UK Preferred Partner for Movex®
Norfolk-Based Parts & Assembly Specialists
Sub-Assembly Services for Conveyor & Packaging Parts
Supplying conveyor components and packaging change parts pre-assembled and ready for installation. Combine our in-house machined parts with stocked hardware so your build team receives complete, tolerance-verified assemblies rather than loose components.
Our Sub-Assembly Capability
Complete Assemblies, Not Loose Parts
When you order conveyor components or change parts from SL Plastics, we can supply them pre-assembled with their mating hardware, so your build team or engineer receives a complete finished assembly rather than a box of components to put together. This speeds up installation, eliminates tolerance mismatches between suppliers, and removes the risk of missing or incorrect hardware.
The two most-requested sub-assembly services are described below, both available as add-on options to any of our CNC-machined parts or conveyor component orders.
Our Sub-Assembly Services
Two Assembly Services, Both In-House
Change Parts Assembly
For Packaging & Bottling Lines
Change parts for packaging and bottling machines often require mating hardware — spacers, mounting bosses, retainers, fasteners — that we can manufacture alongside the primary change part.
Supplying the complete assembly means your maintenance team handles one finished unit rather than multiple loose components, and we guarantee every mating surface fits correctly on arrival.
Commonly Included:
Spacers • Mounting bosses • Retainers • Threaded fasteners • Bushings • Clamping hardware
Conveyor Roller Assemblies
Rollers + Movex® Bearings Fitted
Conveyor rollers supplied complete with bearings, circlips and end caps fitted and verified, using Movex® bearings from our UK stock. A genuine single-part-number solution ready to drop into your conveyor line.
This is one of our most-requested sub-assembly services because it removes every typical installation pain point: tolerance mismatches between separately-sourced bearings and rollers, missing circlips or end caps, or time spent pressing bearings into place on-site.
Includes as Standard:
Machined roller body • Movex® bearings • Circlips • End caps • Tolerance-verified assembly • Ready for direct installation
Have a different assembly requirement? We’ll discuss it on enquiry — most combinations of our machined parts and stocked hardware can be pre-assembled for despatch.
Why Have Parts Pre-Assembled?
One Supplier Means Tolerances Always Match
When mating parts come from separate suppliers, their individual tolerances can stack up on assembly. Each supplier works within their own acceptable limits, but when you try to bring the components together the accumulated variance can mean parts that don’t quite fit, fits that are too tight or too loose, or assemblies that work mechanically but not reliably over time.
Any out-of-tolerance part can of course be returned for modification, but the installation delay is rarely welcome, especially when the line is down or the build schedule is tight. Supplying a complete assembly that has already been verified in-house removes that risk entirely.
Because we manufacture the machined parts in our own workshop and fit the hardware from our own stock, we control both sides of every tolerance relationship. That’s what makes in-house sub-assembly reliable in a way that multi-supplier coordination cannot be.
Benefits to Your Build Team
- No tolerance stacking between suppliers
- Faster installation on site
- No missing hardware on delivery
- Single part number to order and track
- Fit verified before despatch
- Fewer delays from part rejections
Part of a Wider Conveyor Parts Offering
Machining, Stock & Assembly from One UK Supplier
Our sub-assembly service works best when paired with our CNC machining of the primary components and the Movex® conveyor parts we hold in UK stock. When the machined part, the hardware, and the assembly work all happen in one workshop, coordination and coordination costs disappear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sub-Assembly Questions Answered
What is sub-assembly and do I need it?
Sub-assembly means supplying two or more mating components already fitted together as a single finished part, ready for installation. It’s particularly useful when the mating components have tight tolerances or when hardware (bearings, circlips, fasteners) needs to be correctly positioned or pressed into place. If your build team is spending time on-site assembling components from multiple suppliers, pre-assembly is usually worth considering.
What do you assemble in-house?
Our two most-requested sub-assembly services are change parts for packaging and bottling lines (supplied with spacers, mounting bosses, retainers and fasteners as needed), and conveyor roller assemblies (supplied with Movex® bearings, circlips and end caps fitted and verified). For other combinations of our machined parts and stocked hardware, contact us with your requirements.
Does sub-assembly cost extra?
There’s a nominal charge for the assembly labour itself, but the total delivered cost is often lower than the alternative of ordering parts separately from different suppliers and doing the assembly on-site, because you save on coordination, installation time, and the risk of rejects or missing parts. We’ll quote the assembly cost explicitly as part of any order so you can compare.
What bearings do you use in roller assemblies?
We use Movex® bearings from our UK stock as the standard choice for roller assemblies. As Movex®’s UK Preferred Partner we hold bearings in a range of sizes, housing styles and washdown-resistant grades, ready for immediate fitment. For non-standard bearings or specific brand requirements, contact us with the specification.
What about quality checks on assemblies?
Every assembly is inspected before despatch. For roller assemblies this includes dimensional verification of the machined roller body, correct bearing seating and retention, and end-cap fit. For change parts assemblies, all mating surfaces are verified before the assembly is dispatched. Detailed inspection reports are available on request for safety-critical components.
How does this affect lead times?
Sub-assembly typically adds 1 to 2 days to the overall lead time compared with supplying loose components. In practice the on-site time saved by receiving a finished assembly usually outweighs this small addition, especially on breakdown or urgent build work where every hour matters.
Where are you based and do you ship UK-wide?
We are based in Thetford, Norfolk and ship pre-assembled components UK-wide. Assemblies are packaged to protect both the machined parts and the fitted hardware during transit. International shipping is available on enquiry.
Ready to Discuss Your Assembly Requirements?
Send us your parts list, drawings or a description of what you’re trying to build. We’ll confirm what we can pre-assemble, how long it takes, and what it costs.
