Ventilation fastening holds up Down Under

Ventiflex, made by the Norwegian firm Protan, is one of the world’s most cost-effective and efficient underground ventilation delivery systems. The robust fabric can be stored flat and palletted for inexpensive transportation from site to site.

In advancing this philosophy Ventiflex now offers a soft Velcro connector that can be simply pressed together to provide a strong air-tight seal, and later can be pried apart using simple tools. The Velcro is welded to the lengths of Ventiflex, reducing weight and installation time.

The Australian agents of Ventiflex, Downunder Mining PL, demonstrated the strength of the fabric and Velcro in an eye-catching way at the annual Kalgoorlie Mining Expo. A 115-kg Yamaha WR250F off-road motor bike was suspended from a bar using only two 500-mm-wide strips of Ventiflex Velcro. The bike hung motionless one metre off the ground for the three-day event. For more information visit www.protan.com or www.downundermining.com.au.