Belt Line

10 2014

Vol. 13 Issue 4

A Publication of NIBA The Belting Association

2014 Annual Convention Recap

By Tom Pientok, 2014 Program Committee Chair, Apache Inc

he 2014 NIBA Convention was an exciting event on

many fronts. It was the first time NIBA returned to an
urban venue since 2007 and membership turned out in
near record numbers. There were 609 attendees comprised
of 201 distributor delegates, 274 manufacturing and affiliates
and 130 spouse or companions, as well as 4 prospective and
guest attendees. There were 115 international attendees representing 19 countries. The Expo once again sold out with
82 booths from 82 companies.
Seattle certainly did not disappoint! The city offered a host
of networking, site-seeing and entertainment opportunities.
Whether it was a stroll through Pike Place Market, a tour
of the Underground or a stop at the Tap House, convention
goers found plenty to do in and around the Seattle Sheraton
Hotel. And, we all got a dose of typical Seattle weather with
a little rain on Thursday followed by mostly sunny skies and
pleasant temperatures for the remainder of the weekend.

2014 Ren Morf

In addition to returning to an urban venue, this years convention schedule was modified to offer more schedule flexibility and upfront networking opportunities. The convention
kicked-off with golf and an all new event, the first ever NIBA
table tennis tournament. While the weather was a little
Seattle-like at the onset of the golf outing, it turned out to be

Convention attendees enjoyed dinner and cocktails under

Chihuly glass at the farewell reception

2014 NIBA
Committee
Members

2014 NIBA
Scholarship
Winners

a picturesque day. For those

who participated or even
stopped by to see the
table tennis tournament, you experienced a new way to
network at the annual
convention. The
opening reception
later that evening
offered convention
delegates the opportunity to connect
with industry friends
at NIBAs version of
the Pike Place Market, complete with food
vendors and entertainment with a local flare.
The annual business meeting was conducted Friday morning. All committee chairs gave an overview of the initiatives
each committee is addressing. The morning concluded with
the keynote address by former Speaker of the House, The
Honorable Newt Gingrich. His message was based on his
recent book, Breakout, where his primary focus is on ways to
resolve many of our countries issues. However, in order for
the issues to be resolved, the prison guards of the past must
give way to the pioneers of the future. Speaker Gingrich
linked these same principles to the way NIBA members can
drive change and success in their businesses.
Friday evening was host to the annual manufacturer hospitality night. The highlight of the convention, once again, was the annual
os
Expo held on Saturday morning.
Covention Phot
The convention concluded on Saton pages 6-7
urday evening with a slightly upscale closing reception held at the
Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum.
2014 Annual Convention Recap continued on page 3

Member to
Memeber

22

PIW, EP, and

ST: Whats the
Difference?

6737 W Washington St, Suite 1300, Milwaukee, WI 53214 414.389.8606 FAX 414.276.7704 www.niba.org

Letter from the President

hat a great convention we had in Seattle! My thanks go out to Tom

Pientok and the NIBA Program Committee who selected a great location and put together an excellent program. Also, thanks to our staff
from SAMI who worked so hard to make the convention a success.
I hope you all enjoyed Seattle. What a great city! It has been a while since
NIBA had a city venue for the convention. I hope you took advantage of the city
locale to enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes of Seattle.

Tom Wujek,
2014 NIBA President

I want to thank all of the companies who attended the Annual Convention. It is
an investment of time and money to attend the convention. As a participant, I
can not think of a better investment I make every year than to come to the convention, catch up with distributors, manufacturers, and to get some personal and
professional development.
On top of the great convention, in October NIBA offered our Train Online
in October for FREE. NIBA has built great resources that can benefit NIBA
member employees at all levels. Go to NIBA.org to get details on NIBAs great
training resources.
Thank you for your commitment and ongoing support of NIBA.
Sincerely,

NIBAs logo, videos, written materials, etc.,

are proprietary material. Please submit a
written request to NIBA Headquarters to
receive permission for use in web sites,
catalogs, promotional materials, etc. All
articles in the Belt Line may be reprinted
with prior written approval from NIBA.

Belt
Line
Executive Director........ Jennifer Rzepka, CAE
Account Coordinators.......................Jen Hack

Sandy Kaye
Assistant.................................Haley Rykowski
Graphic Designer.................... Dan Dudzinski
Digital Media Coordinator.......Christine Piela

Editing of all member submissions for

inclusion in the Belt Line is a NIBA Board of
Directors requirement. Generally, comments
regarding quality, value, cost, etc., will be
deleted.

Tom Wujek
NIBA President 2014
Flexco

2014 NIBA
Membership
285 Members
154 Distributor/Fabricator
116 Manufacturer
15 Affiliate
Up 4.78% from this point last year!

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

2014 Annual Convention Recap continued from cover
I will conclude by saying it was truly an honor to be able
to lead the planning of the 2014 Annual Convention. The
success of the 2014 convention is a result of the efforts
of a wonderful Program Committee and the entire SAMI
staff. None of this would happen without their work. So,
team, again, many thanks for your work.
Regards,
Tom Pientok
2014 Program Chair

More Convention Photos on pages 6-7

Membership Renewals
Dear NIBA members,

ou will soon be receiving your 2015 NIBA

membership renewal information. We hope
that you have found value in NIBA and will
continue to be a part of our organization. Renewals
are due back to the office by December 31, so please
return yours quickly.
Dont forget that you can also renew your dues online
at www.niba.org starting in November.
Please call the NIBA office if you have any questions.
Thank you,
NIBA Staff
414-389-8606
staff@niba.org

Thank you to all our 2014

Committee Members
The following members will not be continuing on their
current committee for the 2015 year. Some are continuing on other committees, but NIBA would like to recognize them all for the contributions to their respective
committees. Thank you!
Education/Technical Committee
Mike Cremeens, Shaw Almex Industries
Bert Flieger, Habasit America
Dick McConnell, Flexco
Scott Phillips, Global Belting Technologies
Marketing Committee
Craig Lemonds, Great Lakes Belting & Supply Corp
Roger Pelat, Belterra Corporation
Membership Committee
Bill Hornsby, Habasit America
Frank Hyclak, Veyance Technologies Inc
Wes Tyre, Shaw Almex Industries
Products & Services Committee
Steve Maddux, Sr., Knoxville Rubber & Gasket Co
Jonathan Morgan, Forbo Siegling LLC
Program Committee
Steve Cook, Luff Industries Ltd
Joe Haen, Kaman Industrial Technologies
Tom Pientok, Apache Inc
Vernon Smith, Universal Belting Resource

Download the NIBA Proud Member Logo

The Marketing Committee encourages all members to use the logo
on their company websites, brochures and other marketing materials. The logo usage policy may be found here:
www.niba.org/files/2413/9326/1534/NIBA_LogoUsagePolicy.pdf
For other file formats, please email the NIBA office at staff@niba.org

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

NIBA Memorial Scholarships Winners

By Beth Miller, 2014 Products & Services Committee, Flexco

IBA received 70 applications for the Memorial Scholarship this year. The Products
& Services committee members were extremely impressed by the level of community involvement and leadership skills by these students. Twelve $1,500 education
scholarships were awarded. One 2013 scholarship recipient was not able to claim their
award, so a thirteenth scholarship was awarded this year.
The 2014 winners were: Allison Hope Brown, John DiGiacobbe, Timothy Jackson, Jr.,
Alyssa P. Kulmoski, Joseph LHeureux, Robin Lane, Rebekah Lorantfy, Thomas Mayer, Victoria McCarty, William McCrary V, Katherine E. Shaw, Brooklynn Sherman, Ryan C. Young

Congratulations to
the thirteen recipients
of the 2014 Memorial
Scholarship!

Allison Hope Brown

John DiGiacobbe

Timothy Jackson, Jr.

Alyssa P. Kulmoski

Allison Hope Brown of Kent, OH applied

through Laura Brown of Fenner Dunlop
Engineered Conveyor Solutions and will
be attending Kent State University.

John DiGiacobbe of Oxford, OH applied through Anthony DiGiacobbe

of Veyance Technologies Inc and
will be attending Miami University.

Timothy Jackson, Jr. of Amherst,

NY applied through Pedro Liriano
of Sampla Belting s r l and will be
attending Daemen College.

Alyssa P. Kulmoski of Wexford, PA

applied through Michael J. Kulmoski
Jr. of LewisGoetz and will be attending Loyola University Baltimore.

Robin Lane of
Statesboro, GA
applied through
Russell Lane of
Fenner Dunlop
and will be attending Georgia
Southern University.

Joseph LHeureux
of Val Therese,
ON applied
through Gilles
LHeureux of
LewisGoetz and
will be attending Laurentian
University.

