Manufacturing of conveyor chain systems, drop-forged link chains and die-forged parts for demanding industries – Made in Germany.
Ketten Branscheid GmbH
Ennepetal · GevelsbergNew on Amplifa
About Branscheid
Ketten Branscheid GmbH develops and manufactures conveyor chain systems with fork-forged links (drop-forged link chains) as well as accessory components such as sprockets, drive and idler shafts, wear rails, pins and bushings. The forged parts, weighing 0.3 to 25 kg, are produced in the company's own drop forge at Branscheid Umformtechnik GmbH & Co. KG in Gevelsberg, including workpiece design and die manufacturing. Component production, further processing and assembly of subassemblies into pre-assembled chain strands take place in Ennepetal on modern machining centers. In terms of materials, steels, corrosion-resistant steels and manganese-chromium alloys are used with multi-stage hardening processes such as case hardening. Founded in 1938, the family business in its fourth generation employs around 80 staff on 11,000 m² of production space and supplies industries such as wood and cement, waste recycling, biomass, sewage sludge utilization, chemicals, rail and mechanical engineering, among others as a supplier to EGGER, Fortum and BTB.
- Site
- Ennepetal
- Processes
- Drop-forged link chains (drop-forged links, own forge), Die manufacturing (tool manufacturing for forged parts), Manufacture of sprockets, Manufacture of drive and idler shafts, Production of wear rails (manganese rails / abrasion liners), Assembly of subassemblies and chain strands (pre-assembly of conveyor chains), Engineering and design of custom conveyor chain systems, Case hardening / multi-stage hardening processes (on pins and bushings)
- Materials
- Steel (general, forged parts), Corrosion-resistant steels, Manganese steel (wear rails), Manganese-chromium alloy (pins, bushings), Drop forging, Steel (general), Manganese steel, Manganese-chromium alloy
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, Deutsche Bahn HPQ, Deutsche Bahn Q1
- Founded
- 1938
- Employees
- 80
- 01
Consulting
- 02
Engineering/Design
- 03
Die manufacturing
- 04
Drop forging (forged parts 0.3–25 kg)
- 05
Heat treatment (case hardening)
- 06
Machining (sprockets, shafts, wear rails)
- 07
Surface coating (corrosion protection)
- 08
Assembly of chain strands/subassemblies
- 09
Quality assurance (testing laboratory)
- 10
After-sales (inspection, chain replacement, on-site measurements)
Materials & Processes
Drop forging
In-house forge for forged parts from 0.3 to 25 kg, including die manufacturing.
Steel (general)
Base material for drop-forged links, forged parts and dies.
Corrosion-resistant steels
Against corrosion with wet conveyed material such as wet chips or chemically aggressive materials.
Manganese steel
Material for wear-resistant wear rails (abrasion liners).
Manganese-chromium alloy
For pins and bushings; in combination with case hardening, extremely wear-resistant surface with a tough core.
Case hardening (multi-stage hardening process)
Produces resistant surfaces on pins and bushings with a tough core.
Sites
Ennepetal
DEHeadquarters, component manufacturing, sprockets, shafts, wear rails, assembly
- Materials
- Steel, corrosion-resistant steels, manganese steel
- Machining centers
- Testing laboratory (bending/tensile tests, material analyses, hardness tests)
- Assembly
Gevelsberg
DEDrop forge (Branscheid Umformtechnik GmbH & Co. KG), forged parts 0.3–25 kg incl. die manufacturing
- Part weight / size
- 0.3–25 kg
- Materials
- Steel
- Drop forge equipment (modernized in 2019)
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drop-forged link chains (drop-forged links, own forge)Forming | – | – | 0.3 kg – 25 kg | – | Steel, Corrosion-resistant steels, Manganese-chromium alloy |
| Die manufacturing (tool manufacturing for forged parts)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Steel |
| Manufacture of sprocketsMachining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Manufacture of drive and idler shaftsMachining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Production of wear rails (manganese rails / abrasion liners)Machining | – | – | – | – | Manganese steel |
| Assembly of subassemblies and chain strands (pre-assembly of conveyor chains)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Engineering and design of custom conveyor chain systemsEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Case hardening / multi-stage hardening processes (on pins and bushings)Heat treatment | – | – | – | – | Manganese-chromium alloy |
| Surface coatings (corrosion protection)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Testing laboratory: bending and tensile tests, material analyses, microstructure and crackTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chain replacement / inspection and after-sales service (on-site measurements, wear assessment)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Supply activities for the rail industry, agricultural machinery manufacturers and mechanicalForming | – | – | 0.3 kg – 25 kg | – | Steel |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machining centers | – | – | – | – | Ennepetal / Gevelsberg |
| Drop forge equipment (forged parts 0.3–25 kg) | – | – | – | 2019 | Gevelsberg (Branscheid Umformtechnik GmbH & Co. KG) |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
Ketten Branscheid is certified to DIN ISO 9001:2015 (SGS) and performs bending and tensile tests, material analyses, microstructure and crack examinations as well as hardness tests in its own testing laboratory. For the rail industry, certifications from Deutsche Bahn apply (HPQ until 31.10.2026, Q1).
| Evidence | Ennepetal | Gevelsberg |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 | ||
| Deutsche Bahn HPQ | ||
| Deutsche Bahn Q1 |
History
- 1938
Foundation of the sole proprietorship Wilhelm BRANSCHEID
- 1970
Continuation by Paul-Willi BRANSCHEID
- 1980
Foundation of P.W. BRANSCHEID GmbH by Paul-Willi Branscheid and Wilfried Branscheid
- 2002
Relocation to today's company premises and expansion of production area
- 2006
Renaming to Ketten Branscheid GmbH
- 2007
Acquisition of the drop forge Köllmann & Vorlaender, operating as Branscheid Umformtechnik GmbH & Co. KG
- 2012
Heike Branscheid and Rita Thiel take over management
- 2019
Modernization of the machine park and capacity expansion
- 2026
Joining the BAV (Federal Association of Waste Recyclers)