Category: Industry News

Evonik opens silica plant expansion in Thailand

With growth driven by the demand for fuel saving tyres and life science applications in Southeast Asia, German chemicals firm Evonik has expanded production for precipitated silica in Rayong, Thailand. With this investment, Evonik has increased its capacity for precipitated…

Malay firm gets partner JV for new rubber plant

Malaysian agribusiness firm Felda Global Ventures Holdings Berhad Co and locally based Pho La Min Trading Ltd (PLM) have entered into a joint-venture agreement to build a rubber processing plant in Taninthar­yi Region, the two firms announced last week. The…

Hartalega presses on as competition intensify

OVERCAPACITY is a term used very much in the glove industry these days. That and rising costs of production. In fact, the industry has been wrought by more negativity than “positivity” in the past couple of years, a different scenario…

Public unrest against another Hayleys factory

Just under seven months to the incident which led to the closure of the Weliweriya glove manufacturing plant, another Hayleys group factory, Hanwella Rubber Products Ltd located in Hanwella has taken public to the streets, interestingly for the same contamination…

Top Glove not giving up on China

Top Glove Corp Bhd, the world’s largest rubber glove manufacturer by capacity, has no plans to exit the Chinese market, despite the group incurring an operating loss of RM5.23 million in China during the first quarter ended Nov 30, 2013…

Imports to remain as peak season rubber output falls

Serious drop in the production of natural rubber (NR) during the peak season (Sept– Feb) of the current financial year has raised concern over its domestic availability. While the the peak season production dropped to 518,000 tonne as against 546,500…

Research firm projects increase in SBR demand

A study by Grand View Research Inc. says the global market for styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) is expected to reach approximately $23.2 billion by 2020. The study cites increased demand for SBR in tire manufacturing as a primary factor in…