Joseph LHeureux

Robin Lane

Victoria McCarty

William McCrary
of Scottsdale, AZ
applied through
William McCrary
IV of RAM Enterprise Inc and will
be attending Scottsdale Community
College.

William McCrary
Brooklynn Sherman of
Ephraim, UT applied
through Bruce Sherman of Fenner Dunlop
Engineered Conveyor
Solutions and will be
attending Snow College- Ephraim Main
Campus.

Katherine E. Shaw
of Athens, GA
applied through
Robert Shaw
of Shaw Almex
Industries and
will be attending
the University of
Georgia.

Katherine E. Shaw

Rebekah Lorantfy
Victoria McCarty
of Crestview, KY
applied through
Chris McCarty of
Conveyor Accessories Inc and will be
attending Thomas
More College.

Thomas Mayer of
East Lansing, MI
applied through
Edward Mayer of
Thaman Rubber
Company and
will be attending
Michigan State
University.

Thomas Mayer

Rebekah Lorantfy
of Guelph, ON
applied through
John Lorantfy of
LewisGoetz and
will be attending
the University of
Guelph.

Brooklynn Sherman

Ryan C. Young of
Charlotte, NC applied through Chad
Young of Gates Mectrol Corp and will
be attending Wake
Forest University.

Ryan C. Young

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

NIBA Presidential Scholarships Winners

By Beth Miller, 2014 Products & Services Committee, Flexco

IBA received 73 applications for the six $4,000

Presidential Scholarships offered to the children of
employees of NIBA distributor/fabricator companies. The applicants were reviewed for their high academic
achievements, their community involvement, and their
experience in leadership roles. The Products and Services
committee was impressed by the caliber of the applicants
and awarded the scholarships to:
Raven Corbett of Wilmington, NC applied
through Rocky Corbett of Industrial Supply
Solutions Inc and will be attending UNC
Wilmington. Raven is pursuing a degree
in dentistry and plans to work in public
health. She says Because of my volunteer
work at NCMOM clinics and the St. Mary
Dental Clinic, my passion for and interest
in public health dentistry has been confirmed, and I could
not be any more positive that I am choosing the career that
will make me the happiest in life.
Tyler Flanigan of Columbus, OH applied
through Willim Flanigan of Applied Industrial Technologies and will be attending Ohio Dominican University. Tyler is
pursuing a business degree with a marketing minor. He looks forward to a career
in industrial design and hopes to own his
own business one day. His role model is
his father. He says, My dad is the most influential person in
my life because he puts his family first.
Kyle Gopffarth of Abilene, Texas applied
through Robert Gopffarth of Applied
Industrial Technologies and will be attending Hardin-Simmons University. Kyle is
pursuing a degree in business finance with
a focus in pre-dental studies. He plans to
go into orthodontics. Smiling is probably
the easiest and most common way to show
happiness and confidence, he says. Nothing stands out like
a beautiful smile, which is why I strive to become an orthodontist.

Belt Line October 2014

Hayden Henderson of State University, Arkansas applied through Robyn Henderson

of RGA - Rubber & Gasket Co of America
and will be attending Arkansas State University. As a child, Hayden was inspired
by President Reagan and looks forward
to making an impact through a career in
politics. Whether I study international
business or political science next year, I know that I want to
take that and use it to make a difference in our society. In a
world that is growing smaller and smaller due to technology,
the possibilities for someone to make a statement are endless.
Alyssa P. Kulmoski of Wexford, PA applied
through Michael J. Kulmoski Jr. of LewisGoetz. Alyssa attends Loyola University
Maryland where she majors in Elementary Education. Alyssa aspires to be a
great teacher, like those she looked up to
throughout her own education. Looking
back on my fourteen years of Catholic education, I realize
how blessed I was to be surrounded by amazing educators.
Although each instructor had their own unique teaching
style, they all possessed the ability to inspire their pupils.
Shane Murphy of Philadelphia, PA applied
through Julie Murphy of LewisGoetz and
attends the University of Pennsylvania.
Shane is driven by his passion to improve
conditions for those less fortunate than
himself in his community. Currently, I
am working on plans to start a mentoring
program where students at Penn mentor
students in local high schools, and I hope to work with Penn
student government to make taking a class with community
service components a requirement to graduate.

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

2014 Ren Morf

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2014 Annual Convention Photos

2014 Annual Convention Photos continued on next page

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

2014 Ren Morf

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2014 Annual Convention Photos

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

Thank You 2014

Golf Sponsors!

2014 Golf Outing Winners

1st Place
Jimmy Abbitt, Mike Burkholder, Jim Burnett, Jeff Rowe

Thanks to 2014 Golf Chair Jeff

Leach for a great day of golf

2nd Place
Jerry Hayes, John Kroll, Dean Thomas

Hole-in-One

3rd Place

Sampla Belting NA LLC

Beverage Cart

Sylvain Dub, Simon Lavoie, Wade Spencer, Chad Young

Flexco

4th Place

Food

Rich Blais, James Borthwick, Virkam Makar, Roy Pyle

Forbo Siegling LLC

Uniband USA

Golf Cart
Derco B V

Tee Sponsors

Advanced Flexible Composites, Inc.

(AFC)
American Eagle Manufacturing LLC
Belt Power LLC
Chemi-Flex
Depreux (COBRA America)
Gates Mectrol Corp
Habasit America
J A Emilius Sons Inc
NGB Technologies for Industry &
Conveying Ltd

Hole Sponsors

Advanced Flexible Composites, Inc.

(AFC)
American Eagle Manufacturing LLC
Apache Inc
Beltservice Corporation
Blair Rubber Company
HEXPOL Compounding
Midwest Industrial Rubber Inc
Oriental Rubber Ind Ltd
Passaic Rubber Company
Rubber & Plastics Inc
Shingle Belting Company
Universal Belting Resource
Veyance Technologies Inc

Goodie Bag Donations

Advanced Flexible Composites, Inc.

(AFC)
Blair Rubber Company
Depreux (COBRA America)
J A Emilius Sons Inc
Milliken & Company
Passaic Rubber Company
Maxi-Lift Inc

2014 NIBA Golf Outing Recap

Jeff Leach, 2014 Golf Chair, Passaic Rubber

he 2014 NIBA Golf Outing was held on Thursday, September 25th

at the Newcastle Golf Clubs Coal Creek Course, located in the
mountains just outside Seattle. The day began with a little moisture for approximately four holes, and then the Golf Gods realized that
this was NIBAs day, and it bloomed into a spectacular clear day! The
mountain vistas coupled with the Seattle skyline, generated many photo
opportunities.
We had over 92 golfers participate in this years golf outing. Each golfer
received a goodie bag with items donated by member companies. In
addition to the fun, networking, and camaraderie, NIBA was able to
give out $3,400 in prize money, which was awarded to the top four
teams, and to six individuals who won the challenges on various holes.
A special thanks to all of the companies that donated money, sponsored
holes and flags, and those who provided gifts to this years outing. A
special thank you to Sampla Belting NA LLC for sponsoring the hole in
one contest, to Flexco for sponsoring the beverage cart, to Forbo Siegling LLC and Uniband USA for sponsoring the food, and to Derco B V
for their golf cart sponsorship.
I personally, would also like to thank all the attendees of the NIBA Golf
Outing! Without your participation and enthusiasm, the Golf Outing
would not have been the success it was this year. I hope everyone had
an enjoyable time at this years Golf Outing, and I look forward to seeing you all in Palm Springs, where I promise you another fun packed
day. If you have any ideas that may enrich the Golf Outing experience,
please let me know, as we plan to continue to make this event one of
the NIBA Convention highlights.

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

MEMBER TO MEMBER

In Memoriam

Newsworthy Items

Rakow, Randall E. Randy 72, was called home unexpectedly Monday, October 6, 2014. Randy graduated from
Marquette University in Milwaukee in 1964 and earned his
MBA from The Keller School of Management where he was
also an adjunct professor. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam Era and then transitioned into the Reserves,
retiring as a Captain. He worked in Human Resources for
various companies during his 44 year career; retiring from
MRA in 2008. He was a member of Rotary, Kiwanis, American Legion and CEO of NIBA. Randy and Billie moved to
The Villages in 2008 from Waukesha, WI. He was passionate about baseball, a lifelong fan of the Milwaukee Brewers, dating back to when they were the Milwaukee Braves.
He enjoyed football, particularly the Packers, softball, golf,
traveling, playing card games, music from the 50s and
60s and Classic Cars. Above and beyond all the sports and
hobbies he loved his family. He was a man of strong faith
and character. He was loyal, compassionate, patient and a
kind friend to all he knew. He leaves to cherish his memory
his loving wife of 50 years, Billie Rakow; daughters, Susan
Packer (Jeremy), Tricia Totty (John); three grandchildren,
Emily Totty, Allison Totty and Erich Packer; sister, Sandra
Blott (John); sisters-in-law, Nancy Matschke (Dick), LuAnn
Brown (Gary), Patti Kuehl and several nieces and nephews.
The family asks that memorial contributions be made to The
Harry and Shirley Kuehl Foundation, c/o Tri City National
Bank, 7525 W. Oklahoma Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53219. The
family will receive friends from 1-3 PM Friday, October 10,
2014 with services immediately following at Hiers-Baxley
Funeral Services, 1511 Buenos Aires Blvd., The Villages,
Florida. www.Hiers-baxley.com.

