Gates Industrial Corporation Ltd. (NYSE: GTES), a global provider of advanced power transmission and fluid power solutions, has introduced Gates IntraLogix™ LRB-100, a new live roller belt designed for conveyor systems in warehouses and distribution centers. These belts play a vital role in automated material-handling operations by powering rollers that transport packages, cartons, and other goods. Unlike traditional fabric-based belts, the LRB-100 features a solid polyurethane construction engineered to prevent V-guide delamination. This innovative design aims to extend belt service life, minimize maintenance requirements, and improve operational uptime for warehouse and distribution center operators.
Warehouse automation is a growing market for engineered belt solutions as e-commerce volumes rise, and operators invest in faster, more reliable fulfillment. Conveyors run at high speed and near-continuous duty in these applications, so a belt issue can slow down an entire operation. LRB-100 reflects a deliberate Gates strategy of applying its materials science and engineering expertise to high-growth, automation-driven end markets.
In testing against conventional belt designs, LRB-100 delivered:
- More than five times longer belt life: Reduces replacements, downtime, and total ownership costs.
- Approximately 75% less elongation: Helps the belt maintain proper tension longer, reducing retensioning downtime and supporting more consistent around-the-clock operations.
- Roughly 80% greater abrasion resistance: Extends belt life in demanding warehouse environments.
- Approximately 24% greater weld strength than other belts used on accumulating roller pneumatic (ARP) conveyance systems.
- On average, 73% lower drive tensions: Reduces system stress while supporting longer equipment life.
“Increased levels of automation are raising the bar for every component on the conveyor line, and that creates meaningful opportunity for Gates to differentiate. With LRB-100, we tackled delamination, a common cause of conveyor downtime, with a belt built from a single material. It’s a prime example of how we’re leveraging materials science know-how with application expertise to create innovation that matters in fast-growing markets.”
-Mike Haen, vice president of global product line management and marketing at Gates
Gates is a global manufacturer of innovative, highly engineered power transmission and fluid power solutions. Gates offers a broad portfolio of products to diverse replacement channel customers, and to OEMs as specified components. Gates participates in many sectors of the industrial and consumer markets. Our products play essential roles in a diverse range of applications across a wide variety of end markets ranging from harsh and hazardous industries to everyday consumer applications, including virtually every form of transportation. Our products are sold in more than 130 countries across our three commercial regions: the Americas; Europe, Middle East & Africa; and Asia-Pacific.
