In 2009, a particularly problematic hazardous plasticiser, until then indispensible in vibration technology applications with high damping forces and limited ageing, was successfully replaced with harmless alternatives.
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ARDL: Discover Excellence in PPE Pharmaceutical and Microbiological Testing with ARDL
In the ever-evolving world of the medical and pharmaceutical industries, ensuring the ...
Medical unit buyout by Trelleborg
Swedish Trelleborg plans to buy medical-related businesses from Switzerland’s Silcotech Group for US$42 million. The acquired operation focuses on precision seals and components in liquid silicone, primarily for the pharmaceutical industry and medical technology sector and is also used in…
Evonik starts up isobutene plant; bonds buyout for carbon black unit
Germany-based Evonik Industries has started up a 110,000 tonnes/year isobutene plant at its Antwerp site in Belgium. The company says it invested tens of million of Euros to triple its capacity for isobutene, which is used in butyl rubber for…
Chinese carbon black plant for Cabot
The company said the investment builds on its strong position in China, where demand for carbon black continues to grow.
Zeon sees HNBR increase
Another company that is seeing increasing demand for HNBR is Zeon Chemicals, which is planning to expand capacity for its Zetpol HNBR by 25% at its American plant to come on stream by 2012. The company had previously expanded its…
Lanxess buys more Solutia chemicals and ups HNBR capacity
The company is taking over the Vocol and Santoweb product lines including customer lists, tolling agreements and know-how. Employees of Flexsys are not part of the transaction. The transaction is effective immediately. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
Rubber prices expected to rise further
THE Malaysian rubber market is expected to continue its uptrend next week supported by higher crude oil prices. A dealer said rising crude oil prices will make synthetic rubber, a product of crude oil, costlier. “Higher crude oil prices will…
Michelin launches major Technology Center upgrade
TO strengthen its innovation capabilities and shorten new tire time-to-market, Michelin has undertaken a top-to-bottom €100 million upgrade of its global research and development center in Ladoux, near Clermont-Ferrand in France. In the center, where 3,300 people work, an entirely…
‘Piezo-Rubber’: New technology harvests electricity from body movements
IN a study in Nano Letters, scientists report that they have developed a flexible, biocompatible rubber film called Piezo-rubber for use in implantable or wearable energy harvesting systems. The material could be used, for instance, to harvest energy from the…
Sumitomo workers OK after disaster
KOBE, Japan (March 15, 2011)—Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. said it had no casualties among workers at its Shirakawa factory following last week’s earthquake and subsequent tsunami in northeastern Japan. SRI also reports there was no critical damage at the car…