Flexco is proud to announce that it has once again been

selected as one of Chicagos 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in 2014 by The National Association for
Business Resources (NABR). This is the seventh straight year
Flexco has been recognized for this award.

Equipment Wanted
All-State Belting is seeking a portable belt winder and stand;
60 to 72 width, 8 to 10 ton, 8 to 9 diameter, capacities.
Sectional conveyor belt vulcanizers; 36, 48, 60, 72.
Contact Doug Street at All-State Belting, LLC. 844-509-2358
or dstreet@all-statebelting.com
Habasit America is seeking a used Habasit S-1200 (48 in.)
slitter. Contact Kevin Hochgertle at 404-915-9223 or
kevin.hochgertle@us.habasit.com.
HCD Conveyors is looking for a black belt slitter complete
with belt winders if possible. Anything considered. Contact
Alan Harris at 64273555572 or alanh@hcdnz.co.nz.
48 Capacity Belt Winder Wanted. Contact Charlie Brown
atTurner Supply Companyat 251-281-4795.

Belt Line October 2014

LewisGoetz, a leading Pittsburgh-based industrial service

provider of a variety of industrial products, including fabricated hose, conveyor belts, valves and gaskets, is pleased to
announce the acquisition of Advanced Sealing. Advanced
Sealing is a full-spectrum manufacturer and distributor of
fluid sealing products to refining, chemical processing, power generation and wastewater treatment facilities. A premier
sealing house to customers looking for new solutions to age
old problems, Advanced Sealing provides a broad product
mix including metallic and non-metallic flange gaskets,
valve packings, metallic and elastomeric hoses, stud bolts,
hex nuts, steam traps and heat exchanger gaskets. Advanced
Sealing has a special focus on fugitive emission products,
proven to meet and exceed todays demanding LDAR sealing
standards. Advanced Sealing was incorporated in 1988 and
has US based facilities located in Cerritos, California and
Pascagoula, Mississippi. The acquisition of Advanced Sealing
provides high quality products and a professional, customerfocused workforce, further strengthening the solutions-based
approach of LewisGoetz.
Splawn Belting is pleased to announce its newly designed
website. In addition, the website has a new URL address.
Please check to see whats new at www.splawnbelting.com.

Personnel
Advanced Flexible Composites, Inc. (AFC) announced the
promotion of Bart Lewis to the newly created position of
Chief Technical Officer (CTO) and Woody Swift to newly
created position of Chief Operations Officer (COO). Bart
will be responsible for directing the Technical, Product
Engineering and R&D initiatives, while Woody will have
management responsibilities for all of AFCs global manufacturing operations. The promotions further support AFCs
commitment to its Core Values: Quality, Innovation and
Service. Prior to these changes, Bart was the VP of Manufacturing and Woody was the General Manager of AFC. These
newly created positions come on the heels of Chris Lewis
being named President of AFC.
Advanced Flexible Composites, Inc. (AFC) announced the
promotion of Michael Baker to the newly created position
of Chief Sales & Marketing Officer (CSMO). Mike will be
responsible for directing the sales and marketing initiatives
of AFCs global businesses, including the Industrial Products Group, Specialty Belting Group and the Food Products

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

Group. Mike will continue to maintain oversight of the

Specialty Belting Group of AFC. Prior to this move, Mike was
AFCs Senior VP of Sales and Marketing.
Advanced Flexible Composites, Inc. (AFC) is pleased to
announce the appointment of Chris Lewis as AFCs President. Chris will be responsible for day-to-day management;
establishing companys goals and strategy; directing business
initiatives; and ensuring the execution of corporate objectives. Prior to this move, Chris held the roles of Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President of Strategic Development. Bill
Lewis will continue as CEO and Chairman.
American Biltrite (Canada) is pleased to announce the appointment of Glenn Orn to the position of Regional Manager.
Glenn brings an extensive background in industrial sales to
American Biltrite having spent a good portion of his career with companies such as GenFlex, Cooley Group, and
Griswold Corp. Glenns responsibilities ranged from Technical Representative to Regional Sales Manager and Product
Manager.
ASGCO proudly announced that Joe Sanders, our Power
and Mining Manager has been promoted to Vice President
of Manufactured Products. Joe is based in Kentucky and has
over 15 years of experience in the mining and conveying
industry.
Jim Gubics was recently promoted to Inside Sales Manager at
ASGCO. Jim has been with ASGCO for over 16 years as
a customer service representative in our Inside Sales Department.
ASGCO has welcomed several new additions to the
company: Emilia Sanchez has joined the ASGCO Inside
Sales team, specializing in International Sales. Bruce Alvis
has been appointed as our Virginia Territory Manager, based
out of Richmond, VA and Tim McCreery has been hired as
a Territory Manager, based out of our Baltimore Branch. In
addition, Luke Norton has also joined the ASGCO team as
a Technical Service Manager, supporting our distributors and
customers in South America.
Beltservice Corporation recently announced Dan Hunnings
promotion to the position of Field Salesman for the western
states of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and eastern
Idaho. Dan had transferred to St. Louis, MO from Colorado
in 2010 to join Belt services Lightweight Thermoplastic
Belting Department. He was previously Beltservices Product
Specialist for ProTurn power turn, merge table, induction
table, and diverter arm belts. He is excited about his promotion and the opportunities that await his return to the West.

10

Habasit America, a leading manufacturer in lightweight conveyor belting,

announces Victor DAdamio as the
companys new Head of Finance &
Administration (CFO). Victor brings
over twenty-five years of professional
experience to his position. Prior to
Habasit America, Victor held different professional positions in many
different industrial manufacturers
Victor DAdamio
including electrical and oil and gas
industries. In his new role, Victor will lead our finance and
merger and acquisitions teams. He will be responsible for
managing the financial risks of Habasit America along with
financial planning and record-keeping. This role covers the
Americas Region which includes The United States, Canada
and Latin America.
Habasit America would like to welcome Rob Poff to the
team as our newest Key Account Manager. Rob has been in
industrial manufacturing for 10 years while most recently,
working in sales for a large Habasit distributor. Rob studied
at the University of Louisville in Kentucky and will be covering a territory that includes Kentucky, Southern Ohio, and
Western West Virginia.
Habasit America would like to introduce James Thorpe as
the newest Industry Key Account Manager (IKAM) for the material handling industry. James will focus on fabrication and
sales of powerturn products for Habasit. James brings with
him a strong background in industrial manufacturing with
a heavy focus on engineering but also marketing and sales.
James is originally from the UK where he earned his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Coventry University.
James was previously responsible for the successful integration of two product lines into the US and has strong product
management skills that we look forward to him putting to
good use with our powerturn program.
Officials at HBD Industries, Inc.
(Dublin, OH) announced that Mr.
Eric Fitzpatrick will become the new
Director of Sales and Marketing for
HBD-Thermoid, Inc (Bellefontaine,
OH). HBD-Thermoid, Inc is a subsidiary of HBD Industries, Inc., one of
the largest suppliers of industrial products in North America. HBD-Thermoid, Inc manufactures standard and
Eric Fitzpatrick
application-engineered industrial
rubber products, including: conveyor belting, ducting, hose
(air, aviation, automotive, bulk-transfer, chemical, industrial,
hand-built, marine, petroleum/bio-fuel, water and welding),
power transmission V- belts, industrial rubber bands, rubber
rolls and rolls coverings.

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

Armando Gonzalez of Southbridge,

MA was named to the position of
technical coordinator at Hyde Industrial Blade Solutions (IBS). Having
recently celebrated his 25th anniversary at Hyde IBS, Mr. Gonzalez will
utilize his experience to lead training
initiatives for new and existing employees on manufacturing machines
and processes. In his new role, Mr.
Armando Gonzalez
Gonzalez will champion process
improvement across the entire organization. He will also be
responsible for overseeing the ordering of machine tooling
for Hydes cutting and honing operations.

