Load Zone Solutions

Richwood engineered load zone systems stop spillage, dust and belt damage where material first hits the belt — with documented clean-up savings of $19K a month at one site.

Why load zones fail

The load zone is where bulk material first lands on the belt — and where most conveyor damage begins. Poor belt support lets impact punch through covers; gaps in sealing let fines and dust escape; and the clean-up, belt repairs and unplanned stoppages that follow quietly become one of a plant’s biggest recurring costs. Richwood evaluates each application and engineers the complete load zone as a system: support, sealing, containment and access.

The Richwood load zone system

Canoe Liners® — skirtboard wear liners

Internal wear liners with a bevelled-edge design that seals inside the skirtboard to eliminate spills and leakage. Available in Rock Flex® 2000 60-durometer solid rubber or the Rock Plate™ ceramic/rubber matrix for extreme conditions, with single or dual bevel (reversible wear life). Modular sections make handling and replacement fast.

Richwood Skirt Clamps and Rock Flex® skirt rubber

Steel-plate clamps with a heavy-duty stainless clamping mechanism: lift the handle, install the skirt rubber, clamp down — no notching, slotting or punching. Available up to 48" lengths in high or low profile. Rock Flex® skirting is a specially formulated low-friction SLK blend that seals material without damaging the belt.

Air Stop™ Box Check System

An engineered modular enclosure that completely surrounds the belt to control airflow at the load zone. Drop-in replaceable MSHA-grade rubber baffle curtains block air flow and retain material fines on the belt — the missing piece for dust control on fast, fine-material conveyors.

Load Station Tailpiece (LST)

A complete loading station or tailpiece unit delivered ready to install and run: heavy-duty support structure, Impact Saddles®, Canoe Liners®, return slide idlers and RockKnocker gravity V-plough, design-matched from a single source. The clean solution to reworking old tailpieces, serviceable from beside the conveyor with the belt in place.

Documented result: potash facility

Before Richwood, this load zone was cleaned with a water truck and crews for over 40 hours every week. After installing canoe liners, skirting with skirt clamps, impact saddles, Cushion Arc rollers and edge seal bar stands, cleaning dropped to 1–2 hours per month — a saving of around $19,000 every month. The after photos were taken just 10 days post-installation.

Why choose Richwood load zone solutions

Engineered as a system — support, sealing and containment designed together for your material and belt speed
Modular wear parts — replace only what wears, from the accessible side of the conveyor
Proven ROI — documented clean-up and belt-life savings across coal, potash, aggregate and hard rock
Made in USA by Richwood — conveyor specialists since 1976, with a 100% money-back guarantee

Frequently asked questions

Can Richwood systems retrofit our existing load zone?

Yes — components are modular and designed to fit existing skirtboards and structure. Richwood evaluates each application individually and specifies the fit.

What’s the first thing to fix in a leaking load zone?

Belt support. Sealing can’t work over an unsupported, fluttering belt — which is why Richwood designs support (Impact Saddles®) and sealing (Canoe Liners®, skirting) together.

Do you handle dust as well as spillage?

Yes — the Air Stop™ Box Check System controls airflow and retains fines, complementing the mechanical sealing of liners and skirting.

Ask us about Richwood load zone solutions →