MATO Australia’s U40 series fastener is making mining operations run smoother by decreasing downtime and total cost ownership while increasing productivity.
Global belt fastening solutions manufacturer MATO has been committed to the Australian market for more than 35 years.
MATO Australia general manager David Gilbert said the U40 series fastener was developed in response to the mounting pressures and demands faced by Australian mining operations.
“One of the challenges in recent years is that conveyor belts in mining have changed dramatically. They’re faster, they carry heavier loads, and they run for longer periods without stop,” Gilbert told ABHR.
“Our original U30 series fasteners had been largely unchanged for nearly a century, and to this day it still remains an integral part of our Heavy-Duty fastener range, although it served the industry well, the demands of modern conveyor systems require additional staple protection. That’s why we had to introduce the all-new HD U40 fastener for specific applications.”
Gilbert said the development of the U40 fastener focused on a key weakness in the previous model – a specific failure point known as “staple breakage”. After identifying and resolving this issue, MATO achieved a major improvement in durability, according to Gilbert.
“We had to work on a new design concept system within the fastener to reduce staple breakage for some specific applications. That was the critical change,” he said.
“By focusing on this one area, we’ve now doubled – even tripled – the product life. It’s been designed, developed, and tested, and it’s proven to be a significant improvement over our U30 system.
“Now, our challenge is to get it out there and show end users what it can really do.”
Using StapleGuard
A key feature of the new U40 fastener is an enhanced version of MATO’s long-standing StapleGuard technology. While the concept is not new, Gilbert said its application in the U40 is substantially upgraded.
“The StapleGuard has always existed in our U30 series. But with the move to faster belts and higher impact loads, we had to improve the way we protect the staples,” he said.
“Increasing the ridging within the plate now enhances StapleGuard protection. In the U40, the guard itself becomes the wear component – not the staple – which results in longer life in high-impact mining applications.
“It’s a concept that represents how the staples are protected by the plate profile, ensuring longer life for both the staples and the fastener as a whole.”
Lower TCO
Mining is an industry where every minute of uptime matters. The cost of labour, equipment, and downtime is steep – so small improvements in reliability and planning can yield huge operational benefits. That is where the U40’s lifecycle advantage becomes a strategic edge.
Gilbert said the U40 also helps reduce unplanned downtime by enabling planned, quarterly maintenance cycles instead of monthly interventions.
“The U40 isn’t necessarily cheaper than the U30 upfront,” he said. “But it delivers significantly longer life – two or even three times longer. That’s where the value is.
“If a mine was considering switching from MATO to a competitor, we can guarantee that we’re at least 30 per cent more affordable when you look at cost versus lifespan.
“It’s all about planning. We’re giving mines confidence in knowing when a product will need replacing. That way, they can schedule around it and minimise unexpected stops.”
Designed for efficiency and compatibility
MATO Germany engineered the U40 fastener to be compatible with the existing U30 systems, which is an advantage for the company’s existing customers.
Another design improvement in the U40 fastener is its low-profile, skip-fastener architecture. This has benefits for belt cleaning, system efficiency, and overall performance.
“Mining is about time and money. If we can extend the interval between maintenance cycles, we’re saving on labour, reducing downtime, and helping mines get more production out of the same system,” Gilbert said.
“If a site is already using the U30, they don’t have to rip everything out. The U40 lines up one-for-one with the old system, and existing tooling can be modified without the need for expensive capital investment. We’ve made the transition easy and affordable for our existing customers.”
Built for the long haul
As MATO marks over 100 years globally and more than three decades of Australian operations, the company remains focused on evolving with the mining industry’s needs.
“We want to reinforce to our customers that we’re not just here today – we’re here for the long haul,” Gilbert said.
“We’re proud of our history, and we’re committed to supporting our customers into the future with products that are not only high quality but also innovative and tailored for their evolving needs.”