ALWAYSE Engineering
ALWAYSE Engineering Limited is a Birmingham, UK-based specialist manufacturer founded in 1940 that designs, produces and services ball transfer units and adjacent material handling platforms for industrial manufacturers, logistics operators, airport handlers and glass producers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1940
- HeadquartersBirmingham, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ALWAYSE Engineering does
ALWAYSE Engineering Limited is a Birmingham-headquartered specialist manufacturer of ball transfer units (BTUs), mechanical components that enable 360-degree multi-directional movement of loads from light to 12,000kg without external power sources such as electricity or hydraulics. Founded in 1940, the firm operates an ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturing facility in Birmingham and produces a full standard range alongside fully custom-engineered BTUs built directly into OEM machines; its portfolio also extends to ball tables, ball decks, forklift and scissor-lift ball platforms, racking shelving systems, die lifters, glide strips, installation tooling and accessories. Customer segments are horizontal, with primary use cases in manufacturing and assembly, logistics and distribution, and secondary use cases in airport and aviation handling and glass and building materials; named customers include Pilkington, Lodige, HGG, FedEx, Dip Tech, Atlas Copco, Arup, and Vanderlande.
Revenue is generated through four streams: hardware sales of BTUs (direct and through distribution), custom design engineering services, after-market maintenance, and fitting services. The go-to-market relies on a worldwide authorized distributor network spanning 70+ countries (including partners such as RS Components, SKF, Bondy, and Internordic), supplemented by direct enterprise sales out of Birmingham via the company website, Brief Builder configuration tool, and phone sales. Pricing is quote-based, varies by specification, load rating and customization, and is not publicly disclosed. Marketing is driven by technical content (blog, information hub, case studies, sector pages), a LinkedIn presence and email newsletter, alongside industry-event presence. The firm has no public ticker, no disclosed subsidiaries, and shows no external funding history; limited corporate signals (UK Tax Strategy Statement referencing Lifco Group UK) suggest potential affiliation with a larger holding group, but ownership is not confirmed.
ALWAYSE Engineering firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ALWAYSE Engineering
- Legal name
- Alwayse Engineering Limited
- Website
- https://alwayse.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1940
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ALWAYSE Engineering Limited is a Birmingham, UK-based specialist manufacturer founded in 1940 that designs, produces and services ball transfer units and adjacent material handling platforms for industrial manufacturers, logistics operators, airport handlers and glass producers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where ALWAYSE Engineering is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birmingham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ALWAYSE Engineering business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ball Transfer Unit Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling ball transfer units - mechanical components for material handling. Units range from standard products to custom-engineered solutions. Sales are made directly and through a global distributor network.
- Custom Design Services: Engineering and design services for custom ball transfer solutions tailored to specific customer requirements and applications.
- Maintenance Services: Aftermarket maintenance services for existing ball transfer installations, providing ongoing revenue from the installed customer base.
- Fitting Services: Installation and fitting services for ball transfer units and related products.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
ALWAYSE Engineering product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ALWAYSE Engineering manufactures and sells ball transfer units (BTUs) — mechanical components that enable 360-degree multi-directional movement of materials and products without requiring electricity or hydraulics. The product portfolio spans standard roller ball tables, ball decks, forklift and scissor lift ball platforms, racking/shelving integrations, die lifters, glide strips, and installation tools/accessories. Revenue is generated through hardware product sales, custom-engineered solutions, and supporting design, maintenance, and fitting services distributed via a worldwide network of authorised distributors.
Product overview
ALWAYSE Engineering is a specialist manufacturer of ball transfer units and material handling solutions based in Birmingham, UK, operating since 1940. The core product portfolio centers on ball transfer units—mechanical components that enable 360-degree multi-directional movement without power, handling loads from light to 12,000kg. The product range includes standard roller ball tables, ball decks, and specialized platforms (forklift ball platform, scissor lift ball platform), complemented by installation tools, accessories (ball unit foot stop), and custom solutions. The offering extends to dedicated racking/shelving systems with integrated ball transfers. Supporting the hardware portfolio are engineering services including design, maintenance, and fitting. The company operates on a direct product plus add-on modules architecture, where customers can select standard units or configure custom solutions tailored to specific industrial applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ball Transfer Units (Standard Range) Mechanical ball transfer units that enable 360-degree multi-directional movement of materials without electricity or hydraulics. Available in load ratings from light-duty to 12,000kg per unit for industrial material handling.
- Alwayse Standard Roller Ball Tables Pre-engineered roller ball tables providing smooth, multi-directional movement for material handling and assembly operations in industrial settings.
- Alwayse Standard Ball Decks Standard ball decks (ball floors) designed for efficient multi-directional material movement across various industrial applications.
- Alwayse Forklift Ball Platform Specialised ball transfer platform designed for forklift integration to enable efficient heavy-load movement in industrial environments.
- Scissor Lift Ball Platform Ball transfer platform integrated with a scissor lift mechanism for enhanced material handling versatility and adjustable-height positioning.
- Ball Transfer Unit Installation Tool Specialised tool designed to facilitate efficient and accurate installation of ball transfer units in customer equipment.
- Ball Unit Foot Stop Safety accessory designed to secure ball transfer units and prevent unintended movement during operation.
- Ball Transfer Unit Shelving for Racking Racking and shelving system integrated with ball transfer units for efficient storage and retrieval operations in warehousing and logistics.