New Equipment

Sarah Kratz of Thompson, CT was

promoted to the role of logistics
coordinator at Hyde Industrial Blade
Solutions (IBS). Employed at Hyde for
13 years, Ms. Kratz is a skilled CNC
machine operator and will be responsible for the day-to-day movement of
projects between departments based
upon customers requirements. Starting with the scheduling of projects
Sarah Kratz
with both regular and expedited
timetables, Ms. Kratz will spearhead Six Sigma process improvement activities on the production floor at the company.
She will also oversee metal scrap management and product
stocking programs for Hyde IBS.

Used Equipment for Sale

The Hyde Group announced the

promotion of Robert Scoble to a new
key role as president of Hyde Group,
Inc., effective October 15, 2014. Rob
reports to Richard M. Clemence, CEO
of the Hyde Group, Inc. In his new
position, Rob is responsible for Hyde
Tools and Industrial Blade Solutions
of Southbridge, MA and A. Richard
Tools of Canada, all of which are
Robert Scoble
owned by Hyde Group, Inc. Robs
strong experience, insight and extensive knowledge of their
markets will be instrumental as the company continues to
expand and grow its industrial blade and construction tool
businesses.

ASGCO Complete Conveyor Solutions is proud to announce that it is expanding its steel fabrication facility to
a 30,000sf building on a 12-acre campus in Nazareth, PA.
This state of the art manufacturing center will be outfitted
with CNC Laser and Plasma cutting tables, CNC Press Brake,
CNC Machining Center and CNC lathe, enabling ASGCO
to process customer orders with greater precision and better
lead-times. The new facility will also house a new powder
coating bay and custom epoxy finishing bay. These progressive additions allow ASGCO to deliver everything needed
to maintain or expand virtually any bulk handling conveyor
system.

RAM Enterprise Inc, supplier of specialized services and

products in the mining and power generation sectors, has
named Rick Bammesberger as its Vice President of Product
Sales. Mr. Bammesberger, who had been a District Manager
for LewisGoetz responsible for operations in Washington,
Utah and Nevada, will provide key components for growth
of product sales and expansion of RAMs offerings.

Belt Line October 2014

BELTA Radio Frequency Welders are custom designed for

production of conveyor belts made of PVC, PU. Zemat
Technology Group Ltd offers the most modern and advanced
tooling (electrodes) to manufacture flat belts, weld on cleats
and sidewalls up to 6 tall. The large work table and tool
holder allowing positioning of electrodes with 360 circumference makes this machine incredibly versatile and easy to
use. Side rolls mounted on the edges of the work table allow
easy handling of long belts and precision weld positioning
for fast production setup as well as ergonomic work space for
operators. Go to zemat.com/en/machines/hfwelders?id=367
for more information.

Great Lakes Belting & Supply Corp is selling 30 and 36

90 degree and bias Black Rubber Heat Presses, Non water
cooled. Pictures available please email Kip Kerby a request
at kkerby@glbelt.com. Make an offer on all 3 presses for one
price.
Xpress Service & Sales, Inc. is selling a used 96 Spencer
Manufacturing conveyor belt slitter. Contact Rick Haynes at
rhaynes@xpresscable.com or 865-671-1109 for more information.

New Facilities

Belt Tech Industrial, headquartered in Washington, IN, recently opened a fourth branch location in Madisonville, KY.
The Madisonville Belt Tech team will serve industrial customers in the Madisonville and Hopkins County area including
mining operations, power plants and aggregate stone producers. Belt Tech sells, installs and services conveyor belting and
components and designs custom conveyor solutions. The
company was founded in Washington, IN, in 1991 to serve
area coal and power-producing companies. In addition to its
home office in Washington, Belt Tech operates from offices
in Du Quoin, IL and Clarksville, TN. Learn more about Belt
Tech Industrial, its products and services at belttech1.com.

11

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

Industrial Supply Solutions, Inc opened a new 10,000 sq ft

branch in Mansfield, TX. This facility will service the increased demand of customers in the surrounding area. The
company has operations in 11 states, Mexico, Canada and
the Bahamas.

belt while the uniquely patterned polypropylene bristles

reduce material build up by dislodging trapped material from
the belt. The cleaner is ideal for use as the second or third
cleaner in a system that may already utilize a precleaner and
secondary cleaner on a non-cleated belt.

New Products

Eliminating the laborious use of hand saws or the need to

carry single-use power tools, a new Spray Foam Insulation
Reciprocating Saw Blade from Hyde Industrial Blade Solutions (IBS) is designed to assist in the swift and clean cutting
of poly-based spray foams and fiberglass using a tool found
on most job sites. Fitting into a standard reciprocating saw
with a tang, the new Spray Foam Insulation Reciprocating
Saw Blade measures 19 in overall length with a long 16
cutting length. Made of high-carbon steel, the Spray Foam
blade and its tang are hardened for long-life and improved
operator safety when in use.

ASGCOs industry leading Skalper Belt Cleaners have also

been improved with a redesigned E-Z Torque and Force-1
Tensioners with a Lifetime Warranty. Our new and improved
mounting tube and tensioners provide our customers with
a belt cleaner that can handle the most extreme corrosive
and weather conditions. Made of 100% Stainless Steel,
the E-Z Torque Tensioner system allows for more degrees
of rotation than the competition, which in turn allows the
blade to maintain more tension on the conveyor belt as
the blade wears. Plus, the more robust design is capable of
accommodating the new, stronger zinc-plated Mounting
Tubes, which have a 25% larger outside diameter for less
deflection and are 55% stronger! Keeping your conveyor
system running clean and safe is important for both efficiency
and productivity. ASGCOs complete line of quality belt
cleaning systems have been built and tested to out-perform
the competition. Give us a call or visit us online for more
information....ask for ASGCOs product component comparison information and...Get the FACTS!
Elastotec manufactures ceramic lagging with a choice of CN
bonding layer for cold vulcanised application or with an uncured bonding layer for hot vulcanised application. The hot
vulcanised ceramic lagging gives 100% rubber tear bonds
and results in the longest life and best reliability for ceramic
lagging. For more information please contact David Molesworth at david@elastotec.com.au or go to our website
www.elastotec.com.au
Improved belt cleaning efficiency and easy maintenance are
just two of the benefits of the recently introduced Y-Type
Secondary Cleaner from Flexco. The easy-to-install cleaner
comes with urethane blades that provide a tough, yet gentle
solution for belt-cleaning challenges. The three-inch urethane blade segments on the cleaner conform to worn or
damaged belts, while the spring tensioner ensures that there
is consistent blade-to-belt interaction and constant pressure
on the belt. Available in sizes to fit belt widths of 18 to 48,
the Y-Type Secondary Cleaner is available with a standard
abrasion-resistant purple blade or a white chemical-resistant
food-grade blade.
Flexco recently announced the addition of the Motorized Brush Cleaner. Designed to effectively clean chevron,
cleated, and raised-rib belts, the cleaner is also useful on
worn or pitted vulcanized or mechanically spliced belts with
belt widths ranging from 18 to 84. For optimal cleaning
performance, the brush spins opposite the direction of the

12

Legg Company is pleased to announce that a new program

called FLEX-LEGG is in place to supply conveyor belting that
is made in the USA which meets RMA2 standards for less
demanding applications such as conveying sand and gravel. The FLEX-LEGG belting is available in five dimensions
with a safety factor of 10:1. Legg Company is committed to
providing a high quality product to the belting industry and
has worked diligently to come up with a standard program
for this type of application. We believe that our customers will like the new program as it is made in the USA,
said Christoph Seeger, market director for ContiTech Conveyor Belt North America. The FLEX-LEGG product will be
shipped within two business days and can be cut to standard
widths to make ordering much easier.
Mrtens Transportbnder GmbH announces a new product:
equipped with an extra strong fabric backing, the single-ply
material PU-W/1 is ideal for applications with transfer radii
of 5 mm and that despite the high belt tension of 8 N/mm
belt width at 1% stretch in the belt length. For this reason,
our PU-W/1 belts are used in particular in cooling channels with a high surface load and in combination with small
transfer radii. They are required for the transfer of small products from one production machine to the next.

New Promotions
Behabelt USA has introduced the PTD (Premier Technical
Distributor) sales kit to aid distributors in selecting the right
belt for the application and presenting the tools necessary for
welding thermoplastic profiles. The kit includes the new EERGO welding tool, a digital thermometer, a durometer shore
A gauge and all the clamps and cutting tools in one compact
sales case. Contact Lauren at 630-521-9835.

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

Welcome New Members!

