Yokohama Rubber Boosts Energy Efficiency at Japan’s Longest Conveyor Line Jun. 22, 2018. - Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101) recently delivered its energy-saving Ecotex conveyor belting to Chichibu Taiheiyo Cement Corp.’s KLT line – the longest conveyor line in Japan. The product has been receiving high praise for its durability and energy efficiency. Aside from its excellent durability, Ecotex serves to optimize the viscoelasticity of a conveyor belt’s undersurface cover, which comes in contact […]Fujikura Rubber Expects to See Slight Drop-off Following Stellar Run Jun. 21, 2018. - Fujikura Rubber Ltd. (TYO:5121) has been getting strong performance out of its sales divisions for industrial products, control equipment and golf club carbon shafts. The company saw increased revenue for the fifth consecutive year in fiscal 2017 – as well as increased profit for three consecutive years. Automotive-related exports have grown in countries including China and Vietnam, with particular growth […]
Japan’s Transmission Belt Production Rises 2% Year-on-Year for 2017 Jun. 19, 2018. - The Japan Belting Manufacturers Association recently released statistics showing Japan’s domestic production of transmission belts to have increased 2 percent year-on-year for 2017, reaching a total of 11,985 tons. While automotive demand stalled, demand for general industrial applications was solid. Increased demand was seen for applications such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment, injection molding machines, machine tools and industrial robots. Looking […]
Sumitomo Riko Starts Construction of New R&D Facility for Anti-Vibration Rubber Jun. 18, 2018. - Sumitomo Riko Co. Ltd. (TYO:5191) has held a ceremony to formally mark the start of construction on a new R&D center. The facility will be established under SumiRiko AVS Germany GmbH, a subsidiary devoted to the R&D and sales of anti-vibration rubber for vehicles and based in Hesse, Germany. Under construction with a budget of approximately 10 million euros ($11.62 […]Mondo Design Makes Speakers by Recycling Used Tires Jun. 7, 2018. - Mondo Design Co. Ltd., which reuses tires and their inner tubes to manufacture bags and other consumer products, has been creating a stir with its SEAL Speaker line of audio speakers that use old motorcycle tires as-is for a structural frame. Part of the company’s SEAL brand of environmentally friendly products, the wireless speakers also incorporate cedar lumber produced from […]
Toyo Tires Develops Simulation Technology for Tire and Vehicle Aerodynamics Jun. 5, 2018. - Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5105) has developed proprietary new technology for the simulation of tire aerodynamics. This will help the company to bring about highly aerodynamic new tires, which are necessary to help improve fuel efficiency and deal with the shift toward electrified vehicles. Loaded with various pattern designs from actual tires, the technology combines these with driving […] Yokohama Rubber Boosts Energy Efficiency at Japan’s Longest Conveyor Line Jun. 22, 2018. - Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101) recently delivered its energy-saving Ecotex conveyor belting to Chichibu Taiheiyo Cement Corp.’s KLT line – the longest conveyor line in Japan. The product has been receiving high praise for its durability and energy efficiency. Aside from its excellent durability, Ecotex serves to optimize the viscoelasticity of a conveyor belt’s undersurface cover, which comes in contact […]Fujikura Rubber Expects to See Slight Drop-off Following Stellar Run Jun. 21, 2018. - Fujikura Rubber Ltd. (TYO:5121) has been getting strong performance out of its sales divisions for industrial products, control equipment and golf club carbon shafts. The company saw increased revenue for the fifth consecutive year in fiscal 2017 – as well as increased profit for three consecutive years. Automotive-related exports have grown in countries including China and Vietnam, with particular growth […]
Sumitomo Chemical Develops New EPDM Grade for Rubber-to-Metal Adhesion Jun. 12, 2018. - Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4005) has developed a new grade of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) for rubber-to-metal adhesion, coming as part of a broader company effort to develop various new grades of EPDM. The development of this new grade was achieved via a random arrangement of ethylene and propylene. Sumitomo Chemical is now sending samples of the grade to […]
Tough Environmental Regulations Impact Elastomix Operations in China May. 25, 2018. - Carbon masterbatch (CMB) manufacturer Elastomix Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of JSR Corp. (TYO:4185), is in the process of increasing its production capacity in China. As part of this, the company will look to take prompt measures to ensure the ensure the scheduling of its operations, with Chinese environmental regulations forcing production shutdowns on days with heavy pollution, among other requirements. […]
Interview: Toyoda Gosei President Highlights Plans for Lighter, Quieter EVs Feb. 15, 2018. - Sitting down for a recent interview with Japan Rubber Weekly, Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) President Naoki Miyazaki said that the automotive industry is entering a massive, once-in-a-century turning point. Such a shake-up to business is an opportunity for growth, he said. Miyazaki spoke on the impact of electrification and Toyoda Gosei’s strategy to deal with it, saying that although […]Tigers Polymer President Kentaro Watanabe Eyes Increased Sales, Production for 2018 Feb. 9, 2018. - Tigers Polymer Corp. (TYO:4231) President Kentaro Watanabe recently sat down with Japan Rubber Weekly to talk about his company’s overseas operations for 2017 and where he expects to see things go here moving forward. Sales for the industrial rubber and resin products manufacturer are generally in good shape across the Americas, Southeast Asia and China, Watanabe said, particularly in China. […]
Inoac to Roll Out High-Performance Elastomer Developed by US-Based Cooper Standard Jun. 15, 2018. - Inoac Corp. is poised to launch the new material Fortrex in Japan within this year. A high-performance elastomer developed by Inoac’s global partner U.S.-based Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc., Fortrex combines the advantages of thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), and will be sold as Japan’s first superelastomer of its kind. In the U.S., Fortrex is used in automotive […]Sumitomo Chemical Develops New EPDM Grade for Rubber-to-Metal Adhesion Jun. 12, 2018. - Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4005) has developed a new grade of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) for rubber-to-metal adhesion, coming as part of a broader company effort to develop various new grades of EPDM. The development of this new grade was achieved via a random arrangement of ethylene and propylene. Sumitomo Chemical is now sending samples of the grade to […]
Japan’s Construction of New Earthquake-Resistant Buildings Slows for 2016 Jun. 11, 2018. - The total number of large buildings in Japan employing seismic isolation technology reached 4,345 as of December 2016, according to a recent report from the Japan Society of Seismic Isolation (JSSI). This includes projects currently in planning, consists of 853 government buildings and 3,492 private sector buildings, and marks an increase of 160 buildings over the previous year’s total of […]
Nitta Unveils New Phase for Management Plan, Targets 100B Yen in Sales for 2020 May. 24, 2018. - Nitta Corp. (TYO:5186) President Motonobu Nitta has revealed Phase 3 of his company’s V2020 medium- to long-term management plan. Starting in fiscal 2018, Phase 3 is set to cover a three-year span ending in fiscal 2020. By this point, the plan aims to achieve annual sales of 100 billion yen ($913 million), up from 72.9 billion yen in fiscal 2017, […]