Tosoh to Make Decision on CR Capacity Expansion Within Fiscal Year May. 29, 2023. - Tosoh will make a decision on the expansion of its chloroprene rubber (CR) plant, which the company is currently considering, within the current fiscal year, company president Mamoru Kuwada said at a management briefing meeting held on May 24. The company is considering increasing the capacity of its Nanyo Complex (Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture), which currently produces 37,000 tons per […]
Tosoh Compatibilizer Adopted as Recycling Aid for Kao Products May. 26, 2023. - Tosoh said it has developed Mersen S, an effective compatibilizer for material recycling of composite plastics such as multilayer films. The product is a special EVA resin with excellent compatibility with a wide range of resins and is used as a recycling aid for composite films. In an initiative with Kao Corporation, a major consumer goods chemical manufacturer, it was […]
Market Report: Rubber Sheets Showing Signs of Recovery in January-March May. 25, 2023. - Shipment volume of rubber sheets (plates) may be showing signs of recovery: after falling 10.2% year-on-year in 2022 according to data compiled by the Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association, shipments turned positive in the January-March period of 2023, rising 1.6% year-on-year to 4,242 tons. Although automobile production did not fully recover in 2022 and was affected by inventory adjustments of parts, […]
Organic Rubber Chemicals Production 15,555 Tons in 2022, Down 6.8% From Previous Year May. 18, 2023. - Last year, the production of rubber chemicals and materials was sluggish due to the automobile production cutbacks caused by the shortage of semiconductors and the difficulty in obtaining various raw materials from overseas and their rising prices, especially since the second half of the year, resulting in a downward trend in rubber chemicals and materials. Typical products of these rubber […]
Bridgestone’s Chemicals and Diversified Products Businesses Raise Profitability in First Quarter May. 24, 2023. - Bridgestone’s Chemicals & Diversified Products business achieved higher revenues in the first quarter (January-March) of fiscal 2023. In particular, the chemical products business, whose profitability has steadily been improving, and the diversified business in the Americas (pneumatic springs), which is expected to expand into EVs, are showing positive results. The key is seen to be rubber technology, which the company […]
Toyo Tires Posts First Quarter Results, Sales up 26.9% May. 16, 2023. - Toyo Tires reported net sales of 129.16 billion yen ($950.06 million), up 26.9% year-on-year, for the first quarter (January-March) of the fiscal year ending December 2023. Operating income was 14.57 billion yen, down 9.9%, ordinary income 15.81 billion yen, down 23.0%, and net income of 10.88 billion yen, down 38.8%. Net sales reached a record high for the first quarter. […]
Bridgestone’s Chemicals and Diversified Products Businesses Raise Profitability in First Quarter May. 24, 2023. - Bridgestone’s Chemicals & Diversified Products business achieved higher revenues in the first quarter (January-March) of fiscal 2023. In particular, the chemical products business, whose profitability has steadily been improving, and the diversified business in the Americas (pneumatic springs), which is expected to expand into EVs, are showing positive results. The key is seen to be rubber technology, which the company […]
Sumitomo Riko’s Full Year Sales up 24.2%, Automotive Supplies Strong May. 22, 2023. - In its business results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 (IFRS basis), Sumitomo Riko posted sales of 541.01 billion yen ($3.92 billion), up 21.3% year-on-year; business profit of 17.87 billion yen, up 176.3%; and net income of 6.68 billion yen, compared with a loss of 6.35 billion yen in the previous year. By business segment, sales in the […]
Tosoh to Make Decision on CR Capacity Expansion Within Fiscal Year May. 29, 2023. - Tosoh will make a decision on the expansion of its chloroprene rubber (CR) plant, which the company is currently considering, within the current fiscal year, company president Mamoru Kuwada said at a management briefing meeting held on May 24. The company is considering increasing the capacity of its Nanyo Complex (Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture), which currently produces 37,000 tons per […]
Mitsubishi Chemical to Launch New Grades of Plant-Based Bioengineering Plastics May. 23, 2023. - Mitsubishi Chemical has in May begun offering samples of the Durabio plant-derived bioengineering plastics D93 Series, a new grade of Durabio with a higher degree of biomass plasticity. Durabio is a bio-based engineering plastic made from isosorbide, a renewable plant-derived raw material that reduces the consumption of petroleum, a depletable resource, and also contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases […]
Toyoda Gosei President Toru Koyama Discusses Plans to Pursue Carbon Neutrality, Support Rise of EVs Feb. 1, 2022. - Toru Koyama, president of Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282), gave some insight recently into the company’s plans for 2022, which will center around improving corporate value and striving to meet the targets of the company’s medium-term plan. Giving his predictions for fiscal 2022, Koyama said that given Omicron and numerous other uncertainties, he believes it may still be another year […]
Sumitomo Riko President Shines Light on Plans to Get Results From Structural Reform Starting 2023 Jan. 12, 2022. - Sumitomo Riko Co. Ltd. (TYO:5191) President Kazushi Shimizu recently spoke about current efforts being made by the company, highlighting here the good progress being made on the structural reform it has been pursuing of late. And with this in mind, plans going forward are to achieve growth for both auto parts and general industrial products, he said. Shimizu noted here […]
Tosoh Compatibilizer Adopted as Recycling Aid for Kao Products May. 26, 2023. - Tosoh said it has developed Mersen S, an effective compatibilizer for material recycling of composite plastics such as multilayer films. The product is a special EVA resin with excellent compatibility with a wide range of resins and is used as a recycling aid for composite films. In an initiative with Kao Corporation, a major consumer goods chemical manufacturer, it was […]
Nitta Expands Its Lineup of Softmatics Robot Hands Apr. 11, 2023. - Nitta has launched 10 new models of its Softmatics P Series robot hand for handling objects. The product has been increasingly adopted in the food and general industrial fields, and the company has now developed the new models in addition to the three existing models to meet the needs of users. The Softmatics can grip fragile workpieces without damaging them. […]
Yokohama Rubber Donates 40 Tires to Mie Prefecture for Use on Vaccine Transport Vehicles Jun. 18, 2021. - Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd.’s (TYO:5101) Mie Plant has donated 40 tires for vaccine transport vehicles to Mie Prefecture, providing these on June 1. This comes as part of the plant’s efforts to help out the local community and support medical countermeasures against COVID-19. The donated tires have been fitted to official vehicles used for transporting COVID-19 vaccines to hospitals, health […]Bando Chemical Offers Employees Paid Leave for COVID-19 Vaccination Jun. 10, 2021. - Bando Chemical Industries Ltd. (TYO:5195) is bringing in special paid leave days for its employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. By providing this paid leave, the transportation and conveyor belts manufacturer aims to reduce health risks from COVID-19 and help prevent its spread. However, the company will only recommend vaccination rather than require it, leaving it up to each individual […]
METI Report: Shipment Value of Rubber Products up 5.1% in 2022 Mar. 2, 2023. - According to the Feb. 14 report on rubber product production and shipments published by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the total value of rubber product shipments in 2022 (January-December) was 2.3 trillion yen ($22.72 billion), up 5.1% from the previous year, marking the second consecutive year of year-on-year growth. By product category, the value of rubber products […]
Carbon Black Demand Forecast for 2023 Mar. 1, 2023. - The Carbon Black Association of Japan recently compiled a forecast for carbon black demand in 2023, which is expected to be 727,250 tons, up 3.4% from the previous year. This is based on economy showing signs of improvement, such as a recovery in consumer behavior, a resurgence in capital investment, and an increase in exports, as the coronavirus pandemic has […]
