Abstract: A fiber optic cable is manufactured by wrapping a cable core with a corrugated steel reinforcing tape coated on each surface by a polymer material and extruding a jacket over the tape such that the polymer material on the outer surface is bonded to the jacket and the edges of the tape are overlapped and bonded. The tape is formed and spooled so as to be continuous through the spool to a required length to match the intended length of the cable which can be as much as 18 to 30 kms. The required length of the tape is obtained by slitting master rolls of steel web into individual tapes and forming welded butt splices in the steel so that each spooled tape is of the required length. A series of the spooled tapes are then unwound side by side, simultaneously laminated with two sheets of the polymer, separated each from the next and re-wound to form a spool of single tape of the required length. If the tapes are spaced side to side, the polymer material encapsulates the tape edges also.

Abstract: A packaged product includes an overwrap material wrapped around the product and overlapped to form a seam bonded to prevent ingress of moisture and a tear tape to tear the overwrap material. The tear tape has a first pressure sensitive layer for bonding to the overwrap and a second layer opposite the first having characteristics such that it acts as a release coat to inhibit bonding of the tear tape to itself and such that it acts to bond the substrate to the overwrap material. The second layer converts by heat from the release coat condition to the bonding condition by being absorbed into the first sub-layer or by including a hard rough surface arranged to inhibit bonding to the first layer which is melted.