William Dana Ewart

The LINK-BELT idea was born 140 years ago when William Dana Ewart created the idea of a detachable hook (belt or link) for a closed chain… precisely an attached chain (a linked belt). This simple idea in 1872 is still used today as the basis for actual multiple mechanical principles.


Mr. Ewart continued to promote his idea and finally in 1880 , he founded the Link-Belt Equipment Company and in 1888, the Link-Belt Engineering Company.

In 1890,
the ancestor of today's construction equipment was the first of its kind to load coal. At the turn of the new century, Link-Belt introduced a smaller and more versatile version of its original crane, which is called a locomotive- crane.

In 1939,
Link-Belt bought the Speeder Company, Manufacturer of 3/8 to 3/4 yard excavator-cranes. This association gave Link-Belt a complete range of equipment. The centralization of manufacturing, the sales and engineering allowed Link-Belt to grow year after year for the next 30 years..

In 1967,
FMC Corporation bought Link-Belt. The introduction of the hydraulic shovel, in the course of that same year, guaranteed the expansion of FMC Link-Belt.

In 1986,
because of economical changes in the world, the Link-Belt Construction Company was formed by an association between FMC Corporation and Sumitomo Heavy Industries.

Today Link-Belt (LBX) is an association between Sumitomo (SHI) Construction Machinery and CNM Corporation; LBX sells the Link-Belt excavators across its distribution network. LBX holds the licence for the manufacturing of all the current or future models of excavators designed by Sumitomo. The tradition and the excellence of the Link-Belt products are reflected throughout its history. The passion to stand out will inevitably lead to an unbelievable future for Link-Belt.