
              ------------

              The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

              (a)     To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
                      being made, a post-effective amendment to this
                      Registration Statement (i) to include any prospectus
                      required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
                      1933; (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or
                      events arising after the effective date of the
                      Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective
                      amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
                      aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
                      information set forth in the Registration Statement; (iii)
                      to include any material information with respect to the
                      plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
                      Registration Statement or any material change to such
                      information in the Registration Statement; provided,
                      however, that paragraphs (a)(i) and (a)(ii) do not apply
                      if the Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8,
                      and the information required to be included in a
                      post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained
                      in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to
                      Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
                      of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
                      Registration Statement.

              (b)     That, for the purpose of determining any liability under
                      the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective
                      amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration
                      statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
                      the offering of such securities at the time shall be
                      deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

              (c)     To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
                      amendment any of the securities being registered which
                      remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

              (d)     That for purposes of determining any liability under the
                      Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's
                      annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d)
                      of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is
                      incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
                      shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
                      relating to the securities offered therein, and the
                      offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
                      to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Insofar as
                      indemnification for liabilities arising under the
                      Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,
                      officers and controlling persons of the registrant
                      pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
                      registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
                      Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
                      against public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
                      therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
                      indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
                      payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by
                      a director, officer or controlling

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                      person of the registrant in the successful defense of any
                      action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,
                      officer or controlling person in connection with the
                      securities being registered, the registrant will, unless
                      in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled
                      by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
                      jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by
                      it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
                      will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


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SIGNATURES

              Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Cleveland, and the State of Ohio, on September 4,
2001.


                                       APPLIED INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

                                       By: /s/ David L. Pugh
                                          ------------------------
                                          David L. Pugh
                                          Chairman of the Board
                                            and Chief Executive Officer


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated. Each person whose signature appears below
hereby makes, constitutes and appoints David L. Pugh and Robert C. Stinson to
act as, his or her true and lawful attorney, with full power to sign for such
person and in such person's name and capacity indicated bellow any and all
amendments to this Registration Statement, hereby ratifying and confirming such
person's signature as it may be signed by said attorney to any and all
amendments.



Signature                                     Title                                        Date
---------                                     -----                                        ----


                                                                                     
/s/ David L. Pugh
-----------------------
David L. Pugh                                 Chairman, Chief Executive Officer  (signing  September 4, 2001
                                              as Principal Executive Officer and a
                                              Director)

/s/ John R. Whitten
------------------------
John R. Whitten                               Vice President-Chief Financial Officer and   September 4, 2001
                                              Treasurer (signing as Principal Financial
                                              Officer)

/s/ Mark O. Eisele
------------------------
Mark O. Eisele                                Vice President and Controller (signing as    September 4, 2001
                                              Controller)



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Signature                                     Title                                        Date
---------                                     -----                                        ----

                                                                                     
/s/ William G. Bares
------------------------
William G. Bares                              Director                                     September 4, 2001


/s/ Dr. Roger D. Blackwell
------------------------
Dr. Roger D. Blackwell                        Director                                     September 4, 2001


/s/ William E. Butler
------------------------
William E. Butler                             Director


/s/ Thomas A. Commes
------------------------
Thomas A. Commes                              Director                                     September 4, 2001


/s/ Russel B. Every
------------------------
Russel B. Every                               Director                                     September 4, 2001


/s/ Russell R. Gifford
------------------------
Russell R. Gifford                            Director


/s/ L. Thomas Hiltz
------------------------
L. Thomas Hiltz                               Director                                     September 4, 2001


/s/ J. Michael Moore
------------------------
J. Michael Moore                              Director                                     September 4, 2001


/s/ Dr. Jerry Sue Thornton
------------------------
Dr. Jerry Sue Thornton                        Director                                     September 4, 2001


/s/ Stephen E. Yates
------------------------
Stephen E. Yates                              Director                                     September 4, 2001



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         The Plan. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the trustees of or other persons who administer the Applied Industrial
Technologies, Inc. 1997 Long-Term Performance Plan have duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Cleveland, and the State of Ohio on
the 4th day of September, 2001.


                                 APPLIED INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
                                    1997 LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE PLAN


                                 By: Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc., as
                                        Plan Administrator


                                 By: /s/ David L. Pugh
                                     ----------------------------------
                                     David L. Pugh
                                     Chairman of the Board
                                      and Chief Executive Officer




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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT                                                              METHOD OF
NUMBER                        DESCRIPTION                            FILING*
------                        -----------                            -------


 4(a)    Certificate of Merger of Bearings, Inc. (Ohio) and Bearings,
         Inc. (Delaware) filed with the Ohio Secretary of State on
         October 18, 1988, including an Agreement and Plan of
         Reorganization dated September 6, 1988 (filed as Exhibit 4(a)
         to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed May
         23, 1997, Registration No. 333-27801, and incorporated here
         by reference).

 4(b)    $80,000,000 Maximum Aggregate Principal Amount Note Purchase
         and Private Shelf Facility dated October 31, 1992 between the
         Company and The Prudential Insurance Company of America
         (filed as Exhibit 4(b) to the Company's Registration
         Statement on Form S-4 filed May 23, 1997, Registration No.
         333-27801, and incorporated here by reference).

 4(c)    Amendment to $80,000,000 Maximum Aggregate Principal Amount
         Note Purchase and Private Shelf Facility dated October 31,
         1992 between the Company and The Prudential Insurance Company
         of America (filed as Exhibit 4(g) to the Company's Form 10-Q
         for the quarter ended March 31, 1996, SEC File No. 1-2299,
         and incorporated here by reference).

 4(d)    $50,000,000 Private Shelf Agreement dated as of November 27,
         1996, as amended on January 30, 1998, between the Company and
         The Prudential Insurance Company of America (filed as Exhibit
         4(f) to the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March
         31, 1998, SEC File No. 1-2299, and incorporated here by
         reference).

 4(e)    $150,000,000 Credit Agreement dated as of Attached November
         5, 1998 among the Company, KeyBank National Association as
         Agent, and various financial institutions (filed as Exhibit
         4(e) to the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
         September 30, 1998, SEC File No. 1-2299, and incorporated
         here by reference).

 4(f)    Rights Agreement, dated as of February 2, 1998, between the
         Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Rights Agent,
         which includes as Exhibit B thereto the Form of Rights
         Certificate (filed as Exhibit No. 1 to the Company's
         Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed July 20, 1998, SEC
         File No. 1-2299, and incorporated here by reference).

 5       Opinion of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP as to the legality
         of the securities registered. (attached)

23(a)    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP. (attached)

--------
* All exhibits hereto are being filed through incorporation by reference, unless
otherwise indicated.

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23(b)    Consent of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP (contained in Exhibit 5).