Sparks Belting
Sparks Belting is a 1946-founded Grand Rapids, Michigan manufacturer of custom conveyor belts, modular plastic belts, timing belts, and motorized pulleys, serving food processing, logistics, paper/recycling, and general industrial customers across 12 US and Mexico locations under JSJ Corporation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersGrand Rapids, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sparks Belting does
Sparks Belting, founded in 1946 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a private industrial manufacturer of custom conveyor belts, modular plastic belts, timing belts, heavy-duty rubber belting, and motorized pulleys. The company serves food processing, paper and recycling, logistics and distribution, automotive, building materials, and general industrial customers across the United States and Mexico, operating from 12 locations and a 105,000-square-foot consolidated national manufacturing center in Grand Rapids. Its proprietary product line centers on the Dura-Drive Plus and Dura-Drive SPM motorized pulleys, with the SPM variant delivering six times the energy efficiency of conventional AC induction motors and exceeding IE4 efficiency standards. Sparks Belting also offers engineered custom fabrications, including cleats, V-guides, specialty covers, mechanical pin splices, and cartridge seals rated to IP69K, which create specification lock-in for OEM partners such as Marel and Allegheny Paper Shredders.
The company operates a hybrid B2B revenue model combining one-time product sales (conveyor belts, motorized pulleys, replacement parts) with custom fabrication services, priced on a quote basis in US dollars under Net 30 payment terms. Go-to-market is executed through technical field sales representatives, toll-free phone sales, an online quote-request portal, and an online pulley configurator, targeting enterprise OEMs and end-users across six vertical segments. Sparks Belting is a division of JSJ Corporation (founded 1919, Grand Haven, Michigan), a diversified conglomerate, and in December 2025 merged with Mol Belting Systems to launch the unified Sparks Mol brand focused on global conveyance innovation.
Sparks Belting firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sparks Belting
- Legal name
- Sparks Division of JSJ Corporation
- Website
- https://sparksbelting.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Sparks Belting is a 1946-founded Grand Rapids, Michigan manufacturer of custom conveyor belts, modular plastic belts, timing belts, and motorized pulleys, serving food processing, logistics, paper/recycling, and general industrial customers across 12 US and Mexico locations under JSJ Corporation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sparks Belting industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Conveyor Belts & Motorized Pulleys
- NAICS
- Rubber and Plastics Hoses and Belting Manufacturing (326220), Conveyor and Conveying Equipment Manufacturing (333922)
- SIC
- Gaskets, Packg & Sealg Devices & Rubber & Plastics Hose (3050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial Belting (Conveyor, Power Transmission) (IMANALAB)
Keywords
Where Sparks Belting is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Rapids
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Sparks Belting business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Conveyor Belt Sales: Sale of custom and standard conveyor belts including lightweight conveyor belts, modular plastic belts, timing belts, and heavy-duty conveyor belting. Belts are customized solutions cut to size for each customer.
- Motorized Pulleys: Sale of Dura Drive Plus and Dura Drive SPM motorized pulleys. The Dura-Drive Plus transfers 95% of capacity to the belt compared to 60-75% for conventional systems.
- Custom Fabrications: Custom conveyor belt solutions including cleats, v-guides, specialty covers, and custom fabrications for unique application requirements. Includes custom cast urethane components.
- Replacement Parts and Services: Replacement OEM belts, slicer belts, curve belts, and related components. Net 30 payment terms with standard limited warranty of 12 months from invoice.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard conveyor belts and pulleys with pricing available upon request |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sparks Belting product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sparks Belting manufactures and distributes customized conveyor belt solutions—including lightweight PVC/polyurethane belts, modular plastic belts, timing belts, and heavy-duty rubber belting—alongside its proprietary Dura-Drive Plus and Dura-Drive SPM motorized pulleys. The company sells directly to industrial end-users and OEMs across food processing, paper/recycling, logistics, automotive, and building-materials sectors, supported by custom fabrication services (cleats, V-guides, specialty covers) and field sales with consultative application expertise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lightweight Conveyor Belts
Quantifiable outcome
- 6x more energy efficient than AC induction motors (Dura-Drive SPM)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Sparks Belting
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Sparks Belting technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Sparks Belting partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MarelcoreMarel, a leading global provider of advanced processing systems for poultry, meat, and fish industries, relies on Sparks Belting's oil-free synchronous motorized pulleys for their food processing equipment. Marel has 6,300 employees and sees increasing demand for more hygienic designs, making Sparks' oil-less pulleys a strategic fit for their conveyor systems. German company Momentum Technologies serves as US partner supporting this relationship.
- D&D Belt Service, LLCcoreSparks Belting acquired Atlanta-based D&D Belt Service, LLC to expand product portfolio, service capabilities, and geographic coverage in the southeastern United States. D&D Belt Service provides fabrication and installation services for heavy-duty rubber conveyor belting serving aggregate, recycling, paper/pulp, and lumber processing markets.