Ashton International Private
Limited
Belting Manufacturer
Primary Contact: Raghav
Bindal
Email: raghavbindal
@hotmail.com
15 Local Shopping Centre,
Panchsheel Park
New Delhi, Dehlhi 110017
India
Phone: 91-11-26162722
www.ashton-india.com
Belting BVBA
Distributor/Fabricator
Primary Contact: Geeraerd
Pedro, CEO/President
Email: pedro@belting.be
Contact: Malinicz Ilario, Accountant
Email: ilario@belting.be
Watermolenstraat 47
Kortriik, West-Vlaanderen
8500 Belgium
Phone: 003256363579
www.belting.be
Bervina kft
Belting Manufacturer
Primary Contact: Miklos
Csabi, Sales Manager
Email: coupling
@bervina.com
1145 Budapest, Erzsbet
kirlyn tja 41/b
Budapest, 1142 Hungary
Phone: 36 1 222 2079
www.bervina.com

Derco do Brasil
Distributor/Fabricator
Primary Contact: W.G. de
Ruijter, Owner
Email: derco@derco.com.br
Contact: Jack Derks, General
Manger
Email: jack@derco.com.br
Estr. Municipal Atn 371 S/N
KM .0,5; CP. 131
Atrur Nogueira, Sao Paulo
13160-000 Brazil
Phone: +55 19 3877 2149
www.derco.com.br
Elastotec P/L
Component Manufacturer
Primary Contact: David
Molesworth, Sales Director
Email: david@elastotec.com.au
Contact: Jon Hepburn, Operations Manager
Email: jon@elastotec.com.au
119 Willoughby Rd Crows
Nest
Sydney, NSW 2065 Australia
Phone: +61 2 89871922
www.elastotec.com.au
Equipment & Supply (W.I) Ltd
Distributor/Fabricator
Primary Contact: Richard
Ramatally, General Manager
Email: richardramatally
@eswil.com
Contact: Kalamazad Hosein,
Conveyor Belt Specialist/Service Manager
Email: kalamazadhosein
@eswil.com
10-16 Lady Hailes Avenue
San Fernando, Trinidad W.I.
Phone: 868-657-8838

Fabricated Extrusion Company, LLC

Component Manufacturer
Primary Contact: Thomas
Peot, Vice President
Email: tpeot@fabexco.com
2331 Hoover Dr
Modesto, CA 95354 USA
Phone: 209-529-9200
www.fabexco.com
HCD Flow Technology
Distributor/Fabricator
Lightweight and Heavyweight Belting
Primary Contact: Alan Harris, Sales Manager
Email: alanh@hcdnz.co.nz
Contact: Ian Sutherland,
CEO
Email: ian@hcdnz.co.nz
305 Neilson St
PO Box 112083 Penrose
Onehunga, Auckland New
Zealand
Phone: +6496365902
www.hcdflowtech.co.nz
HEXPOL Compounding
Component Manufacturer
Primary Contact: Don
Picard, VP Sales & Marketing
Email: don.picard@hexpol.com
Contact: Hugo Sandberg, Sr
Manager Marketing & Business Development
Email: hugo.sandberg
@hexpol.com
14330 Kinsman Rd
Burton, OH 44021 USA
Phone: 440-834-4464
www.hexpolcompounding.com
Rubber compounds

Interbandas
Distributor/Fabricator
Lightweight and Heavyweight Belting
Primary Contact: Mauricio
Santillan, Sales Director
Email: msantillan
@interbandas.com
Contact: Cesar Santillan,
Finance Director
Email: cesar.santillan
@interbandas.com
Av de Las Industrias 6504
L7-9
Chihuahua, Chihuahua
31105 Mexico
Phone: 52-614-4210888
www.interbandas.com
LMI Custom Mixing LLC
Affiliate
Primary Contact: Greg
Mealer
Email: greg.mealer@lmimix.com
Contact: Jim Nixon
Email: jim.nixon@lmimix.com
804 Byesville Road
Cambridge, OH 43725 USA
Phone: 740-435-0444
Toll-Free: 877-564-7822
www.lmimix.com
Mrtens Transportbnder
GmbH
Belting Manufacturer
Primary Contact: Kay Malzahn, Regional Sales Manager
Email: kay.malzahn
@maertens.de
Contact: Angela Flink, Inside
Sales
Email: angela.flink
@maertens.de
Lise Meitner Strasse 18
Flensburg, SH 24941 GERMANY
Phone: +4946190470
www.maertens.de

New Members continued on next page

Belt Line October 2014

13

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

Welcome New Members! continued

Mihlfeld & Associates
Affiliate
Primary Contact: Don
Grindle, Sales Rep
Email: don-grindle
@mihlfeld.com
Contact: Charles Ellis, Sales
Rep
Email: charles-ellis
@mihlfeld.com
PO Box 3928
Springfield , MO 658083928 USA
Phone: 417-831-6727
www.mihlfeld.com

NGB Technologies for Industry & Conveying Ltd

Belting Manufacturer
Primary Contact: David Zimbris, General Manager
Email: david@ngb.co.il
Contact: Joseph Navon,
President
Email: joseph@ngb.il.com
Mitzpe Sapir Industrial Park
P.O.B 13176
Tsur Igal, 44862000 Isreal
Phone: 972-9-7496969
www.ngb.co.il
Probelt Global Limited
Belting Manufacturer
Primary Contact: Chen Chen
His, President
Email: info@pgl.com.tw
No. 12 Industrial North 5th Rd
Nantou, Taiwan R.O.C
54066 Taiwan
Phone: 886-49-2253555
www.pgl.com.tw

Rocua Internacional, S.A.

De C.V.
Distributor/Fabricator
Primary Contact: Victor
Manuel Rodriguez Barajas,
CEO
Email: vmrodriguez
@rocua.com.mx
Contact: Gustavo Rodriguez
Barajas, Operative Director
Email: gustavorb
@rocua.com.mx
Contact: Victor Alejandro
Rodriguez Arriaga, Marketing
Email: victorarriagar
@gmail.com
Cantera Morada 454-1A
Col. Balcones de la cantera
Zapopan, Jalisco 45180
Mexico
Phone: 52-33-38242358
www.rocua.com.mx

Zemat Technology Group,

Ltd
Component Manufacturer
Primary Contact: Sylvester
Korotynski, President
Email: s.korotynski
@zemat.com
Contact: Krzysztof Matczak,
CEO
Email: k.matczak
@zemat.com
Brukowa 26
Lodz, Lodz 91-341 Poland
Phone: Europe +4842-6328484/ USA 410-609-3080
www.zemat.com

UID Changes Its Name; Offers Discount to NIBA Members

By John Grasmeyer, 2014 Products & Services Committee Chair, Sparks Belting Company

he University of Industrial Distribution (UID), a

renowned educational program focused on serving the unique needs of the wholesale distribution
industry, announced that it has officially changed its
name to the University of Innovative Distribution (UID).
Founded in 1994, UID is sponsored and managed by
thirty five leading industry trade associations and has
served over 9,000 attendees in its 21 year history.
This new name reflects the evolution of UID in serving the
wholesale distribution industry in its entirety, including those
companies who do not deal in industrial products, stated
Molly McGill, UID Director. While the educational content
of our program remains uniquely tailored to the wholesaledistribution industry, we believe the name change reflects the
current and future direction of UID.
A new UID logo and message Educating the Supply
Chain has been created to reflect the new name.
Known internationally in the distribution world as the
educational event of the year, UID boldly steps into its third
decade, evolving with the industry as it continues to feature

14

renowned expert instructors, excellent course offerings and

great networking opportunities; all at an ideal location in
Indianapolis, IN.
UID takes its commitment to educating the supply chain
very seriously. With our continued partnership with Purdue
University, a dedicated faculty and staff and support from
our 35 association sponsors, we will continue to be a world
leader in delivering innovative education to all members of
the wholesale-distribution supply chain, noted McGill.
The registration for the 2015 sessions is open and you can
go to the NIBA website for more information and a link to
the registration. NIBA continues to make strides in providing
useful benefits to its members, the UID is no exception.

