Goodyear's Ohio conveyor belt plant expands production with new press

By Liz White, ERJ staff

Phoenix Arizona-Goodyear Engineered Products has added a new curing press to raise capacity at its Marysville, Ohio, conveyor belt plant, a move which it says will allow it, "to better serve growing markets."

For the second time in two years, Goodyear said, its Engineered Products unit has added capacity for heavy-duty steel- and fabric-reinforced conveyor belts. The new press provides more versatility to the facility, according to plant manager Mark Miller, quoted in a company statement.

Goodyear is currently exploring the complete sale of its massive Engineered Products division, which had 2004 sales of about $1500 million (Euro 1250 million) and operating income of $113 million. As well as conveyor belting the group makes transmission belts, hose, moulded goods and airsprings, at 40 plants worldwide.

At the Phoenix plant, "Business is strong and customer needs vary greatly," according to Miller. The new press can make fabric belts up to 102-inches (230-cm) wide, he said.

The first product being cured on the new press is Goodyear Plyon Plus, a premium-fabric belt intended for use in a copper mine, said Mike Braucher, marketing manager for Goodyear's conveyor belt business.

"The new equipment frees up … the press used to produce Goodyear Flexsteel steel-cable-reinforced belts," giving shorter lead times for customers, said Braucher.

Goodyear also makes heavy-duty conveyor belts at plants in Canada, Brazil, South Africa and Australia, and lightweight belts at Spring Hope, North Carolina.

The photo shows the new cure press for heavy-duty fabric belts at Goodyear's Marysville, Ohio, conveyor belt plant, with cure operator Victor Kuznetsov inspecting a roll of Plyon Plus during the equipment's inaugural run.