John King Chains Group is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026. Established in Leeds, England in 1926, the enterprise began by producing plain pedestal bearings for coal mining pit tubs. Expansion came with the rapid mechanization of the collieries and the need for chain conveying equipment.

The business has evolved through a century of change while remaining focused on engineering excellence and long-term value.

Remaining a family-owned, private business after 100 years is a point of pride for the Group. This independence allows for long-term decision-making, consistency of values, and continued investment in capability, quality, and customer support.

“Our people remain central to the success of the business. A continued focus on leadership development, operational capability, and collaboration across the Group strengthens our foundations and positions the company well for the future,” according to a company statement.

Reaching a century in business is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and shared values. “As we begin this landmark year, we do so with confidence, ambition, and a clear commitment to continued progress.”

The company recently announced the opening of its new facility in South Africa, marking an important step in John King Chain Group’s continued investment in the region and strengthening its long-term commitment to the South African market.

“We are proud to support local businesses, contribute to the regional supply chain and play our part in the South African economy.”

Kareen Farrell receives the forklift from Martin McVicar.

The Combilift Fundraiser in support of UNICEF has officially come to an end. Total tickets purchased, for a chance to win the 100,000th Combilift truck, raised more than €56,000 with Combilift proudly topping up that amount to bring the total donated to €100,000.

Congratulations go to winner winner Kareen Farrell: She recently visiting manufacturing headquarters in Monaghan, Ireland to collect her prize. Greeted by Managing Director Martin McVicar and members of the marketing team, Farrell enjoyed a factory tour before being presented with the keys to her brand-new multidirectional, electric counterbalance forklift.

Before departing, Farrell joined hundreds of Combilift employees for a final photo beside the 100,000th truck. “This milestone reflects the dedication, skill and commitment of our entire team, whose efforts continue to drive our growth as we look ahead to 2026,” according to a company statement.

On December, 19 Combilift presented a €100,000 check to UNICEF, handed over to Owen Buckley and Michaela Plunkett of UNICEF by McVicar at the annual Combilift Christmas party in the Hillgrove Hotel & Spa, Monaghan. 

Weyerhaeuser Co. and Aymium entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to partner to produce and sell 1.5 million tons of sustainable biocarbon annually for use in metals production. As an initial stage of this partnership, the companies have formed a joint venture —TerraForge Biocarbon Solutions—to build a jointly owned facility adjacent Weyerhaeuser’s sawmill in McComb, Miss., which will convert wood fiber into biocarbon through a combustion-free, low-emissions process.

The companies will secure long-term biocarbon sales agreements and identify sites to construct multiple new production facilities across the Weyerhaeuser footprint over the next five years, which will include Aymium’s proprietary technology for producing and supplying biocarbon products globally.

At full scale, the platform of operating facilities will have the potential to convert more than 7 million tons of wood fiber—provided exclusively by Weyerhaeuser—to deliver 1.5 million tons of metallurgical-grade biocarbon annually as a drop-in replacement for coal in iron, steel, silicon, ferro-alloys and other metals production.

Aymium has generated a significant global sales pipeline based on years of trials with leading global metals producers. The company claims its products are engineered to immediately replace coal without the need for capital investment or process modification, and with superior carbon levels, energy value, handling and environmental attributes to coal.

“This partnership combines our renewable fiber resources and supply chain expertise with Aymium’s innovative technology and experience,” says Devin Stockfish, president and CEO of Weyerhaeuser. “It represents a major step forward in growing the scale and impact of our Climate Solutions business, and it’s also a key part of our broader accelerated growth strategy through 2030. When the McComb facility comes online in 2027, it’s going to generate new demand for fiber in the region—supporting our McComb operations and local timberlands teams—while creating more great jobs in the community. It’s a model we look forward to replicating across our footprint.”

“The reliability, scale of sustainable supply and forestland expertise of Weyerhaeuser provide unmatched sourcing security of our main raw material to support expansion,” adds James Mennell, CEO of Aymium. “Through this partnership we will significantly grow our manufacturing capacity to produce biocarbon as an immediately scalable, renewable replacement for coal and coke, while delivering differentiated value for our customers.”

The initial project includes construction of a new manufacturing facility that will house two biocarbon processors to transform wood fiber through a combustion-free, low-emissions process into metallurgical-grade biocarbon.

Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive, or MFLEX, program. MDA also is providing assistance with infrastructure improvements. Pike County is assisting with the project as well.

TerraForge Biocarbon Solutions expects to complete the project and fill jobs by 2027.

Aymium operates four large production facilities in North America and is headquartered in Minnesota.

MPE Partners along with its portfolio company, Webster Industries, announced the closing of its acquisition of Renold plc, a leading designer, engineer, manufacturer, and supplier of premium, high specification industrial chain and torque transmission products.

