Monday, September 16, 2013

How the Moving Assembly Line Revolutionized the Conveyor Belt

At the beginning of the 20th century, the car's business model wasn't completely effective. Most cars were considered a luxury many could not afford to spend the time or money on.  In order to create "a motor car for the great multitude," Henry Ford realized new innovations were necessary—and so the assembly line was born.

Utilizing four principles (interchangeable parts, continuous flow, division of labor, and reducing wasted effort), the factories began mass produce car parts. To increase workflow, the conveyor belt, a product developed a few years prior was incorporated into production. This process revolutionized the automotive industry and sparked a new relationship between the warehouse and conveyor belting.

Now, in the 100th anniversary year of the moving assembly line, it's safe to say this process put the world on wheels. Car and Driver's piece on the development of this process highlights how the production numbers greatly increased as prices went down—and eventually, the world was on the road.


The conveyor belt assembly line is used in a number of industries, from mining to food processing. As manufacturers of conveyor belting and conveyor belt solutions, we’re proud to work in an industry that has caused so much growth, employment and innovation. For more information on our wire belting and other products, check out our website.