Other members of the family joined the company as it flourished.
Two factories were outgrown within a short timespan before the company acquired the lease of premises in Brueton Street in the Gosta Green suburb of Birmingham in 1895. Together with the attached stableyard and caretakers accommodation fronting Duke Street, these buildings were the company’s home for eighty years.
During this time, the caretakers’ premises were converted into offices and became the registered address of the company.
In the 1890s, a Patent had been registered for the weaving of flattened spirals of wire, although its application was short-lived and it was almost forgotten until an enquiry in 1929 when a belt was made for what was at the time a ‘state of the art’ continuous furnace.
Production of wire conveyor belts grew steadily thereafter and when a section of the factory was destroyed in an air raid in 1940 the woodworking and furniture production ceased, although bedding manufacture continued under the “Sterval” tradename until 1956.
The ownership of the company passed from the Lane family in 1954, since when the present owners have maintained consistent long-term investment in the company’s future, including the building of its present factory in 1976. Our objective is to have the optimum environment in which to design and manufacture wire conveyor belts.
The back-up provided in our paperwork is similarly detailed: many of our products enjoy trouble free lives and accurate records are filed of belt manufacture since 1954. Master samples are retained for all meshes and, if required, replica belting can be produced to ensure minimal maintenance downtime with spares requirements.
To meet production requirements of more recent years, belts have evolved to wider specifications often incorporating smaller aperture meshes for improved carrying surfaces. To ensure the necessary accuracy, since minute variations in one revolution of spiral wire are multiplied across a belt width, our machinery and tooling are all manufactured within our factory. Demanding quality checks are carried out during the production process.
- Design and manufacture of all types of wire conveyor belting.
- Belts exported worldwide.
- Belts manufactured in widths up to 5 metres, in a large variety of alloys, to customer specification.
- All belts made to master templates, which ensures that future belts will join with original supplies.
- Component accuracy and consistency is checked throughout the production process.
- Full material traceability is maintained for all components.