NZ Leaf Chain Manufacturers
Our range of leaf chain for materials handling applications is used worldwide for straddle carriers, forklift trucks and on major civil engineering works such as flood defence barriers.
Whether you’re an OEM specifying chain for a new forklift mast design, an aftermarket service provider replacing worn FLT chain, or a maintenance engineer sourcing a reliable leaf chain manufacturer in New Zealand, Renold carries the range and expertise to match the right chain to your application.
Leaf Chain Supplier Delivering Strength and Longer Service Life
Leaf chain is the simplest of steel chains, consisting only of interlaced link plates held together by riveted pins. That simplicity is precisely what gives it such high tensile strength relative to its weight, making it the preferred chain type for lifting and balancing applications where safety margins are non-negotiable.
As a trusted leaf chain supplier, Renold chain is manufactured to ISO 4347 standards and available in AL (American Light), BL (Leaf Heavy), and LL (Light Leaf) series configurations. Each type is built with ensign features that directly extend working life under load:
Special Design Features:
- Link Plates: Plates are made from a special steel that can withstand sudden loads and provide maximum resistance to breakage.
- Bearing Pins: Pins are manufactured from a special steel that has excellent resistance to bending. This increases the chain’s wear life.
- Inner Link Plates: Movement of the inner plates is improved by close control of the pin and plate hole dimensions. This reduces rubbing (friction) to a minimum, so the chain operates more economically and efficiently.
- Chain pitch: Pitch (distance between each pin or plate hole) accuracy, and pin hole diameters (holes in link plates) are maintained on every component during manufacture. This ensures consistent precision performance and good movement of the leaf chain joints.
For new equipment designs, we typically recommend BL series leaf chain. BL chain uses thicker link plates and larger diameter pins than the AL series, delivering higher tensile strength and more consistent pitch accuracy, both of which are critical in safety-related lifting applications.
Leaf Chain Applications Across Key NZ Industries
Leaf chain is used wherever high-strength, flexible linkages are required for reciprocating motion or lifting at controlled speeds. As established leaf chain manufacturers, the common applications across New Zealand include:
- Forklift Trucks and Mast Assemblies: The primary application for leaf chain is providing the lifting force in counterbalanced and reach truck designs
- Straddle Carriers and Container Handling: Port and logistics operations rely on leaf chain for consistent, high-load lifting
- Civil Engineering: Flood defence barriers, lock gates, and similar infrastructure where chain must handle extreme tensile loads over long service intervals
- Work Platforms and Hoists: Industrial scissor lifts, goods lifts, and personnel access platforms
- Machine Tool Counterweights: Balancing applications in CNC machinery and production equipment
For applications involving corrosive or wet environments, talk to our team about specific surface treatment options, including zinc-plated and nickel-plated chain, that extend service life without compromising tensile performance.
Need Help Selecting the Right Leaf Chain?
As NZ-based leaf chain manufacturers, we can review your application and recommend the right lead chain specification, whether that’s a standard BL series for a forklift mast or a specialist configuration for a one-off civil engineering project.
Explore our leaf chain range or call +64 9 828 5018 to speak with our Auckland team directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Renold supply leaf chain cut to specific lengths?
Our Auckland facility can supply leaf chain cut to your required length, with chain anchors and clevis pins available to complete the assembly. You can contact our team with your equipment make and model, along with the required chain specification, for a quote!
How do I know when leaf chain needs replacing?
Leaf chain should be inspected regularly for elongation, plate wear, and pin condition. Industry best practice is to replace the chain once it reaches 2% elongation beyond its normal pitch length.
As leaf chain suppliers, we also provide chain wear gauges that allow you to check elongation on-site without removing the chain from the equipment.
What's the difference between a leaf chain and a roller chain?
Leaf chain consists only of interlaced link plates and pins—there are no rollers or bushes. This simpler construction gives leaf chain a higher strength-to-weight ratio than roller chain, making it suited to lifting and pulling applications.
Roller chain, by contrast, includes rollers and bushes that engage with sprocket teeth, making it suited to power transmission and conveyor drive applications.
Looking for Something Else?
Beyond leaf chain, Renold is one of New Zealand's leading industrial chain suppliers near you—manufacturing industrial roller chain, conveyor-engineered chains for drag chain conveyor manufacturers, and matched sprockets from our custom sprocket manufacturer facility. As established industrial gearbox manufacturers, we also produce worm gearbox units and other torque transmission components from our Auckland facility.