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

OSHA Focuses on the Safety and Health of the

Nations Temporary Workers
By Donald P. Gallo, Esq. and Carolyn A. Sullivan, Esq., Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.

hree million temporary workers are employed in the

United States, including those who work under a host
employer and those who work for a staffing agency.
Between June 2012 and June 2013, [a]t least 14 temporary
workers died during their first day at a new worksite.1
According to OSHA, the reason for this stunning statistic is
clear:
Many employers decide to forego important safety
training for their temporary employees that would
normally be given to permanent employees.
They bring in temps for a few days, weeks or
even months, and the employers commitment to
these workers safety mirrors that temp status.
Employers hire temps to save money. Safety training
is a cost of doing business, so some employers just
skip it or erroneously assume that the staffing agency
has conducted the training. 2

Consequently, OSHA launched its Temporary Worker

Initiative last year to help protect temporary workers from
workplace hazards.3 According to OSHA, [s]taffing
agencies and their client employers who host temporary
workers share the legal obligations to provide workplaces
free of recognized hazards.4 In other words, employers
and staffing agencies are jointly responsible for the safety
of their temporary workers and should consider which is
in a position to prevent and correct hazards and to comply
with OSHA standards.5 For example: staffing agencies
might provide general safety and health training, while host
employers provide specific training tailored to the particular
workplace equipment/hazards.6 Host employers must
treat temporary workers just as they would treat any other
employees. And, staffing agencies should determine: what
conditions exist at the employers workplace; what hazards
may be encountered and how best to ensure protection for
the temporary workers; and, whether the host employer
maintains a safe workplace.7
OSHAs March 2014 Temporary Worker Initiative (TWI)
Bulletin No. 1 addresses how to identify who is responsible
for recording temporary workers work-related injuries and
illnesses on the OSHA 300 log when such workers are
employed under the joint or dual employment of a host
employer and a staffing agency, including:
Injuries and illnesses should be recorded on only one
employers injury and illness log. 29 C.F.R. 1904.31(b)
(4).

Employers must record temporary workers injuries and

illnesses if they supervise such workers on a day-to-day
basis. 29 C.F.R. 1904.31(a). Day-to-day supervision
occurs when an employer controls conditions presenting
potential hazards and directs the workers activities
around, and exposure to, those hazards.
The host employer usually is responsible for recording the
injuries and illnesses of temporary workers.
The presence of a staffing agency representative at the
host employers worksite does not necessarily transfer
recordkeeping responsibility to the staffing agency.
The non-supervising employer still shares responsibility
for its workers safety and health.
The staffing agency should maintain frequent
communication with its workers and the host employer
to ensure that: injuries and illnesses are properly reported
and recorded; and, the staffing agency is alerted to
workplace hazards and necessary protective measures.
Ongoing communication after an injury or illness is
necessary to provide the recording employer with
information on case outcome.8
Moreover, OSHAs Bulletin emphasizes that information
about injuries and illnesses should flow between a host
employer and staffing agency in order to provide safe
working conditions. For example, host employers should
inform the staffing agency if a temporary worker sustains
an injury or illness, so the staffing agency knows about the
hazards facing its workers; and, a staffing agency should
inform a host employer of an injury or illness to help prevent
future injuries and to ensure that the case is recorded.9
As a best practice, the staffing agency and host
employer should establish notification procedures to
ensure that when a worker informs one employer of
an injury or illness, the other employer is apprised
as well. The details of how this communication is to
take place should be clearly established in contract
language.10
In addition to providing TWI Bulletin No. 1, OSHA has
directed its field inspectors to assess employer compliance
with OSHA responsibilities by using a newly created code
to flag when temporary workers are exposed to safety and
health violations and to determine whether temporary
workers are trained in a language and vocabulary they
can understand.11 And, several recent enforcement
National Temporary Workers continued on next page

Belt Line October 2014

15

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

National Temporary Workers continued from previous page
announcements attest to OSHAs intent to protect temporary
workers, including:
OSHA inspectors found that temporary workers
employed by Marathon Staffing Corp. at Sterilites facility
were also exposed to hazards. As a result, OSHA cited
Marathon for one serious health violation because the
staffing agency failed to administer an effective hearing
conservation program for occupational noise exposure.
Marathon has a contract with Sterilite to provide
temporary inspectors and packers at Sterilite facilities....
During the inspection, OSHA inspectors paid special
attention to the hazards facing temporary workers to
determine the role of the host employer and the staffing
agency in failing to eliminate serious hazards.12
Fresh From Texas Inc., a fresh fruit and vegetable
processer and staffing agency iWorks Personnel Inc.
have been cited for 18 violations for exposing workers
to damaging noise levels, chemical hazards and possible
amputation hazards for failing to train machine operators
on controlling hazardous energy. Workers, whether
employed directly by the company or as a temporary
worker, require proper training on workplace hazards.
In this case, both Fresh From Texas and iWorks failed to
do so and put workers in danger, said OSHAs area
director in San Antonio. Both host employers and staffing
agencies have roles in complying with workplace health
and safety requirements, and they share responsibility
for ensuring worker safety and health. Fresh From Texas
was cited for 12 serious safety and health violations
for failing to prevent workers from exposure to hazardous
chemicals; to identify and evaluate respiratory hazards
in the workplace; and to ensure a hearing conservation
program was implemented for workers exposed to noise
levels that would cause permanent hearing damage.
Three other violations were cited for failing to record
injuries of temporary workers, review the log for accuracy
and ensure safety instructions were clearly posted on
dangerous machines. OSHA inspectors found that
temporary workers employed by iWorks Personnel were
also exposed to chemical hazards and were not trained
on chemical safety. As a result, OSHA cited iWorks for
one serious safety and health violation13
California Cereal Products Inc. was cited for nine
serious safety and health violations for exposing fulltime and temporary workers to electrical, fall and noise
hazards following an inspection at the companys cereal
production facility in Macon.14
Maplewood Beverage Packers LLC and temporary
employment agency Corporate Resource Services Corp.
in Elizabeth have been cited for health and safety
violations found at the beverage bottling companys
Maplewood plant. OSHAs December 2013 investigation,

which found willful and repeat violations, was initiated

following a referral from the Maplewood Fire Department
after a temporary worker was injured after falling from a
ladder. OSHA has proposed $182,270 in penalties. Host
employers and staffing agencies are jointly responsible
for ensuring worker safety and health, said Kris Hoffman,
director of OSHAs Parsippany Area Office. Employers
must protect all workers from job hazards-both permanent
and temporary workers. OSHA cited Maplewood
Beverage with one willful, one repeat, 17 serious and two
other safety and health violations. . The employer also
failed to notify employees upon first entering employment
and annually thereafter about noise exposure records, the
person responsible for maintaining and providing access
to noise exposure records, and their rights to access
medical and/or exposure records. Corporate Resources
Services employed the temporary workers and supplied
labor to Maplewood Beverage. OSHA cited the temporary
employment agency for two serious health and safety
violations for failure to conduct a hazard assessment of
the workplace, ensure that each employee was informed
of the effects of noise on hearing and inform each
employee about hearing protectors.15
A temporary worker died from injuries sustained after he
was caught in between a conveyor system and crushed
while performing sorting operations at an Amazon
fulfillment center in Avenel. Following an investigation
initiated in response to the fatality, the U.S. Department
of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration
has cited five companies for serious violations, including
the contractor responsible for operating the facility, and
four temporary staffing agencies. Temporary staffing
agencies and host employers are jointly responsible for
the safety and health of temporary employees. These
employers must assess the work site to ensure that
workers are adequately protected from potential hazards,
said Patricia Jones, director of OSHAs Avenel Area Office.
It is essential that employers protect all workers from
job hazards-both temporary and permanent workers.
Third-party logistics provider Genco, based in Pittsburgh,
was contracted by Amazon to direct the temporary
employees from four staffing agencies involved in sorting
operations. The employees were required to monitor the
conveyors and sorting machine to ensure packages were
positioned properly while traveling over the conveyor
and sorting belts. Genco was cited for one serious
violation for not certifying that a hazard assessment of the
facility had been conducted before assigning employees
to work ... Temporary staffing agencies Abacus-The
Corporate Services Co., Baltimore, which employed
Smith; New York-based Corporate Resource Services Inc.,
doing business as Diamond Staffing Services; Remedy
Intelligent Staffing Inc., doing business as a division of
National Temporary Workers continued on next page

16

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

National Temporary Workers continued from previous page
Selective Staffing, Santa Barbara, Calif.; and Staffmark,
headquartered in Ohio, were each cited by OSHA for
one serious violation for failure to perform a hazard
assessment of the facility before assigning employees to
determine if hazards existed.16
In the future, OSHA will continue to focus on temporary
employees. On May 21, 2014, OSHA announced an
alliance with the American Staffing Agency to work together
to further protect temporary employees from workplace
hazards.17 And, on July 14, 2014, OSHA announced a July
28, 2014 meeting of the National Advisory Committee
on Occupational Safety and Healths Temporary Workers
Workgroup to discuss protecting temporary workers,
including gaps in workplace protection for temporary
workers, differences between temporary workers and
contract workers, and joint responsibility of host employers
and staffing agencies.18
Therefore, both host employers and staffing agencies should
take responsibility for the health and safety of temporary
workers and should communicate with each other to set out
respective responsibilities for compliance with applicable
OSHA standards and prevention and correction of hazards.
The end goal, of course, is to make sure that temporary
workers receive the same protections as permanent workers
and that all workers are protected from occupational safety
and health hazards.
References:
1 June 2013 Statement by Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor.