With manufacturing facilities located across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, Renold supplies a diverse base of global customers in more than 100 countries across a broad range of industrial power transmission applications. Renold’s products are critical to end-users’ operating environments wherever materials are lifted, moved, rotated, or conveyed and are used in end markets such as manufactured products, material handling, energy, forestry, and agriculture.

The transformative combination of Webster and Renold creates a market-leading chain and power transmission products platform with premium brands by expanding product offering, diversifying end markets and geographic footprint, and unlocking commercial opportunities. The acquisition represents a strategic step forward in Webster’s long-term vision to build the global leader in automation, material handling, and power transmission solutions.

Following the acquisition, both Webster and Renold will continue to operate out of their current manufacturing facilities, with no changes to day-to-day business operations. The combined platform will be headquartered in the U.S.

Arclin, a leading material science company, has announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase Willamette Valley Co. (“WVCO”), a manufacturer and distributor of a wide variety of custom products and services in the wood products, railroad, concrete repair, transportation, infrastructure and consumer products segments.

“We are thrilled to welcome Willamette Valley Company to our organization,” says Arclin CEO Bradley Bolduc. “Their innovative technologies and product portfolio perfectly complement our business, creating a beneficial combination for our customers. With a shared commitment to quality across wood products, this acquisition positions us to deliver even greater value and expand opportunities across the segments we serve.”

The acquisition of WVCO is a step in extending Arclin’s materials science capabilities into engineered repair systems, specialty adhesives, and infrastructure solutions where performance-critical polymers and formulations are central to customer outcomes. The acquisition will add eight manufacturing facilities and approximately 500 new team members to Arclin’s existing 1,200-person team.

“The decision to sell Willamette Valley Company to Arclin represents a natural progression for our business,” John Murray, WVCO President and CEO, comments. “Arclin’s world-class operational framework will accelerate our product innovation and drive sustainable growth. Combining Arclin and WVCO’s deep technical expertise, broad knowledge base and ability to rapidly deploy resources will be instrumental in driving our growth strategy. Joining Arclin is an exciting opportunity for our team and we’re eager to drive the business forward.”

Arclin is headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga. with offices and manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. 

“North America has been our second-largest sales region for several years,” says Kenth Eklund, President Sales. “We look forward to serving both existing and new customers in demanding projects across the continent—and to introducing our full portfolio of single machines to the American market.”

Sunds Fibertech covers the entire process chain, from raw material handling to press technology, energy systems, and emission reduction. Its portfolio has grown through strategic acquisitions, including Advanced Cyclone Systems (ACS) and LÜBKE GmbH, strengthening expertise in environmental technologies. Looking ahead, the company is committed to future-ready solutions such as bio-based resins, recycled raw materials and advanced air-cleaning systems. 

With headquarters in Sweden and 11 offices worldwide, the new U.S. presence completes Sunds Fibertech’s global footprint.

Sunds Fibertech is taking a major step in its growth journey by opening its first U.S. office in Atlanta, Ga., strengthening its global footprint and commitment to the panelboard industry. This new presence will enable the Swedish technology leader to deliver faster service, enhanced support and advanced rebuild solutions for existing panelboard plants, helping customers modernize production and drive sustainability.

This strategic move reflects Sunds Fibertech’s commitment to closer collaboration and quicker response times for North American customers. The company is already well established in the U.S. as an OEM supplier of Küsters continuous presses and multi-opening presses, with one of the largest installed bases in the market. While the American market today focuses primarily on press modernization and spare parts, Sunds Fibertech’s offering goes far beyond that, according to the company.

“We see this as a natural next step in our development,” says Lars Eklund, Group CEO. “Our ambition is to get closer to our customers and build even stronger partnerships and services. With a local presence, we can act faster and provide the technical support the market expects.” Although Sunds Fibertech is widely recognized for its installed base of presses in the American market, the company offers a comprehensive portfolio of single machines designed to upgrade and optimize existing production lines. These include solutions for steam recovery, mat pre-heating, resin injection systems and energy efficiency improvements—all aimed at boosting performance, reducing operational costs and supporting sustainability goals.

“North America has been our second-largest sales region for several years,” says Kenth Eklund, President Sales. “We look forward to serving both existing and new customers in demanding projects across the continent—and to introducing our full portfolio of single machines to the American market.”

Sunds Fibertech covers the entire process chain, from raw material handling to press technology, energy systems, and emission reduction. Its portfolio has grown through strategic acquisitions, including Advanced Cyclone Systems (ACS) and LÜBKE GmbH, strengthening expertise in environmental technologies. Looking ahead, the company is committed to future-ready solutions such as bio-based resins, recycled raw materials and advanced air-cleaning systems. 

With headquarters in Sweden and 11 offices worldwide, the new U.S. presence completes Sunds Fibertech’s global footprint.