Yokohama Rubber Co.’s Duotex conveyor belt received the Chairman’s Award at the Japan Environmental Management Association for Industry (JEMAI) FY2016 Awards for Resources Recycling Technologies and Systems.
Duotex was recognized for its durability and long service life and for having a rubber compound based on recycled raw materials, the tiremaker said.
Yokohama Rubber launched the Duotex conveyor belt series in 2012 for general-use conveyors transporting a wide variety of materials. According to the company, the belts have contributed to increasing basic conveyor belt performance by demonstrating excellent resistance to abrasion and flexural fatigue. To reduce environmental impact, the cover rubber and internal rubber skim coat are made from a compound having a higher ratio of recycled materials than the rubber on conventional conveyor belts.
The rubber manufacturing process for Duotex currently uses 15-20 tons of recycled resources a month, mostly from used truck and bus tires, Yokohama Rubber added.