Solve's Final Piece: How a Belt Maker Cements a Drivetrain Empire

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – December 08, 2025 – Solve Industrial Motion Group today announced its acquisition of D&D Global, a domestic manufacturer of power drive belts. While on the surface it may appear as just another industrial consolidation, the move represents the calculated capstone to an aggressive, multi-year campaign to build a comprehensive power transmission powerhouse. The deal is less about a single acquisition and more about the final piece of a complex puzzle, transforming Solve into a formidable "full drivetrain solution" provider poised to challenge established industry giants.

The significance of the timing was not lost on Solve's CEO, Ernie Lauber, who stated, "This completes a series of acquisitions for 2025 that positions Solve as the premiere provider of the full drive train solution." This single sentence frames the D&D deal not as a beginning, but as the culmination of a deliberate and rapid expansion strategy.

The 'Buy & Build' Blueprint

Since its formation in 2020 through the merger of PTI, IPTCI, and LMS, Solve Industrial, with the backing of private equity firm Audax, has pursued a disciplined "Buy & Build" strategy. The objective has been clear: consolidate a fragmented market of specialized component manufacturers to create a single-source supplier for the entire industrial power transmission and motion control ecosystem. This strategy has unfolded through a rapid succession of 11 acquisitions, each one adding a new, critical capability to the company's growing arsenal.

The acquisition trail in 2025 alone demonstrates this methodical approach. Earlier this year, Solve brought Power Rite Products, a specialist in chains and related components, into the fold. This was followed by the acquisition of B&B Manufacturing, North America’s largest synchronous drive pulley maker, and Miller Bearing Company, a conveyor bearings manufacturer. Each deal meticulously filled a product gap. The company's history shows similar strategic moves, such as acquiring SST Bearing Corporation in 2022 to add USA Rollers Inc., and SPB-USA in 2023 to gain access to EZO high-precision miniature bearings.

Viewed in this context, the acquisition of D&D Global is the logical and necessary conclusion. While Solve had built a formidable portfolio of bearings, chains, sprockets, and pulleys, it lacked a core competency in power drive belts—the flexible sinews that connect the entire drivetrain. By acquiring D&D, Solve has finally closed the loop, enabling it to offer a complete, integrated package from a single catalog.

The Strategic Value of Vertical Integration

The true prize in the D&D Global acquisition may not just be its product line, but its operational model. Headquartered in Rock Valley, Iowa, D&D is a 100% vertically integrated manufacturer. This is a powerful differentiator in an industry often plagued by supply chain volatility and quality control issues. Unlike competitors who rely on a web of third-party suppliers, D&D controls its entire production process, reportedly from owning the raw materials to mixing its own chemicals and manufacturing its own belt molds and cord.

This level of control yields tremendous strategic advantages that Solve can now leverage across its platform. First, it ensures a higher degree of quality and performance consistency. D&D has built a reputation for producing high-performance V-belts and timing belts—offering over 35,000 configurations—that are said to rival or even outperform top-tier brands in durability and strength, but without the associated "name-brand markup." For Solve, integrating a supplier with this reputation for quality is a significant win.

Second, vertical integration provides unparalleled supply chain resilience. In the wake of global disruptions that have created component shortages and long lead times, D&D's domestic, self-contained manufacturing offers a stable and predictable source of critical parts. With four U.S. locations and a commitment to 98% same-day shipping, D&D's operational prowess can help Solve offer its customers faster lead times and greater reliability, a crucial competitive edge. As Ernie Lauber noted, "D&D's belts are some of the most high performing in the industry, and I'm excited they are now part of the Solve family."

Reshaping the Competitive Arena

With the D&D acquisition, Solve Industrial is making a bold statement in the broader industrial motion market. The company is no longer just a collection of specialized brands; it is an integrated solutions provider aiming to compete head-on with established titans like Timken, SKF, and Regal Rexnord. The market trend is undeniably moving towards consolidation and integrated solutions. OEMs and plant managers are increasingly looking to simplify procurement, reduce engineering complexity, and ensure component compatibility by sourcing from fewer, more capable suppliers.

The demand is fueled by the relentless march of automation and the need for greater operational efficiency. A "full drivetrain solution" provider can offer pre-engineered systems where bearings, belts, pulleys, and chains are designed to work together seamlessly. This reduces design time for customers, minimizes integration risks, and can lead to more compact, energy-efficient, and reliable machinery.

By bringing D&D's belt manufacturing in-house, Solve is now better equipped to deliver on this value proposition. It can control the quality and availability of every major component in the drivetrain. This allows the company to move beyond simply selling individual parts and start competing on the performance and reliability of the entire system, a much more defensible and lucrative position in the market. The move reflects a deep understanding of where the industry is headed: away from fragmented component sales and towards holistic system-level partnerships. Barry Emmelkamp, COO of D&D Global, echoed this sentiment, stating, "Solve's platform is the perfect place to continue the growth of D&D." This suggests an alignment of vision, where D&D's capabilities will be amplified, not just absorbed, within the larger Solve ecosystem to better serve a market hungry for comprehensive solutions.

This final acquisition of 2025 solidifies Solve's position as a serious contender, transforming it from a roll-up of smaller players into a cohesive entity with the scale, product breadth, and manufacturing depth to challenge the industry's largest incumbents.