A method and apparatus if described for the coating of running strands or webs with a thermoplastic protective layer. The successive steps comprise the application of a primer and the hot air current drying and curing of same supplemented by inductive heating. The temperature is next raised in two successive stages by inductive type heaters, the latter stage while the strand or web is vertically traversing the length of a continuouslyreplenished dense cylindrical bed of powdered vinyl polymer of the like. The replenishment as well as cooling of the powder is accomplished through a recirculatory arrangement powered by air nozzles. Alternate coating materials are proposed including polyolefins containing compounds of metal.