German speciality chemicals firm Lanxess recently inaugurated its EUR400 million 1,000 kilotonnes/year butyl rubber plant on Jurong Island in Singapore, its highest investment to date. The plant will create about 160 highly qualified new jobs that will mainly be filled locally. The…
Category: Industry News
Zeon delays Singapore SSBR plant by 2 months
According to news reports, Japan’s Zeon Chemicals will delay the start-up of its already completed US$240 million SSBR plant in Singapore from July to September. However, the firm has said it will run the Singapore plant “flat-out” upon its starting…
Trelleborg acquires composites firm
Swedish engineered polymer group Trelleborg has acquired a niche UK-based composites company thus strengthening its position in offshore oil & gas. Trelleborg has, through its business area Trelleborg Offshore & Construction, signed an agreement and finalised the acquisition of Ambler…
Aditya sells carbon black unit to group company
Indian firm Aditya Birla Nuvo has decided to sell its carbon black business to a group company, SKI Carbon Black (India), for about US$26 million as part of its plan to exit the business in the near future. An option…
KKR to acquire Indian Alliance Tire
American private equity company KohlbergKravis Roberts (KKR) is set to purchase a 90% stake in specialised tyre maker Alliance Tire Group from rival private equity fund Warburg Pincus and owner Yogesh Kumar Mahansaria for US$650 million, including a debt of…
Kultevat and KeyGene work on dandelion rubber
US-based biotech company Kultevat and KeyGene, a biotech company from the Netherlands, have entered into collaboration for production of rubber based on the Russian dandelion. This plant has demonstrated potential as a domesticated crop for the US and Europe; the…
World Rubber Summit to kick off with experts from top firms
THE International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) has announced details of the upcoming World Rubber Summit 2013 . Speakers from leading firms like Apollo, Bridgestone, HSBC, Olam, Pirelli and Versalis will be headlining in the event. Key experts from the global…
China to produce more consumer tyres, weans from truck segment
A RECENT report by Bloomberg indicated that natural rubber demand in China will be focusing on producing consumer tyres and shifts away from the heavy equipment and truck tyre segments. Shen Jinrong,Chair of the Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. said in…
Bridgestone Michelin leaders in branding
According to UK brand valuation and marketing firm Brand Finance, Bridgestone is the world’s most valuable tyre brand, followed closely by Michelin. Brand Finance puts the global value of the Bridgestone brand at US$4.45 billion and that of the Michelin…
Yokohama’s tyre plant in China receives government aid
Japanese tyre maker Yokohama Rubber’s tyre production unit in China, Hangzhou Yokohama Tire, has received grants-in-aid totalling RMB13.47 million for the period from December 2012 to March 2013 from Hangzhou City and the Hangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone (HEDA).…