Goodyear Belting has introduced in Australia a range of solid woven PVC conveyor belting manufactured at the group's plant in South Africa.

According to Bob Patman, Goodyear Belting product manager, fabric conveyor belting, Asia Pacific region, the PVC belt complements the Australian subsidiary's existing range of steel cord and textile reinforced belt.

The PVC manufacturing unit in South Africa was commissioned in 1984 and can produce 1500m a day.

A spokesman for Goodyear in South Africa said the company had produced and sold about 2.7 million metres of belt. Exported product from the plant went to Australia, India and Britain.

"In 1999 we introduced thicker PVC covers up to 3mm, with a smooth finish," the spokesman said.

Coal Flo + complies with SABS971/1980 guidelines and is approved to foreign standards including AS1332/1991. According to Goodyear, the belt offers:

— Superior abrasion and impact resistance due to its solid woven carcass and high adhesion properties of the PVC impregnation process.

— Exceptional fastener holding ability as a result of the tightly woven nylon-polyester-cotton carcass, which makes a solid unit which offers longer splice life.

— Superior troughing and load carrying characteristcs.

— Idler function failure resistance resulting from the extra strong carcass which is designed to support the load across the idler frame.

— Oil, chemical and moisture resistance.

— Optional thicker PVC covers for extended belt life.