The colossal lifting power of the modern construction industry traces its roots back to a remarkably simple agricultural problem. In 1874, an Iowa farm implement dealer named William Dana Ewart watched harvesters continually break down because their continuous chain belt drives would wear unevenly and snap. To fix a single break, the entire chain had to be hauled back to the barn, delaying the entire harvest. Ewart solved this by inventing the "linked belt"—a square, detachable drive chain that could be easily repaired directly in the field. 

    He secured a patent and formed the Ewart Manufacturing Company, relentlessly pushing to apply his link-belt foundation to all types of power transmission and material handling. By the 1880s, this driving ambition led to the founding of specialized Link-Belt engineering and machinery companies, which ultimately developed the ancestor of modern construction equipment: the world's first wide-gauge, steam-powered, coal-handling clamshell crane.

    As the 20th century dawned, these heavy-duty steam cranes evolved into versatile locomotive models, setting a firm foundation for the future of crane and shovel design. In 1906, the fragmented entities consolidated in Chicago to form the unified Link-Belt Company. By 1922, they had introduced a comprehensive line of crawler-mounted crane-shovels, systematically expanding their capacity and reach over the following decades. However, their most defining technological leap arrived in 1936 with the introduction of "Speed-O-Matic" power hydraulic controls. This innovation instantly rendered existing mechanical systems obsolete and established a brand new standard for the entire crane-shovel industry. In 1939, the company purchased Speeder Machinery Corporation, merging their heavy equipment with Speeder’s nimble machines to form the Link-Belt Speeder Corporation.

    This strategic consolidation centralized their engineering and manufacturing, sparking three decades of massive growth. In 1949, they introduced a revolutionary full-function design concept that, when paired with their hydraulic controls, pushed Link-Belt Speeder to the absolute forefront of the global market. This engineering momentum culminated in 1954 with the launch of the flagship LS-98. It became one of the most successful pieces of construction equipment ever built, remaining in production for over 42 years with more than 7,000 units shipped worldwide.

    The latter half of the century brought significant corporate evolution to the brand. A 1967 merger with the FMC Corporation fueled aggressive capital expansion, and in 1986, a formalized joint venture with Sumitomo Heavy Industries birthed the Link-Belt Construction Equipment Company. By 1998, the company strategically reorganized to focus entirely on its lifting legacy, spinning off its excavator line into the standalone LBX Company. Today, operating out of its headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, Link-Belt Cranes stands as a dynamic, highly focused, wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Heavy Industries, continuing a 140-year legacy of uncompromising mechanical innovation.

 

Year Founded: 1874

Main Products: Cranes

Brand: LinkBelt Cranes

Country of Origin: USA

Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/official.linkbeltcranes

Website: https://www.linkbelt.com/

Address: 2651 Palumbo Dr, Lexington, KY 40509, United States

Contact No.: +18592635200

Email: inquiry@linkbelt.com