South Korea’s Nexen Tire is considering expanding to the US with plans to build its first tyre plant to expand its share of the North American market, according to local media sources. The company was said to be planning to…
Too much rubber on the roads puts pressure on tyre makers
Tyre makers are literally being pushed to “reinvent the wheel” as regulators turn their scrutiny to pollution from tyres that is set to surge with the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) and threatens to undermine those cars’ green credentials, according…
Bridgestone breaks ground on US$60 mn expansion of tyre plant in Texas
Tyre maker Bridgestone’s US$60 million investment in Abilene, Texas, will support the rapid growth of retread tyre business. The expansion provides room for additional equipment and increases production capacity and days of operation up to seven days a week. The…
Malaysia’s rubber exports take a drastic dip; NR production down in January
Malaysia’s rubber exports have taken a beating over the past five years with the value having dropped to RM35 billion in 2022 compared with RM71 billion in 2021, according to the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Plantation and…
Stellantis to acquire equal stake in Symbio
Auto parts firm Faurecia, a company of the Forvia group, tyre maker Michelin and Stellantis have entered into a binding agreement for auto maker Stellantis to acquire 33.3% stake in Symbio, a specialist in zero-emission hydrogen mobility. Faurecia and Michelin…
Toyo Tire/Toyama Univ develop catalyst to convert CO2 to butadiene
Japan’s Toyo Tire in collaboration with the University of Toyama have developed a catalyst that converts carbon dioxide to butadiene at a high yield in joint research, and has succeeded in synthesising butadiene rubber, the main raw material for tyres.…
Elliott pumps up investment in Goodyear; pushes for financial reforms
Activist investor Elliott Investment Management LP, which manages funds that have an investment representing an approximately 10% economic interest in Goodyear Rubber & Tire Company, wants the company to strengthen its financial position by refreshing the board, selling its stores…
Goodyear launches first tyre to use methane-carbon black tread
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company says it has a new tread formulation for its ultra-high performance, all-season ElectricDrive GT tyre, tuned for electric vehicles, in size 235/40R19. The specialised tread compound that provides enhanced all-season traction will include hydrogen and…
Gloom ahead for glove sector as Hartalega shuts down plant
Malaysian glove maker Hartalega’s closure of its Bestari Jaya plant, which comprises four facilities with 40 production lines, could be a sign of a marked downturn in the local glove sector. The decommissioning exercise is expected to be completed by…
Wastefront ties up with Weber & Schaer for rCB
Norwegian waste tyre recycling company, Wastefront, says that one of Europe’s largest distributors of products for the rubber industry, Weber & Schaer has signed a strategic offtake and on-sale agreement for its recovered carbon black (rCB). The agreement secures Wastefront’s…