Chain Belt Company was an agricultural equipment manufacturer in the US. It produced chain belts specifically to replace leather-based belts, which were used inside engine-powered agricultural equipment at the time.

History

The company was established in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

, by inventor Christopher W. LeValley, who also went by C.W. Levalley, and two foundry operators, that provided him with $11,000.00 in starting capital, F.W. Sivyer and W.A. Draves. It was incorporated on February 20, 1892. The company applied the concept of chain belts on farm machinery to construction machinery and conveying equipment. Its building was formerly owned by Alonzo Pawling and

Henry Harnischfeger Henry Harnischfeger (July 10, 1855 – November 15, 1930) was a pioneer in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, mining industry. Early life and career Harnischfeger was born in Salmünster, Kreis Schlüchtern, Hessen-Nassau, on July 10, 1855. He left his ...

of Pawling & Harnischfeger, which eventually became

Harnischfeger Corporation Joy Global Inc. was a company that manufactured and Tertiary sector of the economy, serviced heavy equipment used in the extraction and haulage of coal and minerals in both underground and surface mining. The company had manufacturing faciliti ...

. In the 1890s the company manufactured chain-driven material handling conveyors and bucket elevators for Milwaukee breweries such as the

Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company is an United States, American brewery based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was once the largest producer of beer in the United States. Its namesake beer, Schlitz (), was known as "The beer that made Milwaukee famous" ...

. By 1894 the company began to develop international markets, exporting chains to

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and opening a sales office in

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. By 1913 annual sales reached $1 million. At that time the company's products were organized into three major divisions: chain products for power transmission; chain-driven construction machinery; and chain-powered bulk conveying equipment. In 1914 it introduced the Rex brand-name, which was first used on a chain-driven concrete mixer. It soon became a widely recognized trademark. In 1923, C.R. Messinger of Chain Belt Company served as President of the American Foundry Society for a one-year term. In 1941 it won the combined Army and Navy Award for Excellence in War Production. By 1943 it was manufacturing: Rex Chain, Rex Concrete Mixers, Rex Sprockets, Rex Traveling Water Screens, Rex Elevators, and Rex Conveyors and was working on conveyor for chemicals. By 1944 it was producing

rifle A rifle is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting and higher stopping power, with a gun barrel, barrel that has a helical or spiralling pattern of grooves (rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus o ...

howitzers The howitzer () is an artillery weapon that falls between a cannon (or field gun) and a mortar. It is capable of both low angle fire like a field gun and high angle fire like a mortar, given the distinction between low and high angle fire break ...

anti-aircraft guns Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-bas ...

(rifles), tank turrets, ammunition hoists for navy vessels and turrets, tracks and gunshields for

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armored vehicles. By 1959 its business was involved in four distinct categories: Construction Machinery, Heavy Bulk Material Handling Systems, Mechanical Power Transmission, Sanitation and Industrial Waste Treatment Equipment. In 1964 the company changed its name to Rex Chainbelt, Inc.

Nordberg Manufacturing Company Nordberg Manufacturing Company was a manufacturer of steam engines, large diesel engines, pumps, hoists and compressors for the mining and quarry industries located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. History The company was founded by Bruno V. Nordberg a ...

was acquired in 1970, and in 1973 the company name changed to Rexnord. In October 2016, Rexnord announced plans to move its bearings manufacturing plant, with its 300 union jobs and 75-80 supervisory jobs, from

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

, to

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Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, in June 2017. President-elect

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criticized Rexnord for firing 300-plus American employees, via

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on December 2, 2016.

References

External links

Rexnord website
{{Milwaukee Based Companies Manufacturing companies based in Milwaukee