In 1996 a major corporation involved in supplying equipment to mining operations approached TL Industries concerning a problem that had plagued the mining industry for years.

In many mining operations, a large transport belt system is used to bring the mined ore to the earth's surface. There is always a chance that the belt used in this transport system can tear and become damaged beyond repair and with this belt sometimes being as long as four miles, this can be a very expensive item to replace.