- Custom Ball Transfer Units Fully custom-engineered ball transfer solutions designed to meet specific application requirements, including units built directly into customer machinery for unique operational challenges.
- Ball Transfer Design Services Expert engineering design services for custom ball transfer solutions tailored to specific operational requirements of industrial customers.
- Ball Transfer Maintenance Services Maintenance services to ensure optimal performance and longevity of installed ball transfer equipment for existing ALWAYSE customers.
- Ball Transfer Unit Fitting Services Professional fitting and installation services for ball transfer units, supporting deployment into customer production lines and machinery.
- Die Lifters and Tee Blocks Heavy-duty die lifters and tee blocks designed for industrial metal forming and fabrication applications.
- Glide Strips Low-friction glide strips providing smooth material movement and reduced handling resistance for industrial applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- Handles loads up to 12,000kg
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ALWAYSE Engineering
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ALWAYSE Engineering technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
ALWAYSE Engineering partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- BondyminorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. Nature of partnership appears to be distribution/reseller relationship.
- TuliminorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. Nature of partnership appears to be distribution/reseller relationship.
- Bil GroupminorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. Nature of partnership appears to be distribution/reseller relationship.
- ParnellsminorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. Nature of partnership appears to be distribution/reseller relationship.
- InternordicminorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. Nature of partnership appears to be distribution/reseller relationship for Nordic region.
- Movi RuedasminorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. Nature of partnership appears to be distribution/reseller relationship.
- RS (RS Components)minorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. RS Components is a global distributor of industrial and electronic components.
- CasautominorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. Nature of partnership appears to be distribution/reseller relationship.
- SKFminorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. SKF is a global bearing and motion control company.
- DrasarminorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. Nature of partnership appears to be distribution/reseller relationship.
- Bench MasterminorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. Nature of partnership appears to be distribution/reseller relationship.
- HatgrupminorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. Nature of partnership appears to be distribution/reseller relationship.
- RodriguezminorListed as a partner company with logo displayed on the website. Nature of partnership appears to be distribution/reseller relationship.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ALWAYSE Engineering competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Caster Concepts: US manufacturer of heavy-duty industrial casters and material handling equipment. Overlaps with Alwayse in heavy-load applications and custom-engineered solutions.
- Tente International: German-headquartered global manufacturer of mobility solutions including casters and ball transfer units. A direct competitor in industrial material handling with comparable product range and global distribution.
- RWM Casters: Manufacturer of heavy-duty industrial casters and material handling equipment including ball transfer products. Overlaps with Alwayse in industrial and logistics applications.
- Colson Group: Global manufacturer of casters, wheels, and mobility products including ball transfer units. Competes with Alwayse in industrial material handling applications across logistics, manufacturing, and distribution.
- Schunk: German manufacturer of ball transfer units and gripping systems. Directly competes with Alwayse in industrial ball transfer units across European and global markets, serving similar OEM and manufacturing customers.
- HepcoMotion: UK-based manufacturer of linear motion products, including ball transfer units and slide systems. A direct competitor in the British and European material handling market with overlapping product portfolios and customer base.
- Carter Manufacturing: Manufacturer of ball transfer units and material handling components. A direct competitor in the ball transfer unit category serving similar industrial OEM customers.
- Hamilton Caster & Manufacturing: US-based manufacturer of industrial casters, wheels, and ball transfer units. Competitor in heavy-duty material handling solutions with similar customization capabilities and target end markets.
Broad incumbents
- Regal Rexnord: Large US-listed manufacturer of power transmission, bearings, and motion control products. While not specializing in ball transfer units, overlaps in motion control and material handling component markets.
Regional players
- SMB Bearings: UK-based specialist bearing supplier and distributor. Operates in adjacent bearing and motion component markets, primarily serving UK and European customers similar to Alwayse's regional footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ALWAYSE Engineering social profiles
Digital presenceALWAYSE Engineering compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
ALWAYSE Engineering financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ALWAYSE Engineering leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ALWAYSE Engineering funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ALWAYSE Engineering 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 ALWAYSE Engineering
What does ALWAYSE Engineering do?
ALWAYSE Engineering manufactures and sells ball transfer units (BTUs) — mechanical components that enable 360-degree multi-directional movement of materials and products without requiring electricity or hydraulics. The product portfolio spans standard roller ball tables, ball decks, forklift and scissor lift ball platforms, racking/shelving integrations, die lifters, glide strips, and installation tools/accessories. Revenue is generated through hardware product sales, custom-engineered solutions, and supporting design, maintenance, and fitting services distributed via a worldwide network of authorised distributors.
Is ALWAYSE Engineering a public or private company?
ALWAYSE Engineering is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was ALWAYSE Engineering founded?
ALWAYSE Engineering was founded in 1940. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ALWAYSE Engineering based?
ALWAYSE Engineering is headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does ALWAYSE Engineering make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ball Transfer Unit Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Design Services, maintenance Services and fitting Services.
Who are ALWAYSE Engineering's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Caster Concepts, Tente International, RWM Casters, Colson Group, Schunk, HepcoMotion, Carter Manufacturing and Hamilton Caster & Manufacturing. Regal Rexnord is listed as a broad incumbent. SMB Bearings is listed as a regional player.
Does ALWAYSE Engineering have an API?
No public API is recorded for ALWAYSE Engineering.