Saving planets and pounds

Their research found that the combination of the carcasses and Sulfron – a rubber ingredient – was found to be an ideal, energy-saving solution. On the one hand, the synthetic fibre-reinforced carcasses are lighter than those reinforced by steel, while the presence of Sulfron means that the rubber is not only more flexible, but stronger. This combination reduces energy consumption.

The research discovered a further benefit – the price of new technology would be recouped in a short time period of between two and four months.

An obstacle to all this, however, is uncertainty. The report says that companies are unwilling to take the risk with new technology because of the cost factor – breakdown can allegedly result in costs of up to E50,000 per hour. Despite this, Prof Lodewijks has been in communication with end users of conveyor belts, and interest in the environmentally friendly solution is said to be growing.

The work between Professor Lodewijks and Teijin Aramid continues, and with rising interest and the potential of this environmentally-friendly solution, conveyor belt technology could take an even more interesting turn in the future.