Truco launches lightweight thermoplastic composite hose Aimed at the petroleum industry, rubber specialist Truco now offers a lightweight composite hose for off-loading road tankers, manufactured in standard 100 mm dia and 4500 mm lengths. In addition, Truco is able to offer the same lightweight hose to meet any required specification in sizes from 40 mm to 100 mm dia, up to 12 m in length. For a safer operation, the fittings on both ends of the hose are secured by means of crimping. The hose comprises of an inner high tensile aluminium wire helix and an outer galvanised wire helix, with multiple plies of polypropylene film, woven polypropylene reinforcing material and a PVC cover sandwiched between the two. With a bend radius of approximately 300 mm and a mass per meter of less than 4 kg, the hose has proven its durability and reliability amongst its heavy weight rubber competitors. The hose also carries a 4:1 safety factor on its 350 kpa design operating pressure, which not only meets, but exceeds the BS 5842 specification for thermoplastic off-loading hose.