See also OSHA launches initiative to protect temporary workers, OSHA

News Release: 13-800-NAT (Apr. 29, 2013), https://www.osha.gov/
pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_
id=23994 (referencing a series of reports about temporary workers
suffering fatal injuries many during their first days on a job -- and the

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

12
13
14
15
16
17
18

ensuing citations issued by the agency to employers that failed to provide

adequate protections, including safety training).
Dr. David Michaels, OP-Ed., Temporary workers face unnecessary, lifethreatening hazards, Bay Area Insider (Nov. 16, 2013), https://www.osha.
gov/temp_workers/OP_ED_Bay_Area.html.
OSHA, supra Note 1.
Michaels, supra Note 2.
OSHA: Protecting Temporary Workers, https://www.osha.gov/temp_
workers/ (last visited July 21, 2014).
Id.
Id.
Injury and Illness Recordkeeping Requirements, OSHA Temporary Worker Initiative (TWI) Bulletin No. 1, https://www.osha.gov/temp_workers/
OSHA_TWI_Bulletin.pdf (last visited July 21, 2014).
Id.
Id.
OSHA Memorandum for Regional Administrators: Protecting the Safety
and Health of Temporary Workers (Apr, 29, 2013), https://www.osha.gov/
pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_
id=28613.
OSHA Region 4 News Release: 14-1217-ATL (180) (July 9, 2014), https://
www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_
RELEASES&p_id=26340.
OSHA Region 6 News Release: 14-1143-DAL (June 30, 2014), https://
www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_
RELEASES&p_id=26292.
OSHA Region 4 News Release: 14-1060-ATL (143) (June 19, 2014),
https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_
table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=26250.
OSHA Region 2 News Release: 14-1162-NEW (osha 14-048) (June 18,
2014), https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_
table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=26244.
OSHA Region 2 News Release: 14-1125-NEW (osha 14-042) (June 12,
2014), https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_
table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=26208.
OSHA Trade News Release (May 21, 2014), https://www.osha.gov/
pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_
id=26046.
OSHA Trade News Release (July 14, 2014), https://www.osha.gov/pls/
oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_
id=26343.

Be a Part of the Conversation

Join in the conversation on NIBAs social media networks:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NIBABeltingAssn

Twitter: twitter.com/NIBABeltingAssn

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1994384&mostPopu
lar=&trk=tyah&trkInfo=tas%3Aniba%2Cidx%3A2-1-4

Belt Line October 2014

17

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

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theyll also have the opportunity to take courses on de-

Want more training after October? Purchase training

through the end of the year and receive 20% off.
Full details are on the NIBA website:
www.niba.org/training/octoberfreetraining/

Important Information for Canadian Members

ecause of the new Canadian Anti-Spam Law, we

need your consent to continue sending you emails
such as the Belt Line newsletter. Opting-in is quick
and easy. Just follow the link to give your consent and
well continue sending you updates:
www.niba.org/membership2/update-your-subscription/

NIBAs P.A.S.S. Program

Poster!

velopment of business and professional skills, regulatory

compliance matters, IT skills, sales techniques, leadership,
project management and more.

The Belt Line newsletter is emailed five times a year and

contains news about NIBA, the belting industry, technical articles, and member information on topics including
equipment for sale, personnel, facilities and products.
Members also receive the monthly Newsblasts with brief
updates on NIBA news and member benefits as well as
periodic emails regarding the Convention and other timely
events.

3T Seminar at Coal
Handling & Storage Conference

By Bo Fisher, 2014 Products & Services

Committee, Maxi-Lift

ook for a new promotional poster in your mail detailing the great programs offered under NIBAs P.A.S.S.
program. The new poster is an excellent way to convey
the program benefits to you and your employees, including recruiting, training, discounted office supplies and other
discount programs.
A two page flier on page 20-21 is
included in this issue of the BeltLine, providing a great preview
of the information included in
the wall poster that will be sent
to you soon. Please share with
your team, so that your company can maximize the benefits
of your NIBA membership.
Watch your mail box for your
full size poster soon!

18

P. A.S.S.
PROGR AM

Attention

NIBA Mem
bers!

Save money
through P.A.S.
Products and
S.
Services Saving the
Program. Start
s
Today!

25% off tar

geted job po

stings

l 25% Discou
nt on Job Postin
gs
l Online resour
ce for Indust
rial Distribution
l Alliance partne
Job Openin
r of Industrial
gs
Careers Pathw
l Building aware
ay (ICP)
ness of Indust
rial Distribution
Visit jobs.id
Careers
careers.org
and click Post
a Job Use
code NIBA2
014 after creatin
g recruit

er account

$1,000 off

For the discoun

ted rate, identify

NIBA as your

Up to 60%

Visit workin

UID registr

l $1000 saving
s on the UID
University of
Innovative Distrib
l Discounts
ution
on all offere
d training
l Exclusive
access to Indust
ry specific trainin
l Targeted
Industry Trainin
g
g
association

when registe

ring for events

ation & more

AEA Training

atunivid.org

savings on disc

ount tickets

l Employees
and
of NIBA comp their families
anies eligible
l Easy to sign
up and use
l Earn points
and redeem
for rewards

gadvantage.co

m/account/C

See www.niba.org
for more
use the QR
codes for instant details or
these valuab
le membership access to
benefits.

lick Register

and enter NIBAs

access code

Events

UID

and aeamem

bers.net

& shopping

383931802

NIBA-The Belting
See
6737
www.ni
W Washin
Association
ba.org gton
for more
St Suite
instant access
details
1300
or use
414-38
Milwau
to9-8606
the QRkee,
these valuable
codes
staff@nmembe
WI for
53214
iba.orgrship
www.ni
benefits
ba.org
.

Mike Cremeens, Shaw Almex presents the NIBA 3T

Seminar at the 2014 Coal Handling & Storage Conference in St. Louis, Missouri on October 20. Dick McConnell, Flexco and George Houston, Richwood also
served as instructors.

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

Three

Ways
To

Tr ain

Lightweight Training

in house...
NIBA training courses educate and add real world
value for those who are in the business of providing
solutions to operational problems on conveyors.
Available for in house training in DVD format, the
course can be used to instruct new employees or as a
refresher for industry veterans.

online...

Train online for easy access to courses that can be

effortlessly shared throughout your company and
across multiple locations. Buy one, two, or all three
segments of our most up-to-date materials, and have
continuous access to any updates. Additionally, all
participants who complete the online course will
receive a certificate of completion.

live...

In-person trainings are offered once a year at

convenient locations around the country. Our live
course provides an interactive format with hands-on
learning and immediate answers to questions.
Participants experience real world situations with
on-site visits and demonstrations.

NIBA The Belting Association 6737 W Washington St, Suite 1300 Milwaukee, WI 53214
Phone: 414-389-8606 Fax: 414-276-7704 E-Mail: staff@niba.org

Belt Line October 2014

19

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

P. A.S.S.
PROGR AM
Attention NIBA Members!
Save money through P.A.S.S. the
Products and Services Savings
Program. Start Today!

25% off targeted job postings

l 25% Discount on Job Postings
l Online resource for Industrial Distribution Job Openings
l Alliance partner of Industrial Careers Pathway (ICP)
l Building awareness of Industrial Distribution Careers
Visit jobs.idcareers.org and click Post a Job Use code NIBA2014 after creating recruiter account

$1,000 off UID registration & more

l $1000 savings on the UID
University of Innovative Distribution
l Discounts on all offered training
l Exclusive access to Industry specific training
l Targeted Industry Training

AEA Training Events

UID

For the discounted rate, identify NIBA as your association when registering for events atunivid.org and aeamembers.net

Up to 60% savings on discount tickets & shopping

l Employees and their families
of NIBA companies eligible
l Easy to sign up and use
l Earn points and redeem for rewards
Visit workingadvantage.com/account/Click Register and enter NIBAs access code 383931802

See www.niba.org for more details or

use the QR codes for instant access to
these valuable membership benefits.

20

NIBA-The Belting Association

See
www.niba.org
for more
details
or use
the QR codes
6737
W Washington
St Suite
1300
Milwaukee,
WI for
53214
instant access
to these valuable
membership
benefits.
414-389-8606
staff@niba.org
www.niba.org

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

P. A.S.S.
PROGR AM
Attention NIBA Members!
Save money through P.A.S.S. the
Products and Services Savings
Program. Start Today!

