In the automotive industry, several changes and disruptions are estimated, according to Kumar Saha, Frost & Sullivan Director of Mobility for market researchers, addressing an audience at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in late 2018. Saha has said that…
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Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia ally to address falling rubber prices
Indonesia is among the biggest producers of rubber next to Thailand, Malaysia and China; however, Indonesian rubber farmers have been hit by low prices since late 2018, prompting the government to find ways to stabilise rubber pricesby forging cooperation with…
China’s Doublestar to acquire Shandong Hengyu Tech in US$134 million deal
Chinese game-player Qingdao Doublestar Group plans to acquire fellow Chinese tyre-maker Shandong Hengyu Technology Group for US$134 million (CNY899 million) in a careful expansion and capacity optimisation plan in 2019. Dongying City, Shandong-based Hengyu Technology Group – also known as…
Brazil compensates NR demand with Latin American imports
Brazil eyes the Latin American region as source of natural rubber (NR) to meet its increasing demand for the commodity, according to a study. The Association of Natural Rubber Producers in Brazil (ABRABOR) Executive Director, Diogo Esperante said in his…
Bridgestone to build racing tyre plant in US
Bridgestone Americas announced its plan to build a plant for Firestone race tyres in Akron, Ohio at an event in Indianapolis that featured racing legend Mario Andretti, and veteran IndyCar driver and team owner Ed Carpenter. The construction of the…
Uptake in motorcycle tyres globally expected over the next four years
The demand for motorcycle tyres around the world is expected to rise 4% every year till 2022, at an estimated 704 million units valued at about US$14 billion. The advances in motorcycle tyres will see it overtaking the global tyre…
Synthomer ups NBR capacity in Malaysia; demand from glove sector growing
UK-headquartered materials company Synthomer has started up its RM270 million nitrile latex expansion at its Pasir Gudang facility in the southern state of Johor in Malaysia. The company has added on 90,000 tonnes/year of new capacity, which is a 50%…
Toyoda sets up technical operations in India
Japanese firm Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. has established an office in Guragaon, India, to speed up business by locating engineering and sales operations closer to the head office of its main customer, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. These operations were previously…
Michelin completes acquisition of Fenner
French tyre maker Michelin has finalised its acquisition of UK-based conveyor-belt maker Fenner Plc for about US$1.7 billion recently. The deal, announced in March this year, is aimed at expanding the French tyre manufacturer’s mining equipment business and moving into non-rubber materials. The tyre…
Nynas’s new process oil to help rolling resistance in tyres
A new high-performance grade has now been added to Swedish oil company Nynas’s product slate, designed to meet the demands of the market and help the industry tackle challenges such as reducing rolling-resistance, boosting fuel economy, and sourcing reliable supply.…