Belt with edge reinforcement

A belt for transporting a fibrous material web in at least one of a web producing machine and a web converting machine from a first transfer location to a second transfer location, the belt bordered in a cross direction on each side by a respective longitudinal edge, the belt comprising:

• a weight-carrying base structure;
• two polymer layers including a machine side polymer layer and a paper side polymer layer, wherein said base structure is disposed between said paper side polymer layer and said machine side polymer layer, said two polymer layers protruding beyond said base structure in a region of at least one of said longitudinal edges in said cross direction to define a groove extending in a longitudinal direction of the belt;
• and
• a polymer material, said polymer material filling at least sections of said groove thereby coactively defining an edge reinforcement in a region of said at least one longitudinal edge, said edge reinforcement providing at least a section of said at least one longitudinal edge of the belt.

A method for manufacture of a belt for one of a web producing machine and a web converting machine, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a weight-carrying base structure;
• b) coating one side of said base structure with a first polymer material to provide a paper side of the belt;
• c) removing part of said base structure in at least one edge area such that said paper side polymer layer protrudes beyond said base structure when viewed in a cross direction of the belt;
• d) filling a space between said paper side polymer layer and said base structure with a formless second polymer material to form at least one section of a longitudinal edge of the belt;
• and
• e) solidifying said formless second polymer material.