Saunders Farming, a privately owned company established 44 years ago, grows cotton, chickpeas, wheat and other crops. Thanks to the efforts of owner and director Craig Saunders, plant efficiency has increased by 30 per cent in the last 12 years. ‘When it was time to harvest, we didn’t want to waste time checking the lubrication of the machines. Since installing Groeneveld-BEKA’s single-line automatic lubrication system, I can switch my machine on or off at any time, even if it hasn’t been running for a long time: no grease checks, no extra maintenance. Having worked in the agricultural industry for more than 30 years, I highly recommend these systems to my partners in the agricultural industry.’
Craig Saunders uses none other than Timken’s Groeneveld-BEKA (Greenfield-BEKA) self-lubricating system.
Lubrication is essential for the transmission of any machinery. Lubrication used to be a dangerous and time-consuming task. Today, automatic lubrication equipment has helped to free mankind from this lengthy and dangerous task and has made machinery more viable and productive. Greenfield Beca’s contribution to the development of industrial lubrication technology cannot be ignored. After nearly a century of development, it is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of automated lubrication systems, fluid management and safety and security systems.
01Fusion
Groeneveld-BEKA (Greenfield-BEKA) consists of a strong combination of two long-established companies, Groeneveld, which was founded in 1971 and acquired by Timken in 2017, and BEKA, which was founded in 1927 and acquired by Timken in late 2019.
Today, Greenfield-Beca has a network of 38 subsidiaries in 18 countries and an extensive network of dealers and distributors in 58 countries.
02Multi-scenario coverage
BEKA has an extensive product portfolio that goes beyond conventional lubrication systems, while Groeneveld has a reputation for high quality, reliability and effectiveness in the mobile sector. With this strong combination, Greenfield-BEKA specialises in a wide range of automated lubrication systems from single-point lubricators to a variety of single- and two-line, multi-line and progressive lubrication systems. With a worldwide network of subsidiaries, distributors and dealers, it serves a wide range of market segments, from the smallest excavators to the largest industrial applications.
For customers, Greenfield-Beckert products and services mean higher productivity and lower operating costs. The application of Greenfield Beca’s high-end systems reduces wear and tear and extends the service life of critical components. At the same time, Greenfield Beca’s automatic lubrication systems contribute to increased safety, as operators no longer need to climb on and off the machines.
Greenfield-Beca’s systems are available as complete package installations for manufacturers of equipment such as trucks, wind turbines, mining and construction equipment, as well as complementary installations as aftermarket equipment modules for a wide range of on- and off-road, agricultural, harbour equipment and industrial applications. Greenfield-Beca’s equipment comes with targeted installation instruction manuals and specialised technicians to assist in the design, co-ordinate the installation and instruct the user on how to use it.
The owner of Saunders Farms was impressed with Greenfield Beca’s after-sales service: ‘The technician came on time and the installation took exactly as long as I was told in advance. I was also impressed with the skills of the installation technician. He knew exactly how best to install the system on my machine without causing damage and unnecessary modifications. In addition, even after the installation, Greenfield Beca stayed in touch with us to provide a high level of support.’
To help customers achieve better lubrication results, Greenfield-Beca also offers lubricants and fluid control systems that are perfectly matched to the lubrication system. Among them, the fluid management system can reduce routine maintenance of equipment by controlling the engine oil level or removing contaminants, and has the environmental performance of energy saving and carbon reduction.
03 Accelerating local construction
Beca entered the Chinese market in 2014. Beca’s China factory has a full chain of functions from production to R&D, and has been continuously launching innovative products and increasing production capacity for more than 10 years. 2025, Beca’s China factory will be further expanded. Beca Suzhou will form a strong synergy effect with Timken’s other 3 industrial transmission brands and 5 bearing manufacturing bases, deepen the localisation construction, improve the response speed and service quality to local customers, fully realise the layout of local research and development, local manufacturing and local service, and continuously extend customer value.
From the global step into China, and then radiate from China to the world. This long history has resulted in Greenfield Beca’s tradition of focused innovation and world-class manufacturing capabilities. Since joining Timken, Greenfield Beca has unlocked market potential by combining expertise with innovative industrial processes, and has achieved a number of successes in China – such as working with leading Chinese companies on major projects such as wind farms, metro shields, and aerospace landing gear.
04Future
Greenfield-Beca will continue to focus on product innovation to achieve steady growth. Based on the consolidated technology deposits and R&D resources, the company will develop more efficient, low-friction lubrication technologies to extend equipment life and reduce maintenance costs, such as corrosion-resistant bearing lubrication solutions for the food industry. In terms of business growth and sustainability, Greenfield-Beckert will focus on renewable energy, leveraging its technological strengths in wind energy lubrication systems, combined with Timken’s leading position in the wind power bearing market, to help the company achieve its 2030 renewable energy goals, with a particular focus on rapid growth in the Chinese market.
As OEMs and end-users move towards automated lubrication, bringing together Greenfield-Beca and many of the leading industrial transmission brands puts Timken in a better position to deliver a number of advantages in product design, technological innovation, customer reach, engineering services and more, advantages that will continue to translate into customer value.