German auto parts manufacturers, Continental’s pouch conveyor belts are being used in a flood prevention project in Machida, Tokyo. The city has rivers that are built over or regulated to create space to live. This results in a risk of…
Vipal studies raw material potential of rice husk for rubber industry
Vipal Rubber, together with Brazil’s University of Caxias do Sul, and the Lodz Poland University of Technology, research the potentials of rice husk residue as a raw material for the rubber industry. Material and Chemistry Engineer, Suélen Moresco who is…
Sumitomo Rubber debuts new on-ice tyre testing facility
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has opened a new testing facility at one of its main development bases for winter tyres, the Nayoro Tyre Proving Ground in Hokkaido. The Nayoro Indoor ICE Field or NICE is one of the largest indoor on-ice tyre…
Michelin, Air France seal deal for tyre supply, digital services
Air France has selected the French tyre maker Michelin as the exclusive tyre supplier for its aircraft fleet. Michelin will equip the company’s short-, medium- and long-haul aircraft with new or retreaded tyres notably produced at the Saint Doulchard plant in…
Bridgestone develops new technology to increase guayule rubber productivity
Japanese tyre maker Bridgestone Corporation is developing a new technology for improving guayule-derived natural rubber productivity through a joint development project with Tokyo-based Kirin Holdings. The project combines Kirin’s biotechnology with the guayule cultivation expertise of Bridgestone to deliver large-scale…
Lotte Chemical to acquire JSR’s elastomer unit
South Korean advanced materials producer Lotte Chemical is acquiring the Elastomer Division of JSR, a Tokyo-headquartered company that supplies a diverse range of functional materials, synthetic rubbers, thermoplastic elastomers, performance chemicals and others. JSR’s asking price is reportedly up to…
Upcoming EU tyre label may help consumers choose more fuel efficient tyres
In May 2021, a new EU tyre label is going to be introduced to provide consumers with comprehensive information on their selected tyres, according to tyre maker Continental. The new EU tyre label enables consumers to choose more fuel-efficient tyres,…
Amid pandemic: growth, expansion for Malaysia’s ace glove makers
The Covid-19 pandemic, which has tipped the scales of the majority of industries, has triggered unprecedented demand for the rubber gloves sector. Two of Malaysia’s leading rubber gloves producer, Hartalega and Top Glove, are on the receiving end of this “windfall”. Kuala…
Tyre market gets a bad break in 2020; slow restart seen in Q4 – ETRMA
The European tyre market skids on the impact of the Covid-19 to the economy, according to the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA). The repeated lockdowns, mobility restrictions consequently imposed, and the ensuing economic crisis with the closure of…
Biesterfeld gets distribution rights to Denka acrylate rubbers
Hamburg-based distributor of high-performance polymers, technical elastomers, silicone rubber compounds, and additives, Biesterfeld Performance Rubber is expanding its partnership with the Japanese chemical company, Denka by taking over the distribution of Denka ER acrylate rubbers. The new agreement covers all of Europe (with…






