Toyoda Gosei Co, Ltd, a manufacturer of plastics and rubber automotive components, safety systems, and LEDs invests in Genial Light Co, Ltd., a Japanese startup that develops testing equipment and other devices for medical institutions. Genial Light has worked with…
IRSG announces World Rubber Summit virtual event to be held on 8-11 June
With the theme, “Facing the Future: Inclusiveness, Sustainability and Growth for the Next Normal”, the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) has announced the World Rubber Summit (WRS) virtual event will be held on 8-11 June 2021. (Related article: World Rubber Summit postponed…
Hexpol acquires Unica; expected to strengthen grip on Spain, EU markets
Malmö-headquartered polymers company Hexpol is acquiring 100% of Unión de Industrias CA, SA. (Unica) from Espiga Capital, a Spanish based Private Equity firm for an estimated EUR48 million. Unica is a significant player in Rubber Compounds in Spain, supplying several…
Russian OG company Tatneft to produce crude rubber, road bitumen in Kazakhstan
Russian oil and gas company, Tatneft has signed an agreement to produce crude rubber and road bitumen in Kazakhstan for the Butadiene Project and the Agreement of Intent on the Implementation of the Road Bitumen Production Project. The signing took…
HeveaConnect, SNV to jointly develop training modules for Indonesian rubber smallholders
Singapore-headquartered digital marketplace HeveaConnect (HC) joined forces with Dutch non-profit SNV Netherlands Development Organisation to develop the HeveaGROW digital agronomy training modules in video formats for rubber smallholders in Indonesia. The initiative aims to make agronomy training accessible to more rubber smallholders and…
Guayule, a renewable resource for polyisoprene
Guayule is also found to be a potential source of natural polyisoprene (PI), according to a study led by Amandine Rousset ( Avignon University and GuaTecs), Ali Amor (CIRAD and CTTM), Serge Palu (CIRAD), Teerasak Punvichai (Prince of Songkla University), Sandrine Perino…
PTT to venture into nitrile gloves production; new jv established to enter medical device market
Thai state-owned oil and gas company PTT’s subsidiaries, IRPC and Innobic (Asia) establish a joint venture, Innopolymed Company Limited, to produce non-woven fabric from the melt-blown process, and which are raw materials for the filtration in medical masks, N95 respirators,…
Arlanxeo launches legal entity in India; to inaugurate new Mumbai office
Synthetic rubber producer Arlanxeo has launched its legal entity in India, Arlanxeo India Private Limited, which has commenced operations from 1 January this year. In line with this development, Arlanxeo will be inaugurating a new office space in Mumbai, India,…
Michelin collabs for masks, loafers
French tyremaker Michelin has recently opened a new automated mask manufacturing workshop at the Combaude plant near Clermont-Ferrand. Some of the machines used in the EUR3.5 million investment- facility are from the Villars-based company CERA. and will be producing 3…
Sumitomo Rubber to boost US plant capacity with US$122 mn investment
In response to the increased demand driven by strong sales of SUV and light truck high-performance tyres in the North American market, Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) is investing US$96 million to nearly double its capacity in its US factory’s daily…