20% off online courses

20% discount to NIBA members on E-Learning courses including:
l Business and Professional Skills
l Regulatory Compliance
l IT Skills, Selling Techniques
l Leadership
l Project Management
l Hundreds of other topics

Access Trainings

To take advantage of this benefit visit niba.org/resources/member-benefits/pass-program/bizlibrary/

50% off all NIBA products

l Online technical training and testing
l Certificates of completion
l Training DVDs and CDs
l Workbooks
l Multi-Lingual versions

Place Order

Train Online

Download Form

Login at niba.org/training/publications/

Office supply savings

l NIBA discount available to all member companies
l NIBA members save on 90% of Staples items
l Orders over $50 shipped for free
Place Order

Register today at niba.org/resources/member-benefits/pass-program/staples/

See www.niba.org for more details or

use the QR codes for instant access to
these valuable membership benefits.

Belt Line October 2014

NIBA-The Belting Association

See
www.niba.org
for more
details
or use
the QR codes
6737
W Washington
St Suite
1300
Milwaukee,
WI for
53214
instant access
to these valuable
membership
benefits.
414-389-8606
staff@niba.org
www.niba.org

21

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

PIW, EP, and ST: Whats the Difference?

Edited by Doug Gilg, 2014 Education/Technical Committee, Veyance Technologies, Inc.
from an original document by Dave Gallagher, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

ou are busy at your desk when the call comes in asking for your equivalent of a 4 ply EP 3800 conveyor
belt. Your response is, of course, NO PROBLEM, ILL
MAKE A QUICK CONVERSION AND GET RIGHT BACK TO
YOU. After hanging up, you realize the problem is deeper
than it first appeared. Should your answer be given in PIW,
PN, or ST rating? Does the Safety factor need to be taken
into consideration? What is the operating tension of the belt
system? Questions, questions, questions!
To resolve this common problem, we must understand that
most of the world classifies belts with the metric system and
ultimate breaking strength while the United States most often
uses PIW. Sometimes the metric system is identified by (SI)
which stands for the International System of Units. To further
complicate matters, fabric belting is referred to in letters such
as EP, PP, NN, or other combinations while steel cable belts
are most often designated as ST.
So lets begin simplifying this discussion by referring to Table
1 for definitions of the yarn materials used in most belt carcasses for either system.

Besides defining the carcass yarn, the EP designation is completely different from PIW in two other important ways:
1. EP means breaking strength of the carcass; PIW is the tension rating of the belt.
2. EP means metric units (N/mm); PIW is in English units (lbs/in).
Carcass Tension Rating
In the USA, the term carcass tension has many definitions but
the NIBA version is probably the most appropriate.
NIBA: Maximum safe WORKING TENSION recommended
by the manufacturer.
This means the belt manufacturer determines the maximum
tension that can be applied to the belt after reviewing the
physical properties of the carcass. The tension units are PIW
or lbs. per in-width.
In the metric system, all tension values are in BREAKING
STRENGTH not operating tension. For example, an EP 800
construction is 800 N/mm breaking strength. The operating
tension, after converting to metric (assuming a 10:1 safety
factor) would be 80 N/mm or 457 PIW. A steel cable belt is
designated ST (Steel) and like the EP designations is in breaking strength (N/mm). See Table 2 for a summary:

Definition

USA

Metric

Yarn:

Polyester

Nylon

Carcass:

Item

Units

Description

System

Poly-nylon

PN

EP

PIW

lbs/in-width

USA

Nylon-nylon

NN

PP

Maximum Working
Tension

Poly-poly

PP

EE

EP

N/mm or Kn/m

Breaking Strength

Metric

ST

N/mm or Kn/m

Breaking Strength

Metric

Table 1: Yarn Material Designations

As you can see, we must be careful when using letters to
designate the yarns, especially when it comes to the confusion over nylon material. The reason for the apparent conflict
in acronyms can be explained as follows:
In the USA, P stands for Polyester and N for Nylon. In
countries where the metric system is more wildly used, the
abbreviations for Polyester (E) comes from Ethylene glycol
and Nylon from Polyamide (P). So if you wanted an equivalent to a Metric EP belt you would select Poly-Nylon in USA
terms or P-N.

Table 2. Carcass Strength Designations

Method for Conversion
One of the most common requirements is to convert from
EP to PIW to validate the maximum working tension allowable on the conveyor belt system. To do this, multiply the EP
number by 5.71 to give an equivalent breaking strength in
English units, then divide by the Safety Factor (SF) to give the
rated belt PIW. This formula can be used for both fabric and
steel cable belts.

PIW, EP, and ST continued on next page

22

Belt Line October 2014

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

PIW, EP, and ST continued from previous page
Summary

Example: Convert EP1000 to PIW (Assuming a safety factor

of 10)

As an option to doing the calculations, Table 4 will provide

an easy method for quickly converting back and forth with
the Metric System. Simply locate the safety factor of the belt
in question, move horizontally to the column description you
wish to convert, and multiply by the indicated number.

(1000 N/mm x 5.71)

10 SF = 571 PIW

Likewise to convert from PIW to EP, do the reverse:

(571 PIW x 10 SF)
5.71 = 1000 N/mm
Safety Factors or Design Factors
Safety factors vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and
by type/strength of fabric. In addition, different users are
willing to operate at different safety factors depending on the
severity of the system. These factors generally vary within
the ranges in Table 3.
Item

Safety Factor

PIW

7 to 12

EP

10

ST

5 to 8

Table 3. Generally Accepted Safety Factors

Safety
Factor

EP to PIW

PIW to EP

ST to PIW

Multiply by

Multiply by

Multiply by Multiply by

12

2.10

11

1.93

10

0.571

1.75

1.58

1.40

0.714

1.40

1.23

0.816

1.23

6.67

0.856

1.17

0.952

1.05

1.14

0.876

PIW to ST

Table 4. Conversion between various carcass strength

designations
Good luck on your conversions!

Another Successful Raffle!!

By John Grasmeyer, 2014 Products & Services Committee Chair, Sparks Belting Company

he Products Services Committee would like to thank

you for your continued support in raising money for
future scholarship winners. Thanks to the many buyers
of tickets, the 50/50 Raffle was once again a great success!
With your combined efforts and contributions, we were able
to raise a very impressive $5,130! Our grand prize winner,
Stella Maddux from Knoxville Rubber and Gasket, won half
of the earnings, $2,565, but graciously gave it right back to
the scholarship fund. All proceeds from this raffle will go
directly towards funding our scholarship program in 2015.

Belt Line October 2014

We are sincerely grateful to our corporate prize sponsors

Ashmus Belting donated an iPad
Blair Rubber donated an iPad
JTE Machine Systems donated a Baseless Cleat Tool
Mihlfeld & Associates donated an iPad
Sampla Belting donated an iPad Mini

Your generosity is truly appreciated!

23

A Publication of NIBAThe Belting Association

TRAINING MATERIALS ORDER FORM

Non-member prices are 50% higher than prices shown. Non-member orders must be prepaid.
Quantity

Price

Total

DVDs
#14 *3T: Track, Train, Troubleshoot for Heavyweight Belting (3 DVD set-2011)
#15 *Lightweight Basics (3 DVD set-2012)

x
x

$650
$650

=
=

x
x
x

$125
$125
$199

=
=
=

x
x
x
x
x
x

$15
$13.50
$12.75
$12
$25
$55

=
=
=
=
=
=

CDs
#16 *Lightweight Training CD (2006) - choose language: ___English ___Spanish
#17 *Heavyweight Training CD (2006) - choose language: ___English ___Spanish
#18 SPECIAL COMBO DEAL! Both Lightweight & Heavyweight Training CDs above

PUBLICATIONS
Introductory Guide to Belting - choose language: ___English ___Spanish

1-4
5-10
11-20
21+

(quantity discount)

#19

#20 (Extra Copy) NIBA Membership Directory (ONLY AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS)

#21 (Extra/New) NIBA Membership Plaque (ONLY AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS)
*For online training, visit www.niba.org
Order Price = S/H

All sales are final. For orders outside the continental United States, contact
staff@niba.org for shipping and handling charges. Shipping/handling is by UPS Ground.
For International Customers: Duties and customs charges may be assessed by your
country after your order arrives to you. You are responsible for paying these charges that
the delivery company may request before delivering your shipment.
NIBA DOES NOT and CANNOT include these charges when your order is processed.

$0.00
$20.01
$100.01
$250.01

$20.00 = $5
$100.00 = $7
$250.00 = $10
$300.00 = $15

Orders over $300 add 5%

Subtotal
Shipping
Total

Submit orders by e-mail: staff@niba.org / Fax: 414-276-7704 / Phone: 414-389-8606 or mail:

NIBA-The Belting Association / 6737 W. Washington St. / #1300 / Milwaukee, WI 53214
Shipping
Name:

Company:

Address:

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Billing Mark here if billing address is same as shipping address.

Please invoice me the full amount

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24

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Belt Line October 2014