FB Chain celebrate 40 years of conveyor performance
Company celebrates the past and lays groundwork for next 40 years of conveyor technology
FOR four decades, FB Chain have been a pivotal force in enhancing conveyor performance worldwide. The UK-based company has cultivated a reputation for its technical leadership, customer-centric approach, and commitment to sustainability, establishing itself as a trusted partner in global manufacturing sectors.
Celebrating 40 years of industrial chain innovation, FB Chain’s journey began in 1985 as a supplier to British fork-lift truck manufacturers. Recognizing the broader potential of its expertise, the company quickly expanded from leaf chain into large pitch chain, serving manufacturing equipment and conveyors across diverse sectors. Today, its products are sold in more than 50 countries, testament to FB Chain’s global expansion and industry influence.
From their inception, FB Chain have distinguished themselves from bulk conveyor chain suppliers by prioritizing quality, safety, and application advice, as well as delivering engineered solutions to customer challenges. This approach, they say, has focused on enhancing conveyor performance, while saving customers time, money, and waste.
A significant strategic shift came in 2019 with the acquisition of BKC Products, which broadened FB Chain’s capabilities in the design, manufacture, installation, and servicing of conveyor systems on all scales, enabling the company to tackle even more complex customer challenges. This expansion also brought the integration of the RotaLube system, invented in 2012 by David Chippendale, the former founder of BKC Products and now a director of FB Chain.
‘In all my years of experience, ineffective chain lubrication came up time and time again as the main cause of conveyor issues – excessive wear, unplanned stoppages, and product contamination – and I knew there had to be a better way of doing things,’ he explained.
Mr Chippendale devised a patented sprocket-shaped applicator, connected to a pump system, to deliver precise amounts of lubricant directly and only to the pivot points of the chain where it is needed. This ensures effective lubrication where the friction occurs, while cutting down on overall lubricant consumption, leading to greater uptime, longer component life, and lower costs.
In 2024, FB Chain introduced the ECO Kit, a handheld version of the RotaLube system. This innovation brings the precision of RotaLube’s patented technology to a portable format, offering cost and operational efficiency benefits where customers might have lower lubrication frequency requirements or space and budget constraints.
Recognizing the growing importance of supply chain sustainability, FB Chain are also actively addressing one of the biggest challenges its customers face today: reducing their Scope 3 emissions, namely the indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain, including purchased components and their transportation.
‘We’re not just celebrating our past, but also laying the groundwork for the future,’ concluded Peter Church, managing director of FB Chain. ‘We’re committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in conveyor technology in terms of efficiency, reliability, and sustainability – and by doing so, we’re positioning ourselves to stay ahead of the evolving needs of our global customers for the next 40 years and beyond.’
