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| Company History |
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| Since 1919, Webb has provided innovative solutions that have become the gold standard in the material handling industry. |
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Founder Jervis B Webb
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The Jervis B. Webb Company's history is immortalized in the Diego Rivera mural that covers the walls of the Detroit Institute of Arts. The artwork was commissioned to honor the assembly line worker, but at the same time, it captures the future of innovation, in which technology is used to lighten man's burden. The assembly line that takes center stage in the famous mural was invented by Jervis B. Webb who helped change the face of automobile manufacturing.
Webb was a pioneer in the material handling industry. Having begun his career in mining, he found himself fascinated with a rivetless chain that was being used in hard coal mining operations. It was 1919, and automobile assembly lines were still being powered by man. He saw the potential to adapt this chain to the automotive industry and ultimately created a product that would revolutionize mass production.
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Early Assembly Line for Ford Motor Company |
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Humble Beginnings
From a small second floor office overlooking a jewelry store, Webb first sold his idea to Studebaker as an in-floor conveyor that would mechanize the production line. But it was the unique Webb forged link chain used in overhead conveyors that got Henry Ford's attention. Its ability to increase productivity and lower costs was exactly what the legendary automaker was looking for, and it wasn't long before the Jervis B. Webb Company had an order for 30 miles of chain conveyor. It was the beginning of a long relationship that continues even today, not only with Ford Motor Company, but with automotive companies around the globe.
Continuing Legacy
In 1952, under the leadership of Webb's sons, Jervis C. Webb and George H. Webb, the company's innovative spirit expanded even further. The younger Webbs shared their father's passion and ingenuity, as well as his dream to engineer material handling systems that could benefit any manufacturer. Today, our experienced engineers design the most durable and dependable integrated material handling systems on the market, increasing productivity and lowering costs for nearly every industry.
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Jervis B. Webb Company Engineers
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International Acclaim
For almost two decades, the Webb Airport Systems team has built baggage handling systems around the globe featuring advanced control systems that cannot be matched. Recent projects include Miami International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Jacksonville International Airport, as well as airports in Beijing, China, and Iraq.
Expanded Offerings
And our Smart Handling Systems team, which has been building Automatic Guided Vehicles since 1962, uses patented Webb solutions such as SmartLoader™ and SmartCart®, to design integrated systems for the manufacturing and warehousing industries - always adapting our advanced technology to the way an individual company does business. Some of the companies currently using Webb's Smart Systems include John Deere, Ethan Allen and General Motors.
Today, the company continues to grow under the guidance of Jervis B. Webb's granddaughter, Susan Webb, president and CEO.
Our history of innovation is our legacy. Helping you move your business forward is our future.
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Detroit Industry, South Wall (detail), 1932-1933, Diego M. Rivera, Gift of Edsel B. Ford, Photograph ©2001 The Detroit Institute of Arts
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