- Grand Valley State University (GVSU)minorSparks Belting hosts innovation workshops with GVSU students, particularly Dr. Paul Lane's Creativity in Marketing Innovation and New Product Development classes. Students develop sustainability solutions for the industrial belting industry, including alternatives for eco-friendly materials and scrap recycling initiatives. Sparks provides plant tours and executive engagement to enrich student learning while gaining fresh perspectives.
- Solar LandscapeminorSolar Landscape partnered with Sparks Belting to provide solar power installation at their Fairfield, NJ facility. Under a Purchase Power Agreement (PPA), Solar Landscape owns, operates, and maintains the solar system while Sparks purchases all generated power at rates 36% below 2018 levels for a 20-year fixed term. Solar Landscape handles all solar credits and government program management.
- Allegheny Paper ShredderscoreAllegheny Paper Shredders, an equipment manufacturer specializing in heavy-duty conveyor design and turn-key installation, relies on Sparks Belting for premium heavy-duty belting solutions. Sparks supplies custom belting for specialized applications including underground pit conveyors that saved the end customer 25% compared to steel belt alternatives.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sparks Belting competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Habasit: Global leader in conveyor and processing belts, power transmission belts, and modular belts. Directly comparable as a manufacturer of custom and standard conveyor belts serving food processing, packaging, and industrial customers across the same verticals as Sparks.
- Ammeraal Beltech (Member of Megadyne Group): Manufacturer of process and conveyor belts, including lightweight, modular plastic, and timing belts. Closely comparable product portfolio, target industries (food, logistics, automotive), and emphasis on application-engineered custom solutions.
- Forbo Siegling: Producer of lightweight conveyor belts, power transmission belts, and timing belts with strong presence in food, logistics, and industrial manufacturing. Comparable on product breadth, custom fabrication, and global OEM relationships.
- Flexco: Manufacturer of belt splicing solutions, mechanical fasteners, cleaners, and maintenance products for conveyors. Closely comparable to Sparks' splicing services and custom fabrication capabilities, with overlapping customer base in mining, aggregate, and food processing.
- Mol Belting Systems: US-based manufacturer of conveyor and power transmission belts serving food processing, packaging, and industrial markets. Now unified with Sparks Belting under the Sparks Mol brand (Dec 2025), making it both a historical direct peer and a merged entity.
Broad incumbents
- Continental ContiTech: Industrial division of Continental AG producing conveyor belts (including heavy-duty rubber), power transmission belts, and related products. Overlaps directly with Sparks' heavy-duty rubber segment (post-D&D acquisition) and timing belts, but operates at significantly larger global scale.
- Fenner (Michelin Industrial): Michelin's industrial belt operations (formerly Fenner) produce heavyweight conveyor belts, transmission belts, and polymer products. Comparable in heavy-duty rubber belting but with broader global footprint and diversified product portfolio.
Emerging players
- Intralox: Specialist in modular plastic conveyor belts and related equipment, with strong food processing focus. Comparable in modular plastic belt category and food-industry OEM relationships, though more focused on integrated belt-and-equipment solutions than belting alone.
- ScanBelt: Danish manufacturer of modular plastic conveyor belts with focus on food and packaging applications. Comparable to Sparks' modular plastic belt line in technology and target verticals.
- Belt Technologies: Manufacturer of custom metal conveyor belts, timing belts, and conveyor systems for food processing, industrial automation, and electronics. Comparable in custom-engineered specialty belts and timing belt category, though focused on metal rather than rubber/plastic.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sparks Belting social profiles
Digital presenceSparks Belting financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sparks Belting leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Sparks Belting subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Sparks Belting funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sparks Belting M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sparks Belting
What does Sparks Belting do?
Sparks Belting manufactures and distributes customized conveyor belt solutions—including lightweight PVC/polyurethane belts, modular plastic belts, timing belts, and heavy-duty rubber belting—alongside its proprietary Dura-Drive Plus and Dura-Drive SPM motorized pulleys. The company sells directly to industrial end-users and OEMs across food processing, paper/recycling, logistics, automotive, and building-materials sectors, supported by custom fabrication services (cleats, V-guides, specialty covers) and field sales with consultative application expertise.
Is Sparks Belting a public or private company?
Sparks Belting is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sparks Belting founded?
Sparks Belting was founded in 1946. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Sparks Belting based?
Sparks Belting is headquartered in Grand Rapids, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sparks Belting make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Conveyor Belt Sales are the primary driver. The others are motorized Pulleys, custom Fabrications and replacement Parts and Services.
Who are Sparks Belting's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Habasit, Ammeraal Beltech (Member of Megadyne Group), Forbo Siegling, Flexco and Mol Belting Systems. Broad incumbents are Continental ContiTech and Fenner (Michelin Industrial). Emerging players are Intralox, ScanBelt and Belt Technologies.
Does Sparks Belting have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sparks Belting.
What industry is Sparks Belting in?
Sparks Belting's product category is Industrial Conveyor Belts & Motorized Pulleys. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMANALAB, Industrial Belting (Conveyor, Power Transmission). Its NAICS code is 326220 and its SIC code is 3050.