For many decades now, Regal Rexnord brands have been designing, manufacturing and supplying the largest applications in the Bulk Handling industry with heavy powertrain components. Falk V Class gear boxes, Falk Steelflex and Lifelign couplings, NRT Backstops, Rexnord Autogard torque limiters, Tollok shaft locking assemblies and many others.

In short, driving bulk handling conveyors has been their business. Bringing heavy machinery, carrying tonnes of material, to a safe stop requires different yet complimentary equipment. Ensuring this happens every time, without fail, is vital to ensure the safety of everyone nearby.

Rex Sinclair, national product manager at Regal Rexnord, said bulk handling operators need to know backstops and brakes can maintain this high level of reliability.

“Companies need that peace of mind that you have with a trusted brand,” he told ABHR.

Regal Rexnord’s Svendborg brand has a history dating back to the 1800s and has been developing solutions for the mining industry for more than 30 years.

“Svendborg’s brakes are a key component for any major drivelines,” Sinclair said.

“They bring things to a halt at a pre-determined rate and can monitor and control braking systems to improve efficiency and longevity of other parts.”

The brand is just one of the many that now make up Regal Rexnord’s portfolio following last year’s major acquisition. The company acquired Altra Industrial Motion which unlocked the ability to engineer and support entire conveyor drive packages.

Both companies are heavily invested in the mining industry. New brands like Svendborg, Stieber, and Marland could be used to complement Regal Rexnord’s offering of Falk, Tollok and Rexnord Autogard components.

The company has already begun supplying gearboxes, backstops, and entire drive systems worldwide, using the brand synergies to support existing conveyor infrastructure.

When Regal Rexnord needed to supply a complete package offering in the past, it would need to search around for components from other suppliers. After the acquisition, everything became internal, with Regal Rexnord taking advantage of the vast range of brands it now owns.

Sinclair said the company can provide an engineered complete package, acting as a one-stop shop for anything related to conveyor drive systems.

“We manufacture all of the components, including brakes, gears, drives, and more,” he said.

“In particular, we’ve seen our Stieber backstops increase in popularity over the past year. Our customers have been taking advantage of the reliable backstops and are looking to include them in more systems.”

Stieber backstops are designed to meet tough conveyor applications. Its RDBK high-speed backstops were developed with an internal torque limiter for use on equipment like large-incline conveyors where two or more backstops share the reverse load.

The RDBK unit features an internal hydraulic system and bearings supporting the backstop, enabling it to perform as many reverse rotations as required up to 150 RPM.

Sinclair said this is a crucial feature if a conveyor has a blockage, belt jam or overload, which needs to be fixed promptly to negate the impact of downtime.

“Unlike other backstop designs that offer limited reverse rotation after being engaged, the Stieber design allows for a controlled release under load while providing virtually unlimited backward rotation for maintenance and clearing work,” he said.

“The RDBR-E features an internal torque limiter which is specially designed for use on the low-speed shaft of the driving unit in multi-drive systems, such as on large, inclined conveyors, where two or more backstops share the reverse load.

“The Stieber backstops were chosen to meet the tough conveyor application requirements due to their superior release functionality.”

Regal Rexnord has set up support teams across the country to support its equipment. Many of its technicians are trained in the factories where the product is manufactured to provide greater insight on how best to service them in the field or the workshop.

The company also has in-house service and renewal sites located in Newcastle, Perth, and Mackay. Staff can repair and renew its gearboxes, brake systems, hydraulic power units, and more at these sites.

“We’ve got locations near key bulk handling locations, the Bowen Basin, the Hunter Valley and Western Australia,” Sinclair said.

“We’re also heavily involved in the Bundaberg sugar industry and have equipment in many of the major mining ports as well.

“Keeping our support locations close to our customers helps reduce freight costs and gives us a deeper connection to the industry.”

In addition to its workshops, the company has several service teams that can install, commission and service Regal Rexnord components on site.

As the two major businesses integrate, Regal Rexnord plans to continue improving its services and logistics.

Sinclair said customers appreciate being able to call on the original equipment manufacturer for such a high level of support.

“That’s one of the main things our customers are looking for – not just a good product but the service to go alongside it,” he said.

“We want to see better synergies and are working on developing efficiencies to find new ways to benefit the customer.”