Finnish chains at the forefront of development

Cooperation visit

FB Ketjutekniikka’s chains are sold around the world by FB Group’s seven companies. The members of the FB Group are familiar with the needs of their customers. As a result, FB Ketju designs and manufactures chains that meet those needs in Lappi, Rauma.

Thanks to close collaboration with the other FB locations, FB Ketju visits the other facilities regularly to hear new ideas and exchange thoughts. The customers’ concrete wishes for the future development of conveyor chains are seen and heard during the joint customer visits.
– The customer visits strengthen our collaboration and together we become more. Combining the expertise of our partner companies is beneficial to all customers as we work together to develop solutions. Our partner companies have identified the needs of their customers during the sales process, and we at FB Ketju find ways to realize them, says Mika Suomi, Managing Director of FB Ketju.

Close collaboration with customers

While FB Ketju’s strength and expertise lies in chain manufacturing, the FB Group partner companies mostly operate in sales. However, in addition to sales, the Swedish FB Kedjor performs maintenance and the English FB Chain manufactures anchor bolts among other things.

– In the span of 80 years, we have learned the correct chain manufacturing methods; joining techniques and the usage of different materials. Supported by the extensive history of FB Group companies, we are deep inside the customer’s process. The distributors are familiar with the requirements of our customers and the issues they face, but we know the possibilities and materials, Suomi states.

Running chain, made of special materials

Visiting the other FB Group companies and their customers also helps to grow expertise. FB Ketju collaborates directly with the customers of their partner companies. During their visit to Sweden, FB Ketju also visited two end customers.

– We work in close collaboration with the Swedish SSAB. We buy their raw materials, and they buy our chains for their own process. Our collaboration has been a success. In this case too, the right contacts help all FB companies.

Materials of the future can withstand heavy use

During the company visit with SSAB, FB Ketju was able to observe production at the steel factory and learn about new materials and general developments in the steel market.

– The Swedish crew has direct lines of communication with SSAB’s specialists who know almost everything there is to know about the materials and cutting metal. These contacts are extremely important to us as well. If we are having issues with cutting metal, we can get help quickly. SSAB actively tests different materials, material wear and tear and everything that concerns welding.

Running sharp top chains

Product development is an important part of customer visits. Mika Suomi is happy to see that their customers are open for development. FB Ketju tests the tips they receive in practice with established customers.

– Certain customers want to develop conveyor chains and they function as our so-called test facilities. No-one else in the world produces chains from the types of materials we have manufactured them from. These extremely hard materials of the future will last in use for longer than ever before. Once again, we determined that the chain had suffered almost no wear and tear during the past two years even though the attachments needed to be replaced.

Mika Suomi is also pleased that the Swedish company is ready to develop products that take the future and sustainable development into consideration. FB Kedjor has already sold the first fully carbon-free chains to a customer although the manufacturing process of the raw materials has not even started in production.

– They have found the first customer for a chain produced from a raw material for which the production is only just beginning. For our part, we want to be a market leader and at the forefront of development.

Customer visit

#FBKetju #Neverstopmoving

What is FB Group?

FB Ketju is a part of FB Group. FB Group has locations around Europe. In addition to Finland, the companies are located in Sweden, Norway, England, Germany, Austria, and France. Combined, the members of FB Group employ approximately 150 people. Over a hundred employees work in sales. The chains are manufactured at the facility in Lappi, Rauma, Finland but the units collaborate closely in product development and sales. FB Group is owned by the Swedish Addtech AB.