“When people think of Kentucky, they think of bourbon and horses, but manufacturing is big here too.” So said Amy Glasscock representing Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton at today’s Manufacturing Express event at Link-Belt Excavators (LBX).
Today’s celebration was our sole stop in the bluegrass state and LBX made Kentucky manufacturing proud. LBX’s Customer Experience Center was the perfect place to host today’s event with the Manufacturing Express. The very building itself is a celebration of manufacturing. The entryway is supported and flanked by the repurposed arms of LBX’s giant red excavators. It’s a fitting metaphor for the company’s strength and resilience in the manufacturing industry as LBX celebrates their 150th anniversary this year.
Founded in 1874 by inventor and farm implement dealer William Dana Ewart, LBX was originally known as Ewart Manufacturing Co. Ewart’s experience as an implement dealer helped him see a common problem that farmers were running into with their harvesters. The chain belt drive on the machine would accrue pretty serious wear and tear, and often resulted in regular repairs and replacements for the farmers operating them. That’s when Ewart had his idea for a link belt drive constructed of multiple detachable links. This meant that when pieces went bad, they could be replaced individually, instead of replacing the entire chain– a big savings for farmers.
The company would grow to realize the link belt drive had the potential to improve all types of machinery, most notably cranes and excavators. Fast forward to 2006, and the company now known as LBX would open its world headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky. What began as a simple idea from the heartland is now a company that does business across the globe, most notably Latin America, Brazil, and Japan.
LBX epitomizes the indomitable spirit that makes American manufacturing great. Through one person’s creative idea, an innovative solution is found to a problem that impacted the people who build, power and feed the world. Thanks to the invention of the link-belt 150 years ago an equipment manufacturing powerhouse was born.
LBX machines are building big things around the world and right here in Lexington. In addition to the over a hundred people who are employed here by LBX, the company is also a major contributor to the local little league. According to president Eric Sauvage, this is an extension of the company’s commitment to “resilience and strong family values”. Communities like Lexington have been made more vibrant thanks to the strong family-supporting jobs companies like LBX offer. And 150 years later, they’re just getting started.
