BRIDGESTONE Americas has begun serial production of passenger and light truck tyres at its expanded Aiken County tyre plant in Graniteville, South Carolina, US. A Firestone Transforce was the first tyre made during the pilot production. The US$346 million-worth expansion…
Category: Investments
Gates Foundation on drive to find better designed condom
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is offering a US$100,000 grant to anyone who can come up with an improved, next generation condom. It said that it is looking for a design that “significantly preserves or enhances pleasure, in order…
Trelleborg opens new automotive boots facility in China
TRELLEBORG has opened its new 2,500 sqm manufacturing facility early March in Wuxi, China that will manufacture high-performance automotive halfshaft and steering systems boots. This new facility , which is expandable to a further 800 sqm, is an addition to…
Rhein Chemie posts growth in 2012, expands tyre industry portfolio
RHEIN Chemie, a wholly owned subsidiary of speciality chemicals company Lanxess, grew its global sales in fiscal 2012 to EUR344 million, a slight increase over the previous year’s EUR332 million. In 2012, the group generated sales of EUR9.1 billion and…
Synthomer and DKSH form distribution partnership in Asia
EMULSION polymers supplier Synthomer and chemical distributor DKSH Business Unit Performance Materials have entered into a regional distribution partnership covering India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. The contract , which covers Synthomer’s Construction & Coatings and Functional…
Versalis and Pirelli form joint research on guayule-based rubber tyre
VERSALIS (Eni) and Pirelli have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a joint research project for the use of guayule-based natural rubber in tyre production. The research project will span a period of three years. On an exclusivity…
Tokai Rubber to acquire Brazilian auto parts firm
Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd. has announced that its board of directors resolved to acquire the shares of a Brazilian manufacturer of automotive rubber parts, Produflex Minas Industria de Borrachas Ltda., and Produflex MG, an automotive anti-vibration solutions provider, becoming its…
Lotte Chemical, Ube Industries and Mitsubishi coalesce for BR production in Malaysia
JAPAN-based Ube Industries, Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corporation, and South Korea-based Lotte Chemical have formed a joint venture (JV) to manufacture and market butadiene rubber (BR) in Johor, Malaysia. The JV will be licensed manufacturing technology from Ube, and will construct…
Aero Wheel to supply tyres to NASA
AIRCRAFT distributor, Desser Tire & Rubber Co., has announced that its affiliate Aero Wheel & Brake Service Corp has received a contract to supply aircraft tyre replacement and wheel overhaul across all of NASA’s flight platforms. The US$1.5 million 2-year…
Toyo Premium Auto Centre opens in Malaysia
TOYO Tyre Malaysia Sdn Bhd (TTM) has opened the first Toyo Premium Auto Centre at Malacca to increase Toyo Tires brand awareness and sales. The first Toyo Premium Auto Centre is operated by Hock Tyre Services & Batteries Co., Ltd.…