ContiTech opens Euro 5 million conveyor belt line in China

By Liz White, ERJ staff

Changhzi, China-Shanxi-Phoenix Conveyor Belt Systems Co. Ltd, now part of ContiTech AG's conveyor belt business, has inaugurated a Euro 5 million line for heavy duty belts its plant in Changhzi in the Chinese province of Shanxi.

Gerhard Lerch, ContiTech AG's executive board chairman, officiated at the inauguration ceremony in Changzi, for the plant's, ultra-modern new production line for heavy-duty conveyor belts,” said a statement from ContiTech.

ContiTech said the new line will make heavy-duty steel-cable conveyor belts for surface and underground mining. These can meet extremely tough quality standards, said Conti, adding that this especially applies to belts required by the coal mining sector-which is currently a very active area in China. Shangxi-Phoenix also makes belts for storage and handling facilities at ports-another area of intense acitivity in the country.

Shanxi-Phoenix Conveyor Belt Systems is a joint venture between Phoenix Conveyor Belt Systems Asia GmbH-now part of ContiTech AG-and its Chinese partners Lu An Mining Group Co. Ltd and Jingcheng Anthracite Group Co. Ltd. The plant employs 250, making PVC and multi-ply belts for coal mines, steel mills, cement works and power plants, as well as the steel-cable belts.

ContiTech's other rubber interests in China include hose plants in Changchun (ContiTech Grand Ocean) and Shanghai (ContiTech Fluid Shanghai Co. Ltd.) producing hose lines for Volkswagen and other big manufacturers.

The major German-headquartered rubber processor also has a printing blanket finishing unit, ContiTech Printing Blanket Shanghai Ltd; and a JV making drive belts, spring strut bearings and gaiter seals, ContiTech-Jiebao Power Transmission Systems Ltd.

The picture shows one of Conti's steelcord belts, which has operated successfully at the Felswerke GmbH limestone works in Münchehof, Germany since 1978.