Bando Chemical Continues to See China as a Promising Market Despite Planned Subsidiary Closure Aug. 3, 2021. - Bando Chemical Industries Ltd. (TYO:5195) is moving this year to close and liquidate Bando (Shanghai) Industry Equipment Element Co. Ltd., a group company that carries out conveyor belt production and related production for the Chinese market. However, Bando Chemical still sees the Chinese conveyor belt sector as offering a promising market going forward. The company will therefore look to have […]
Toyoda Gosei Develops New Airbag Compatible With Increasingly Strict US Safety Ratings Aug. 2, 2021. - Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) has developed a new driver-side airbag with an innovative structure able to more safely protect the occupant. The airbag is fitted in the new Honda Civic, which launched in the U.S. market this June. In order to better protect the driver from angled head-on collisions, the new product makes use of an innovative structure. A […]Bando Chemical Continues to See China as a Promising Market Despite Planned Subsidiary Closure Aug. 3, 2021. - Bando Chemical Industries Ltd. (TYO:5195) is moving this year to close and liquidate Bando (Shanghai) Industry Equipment Element Co. Ltd., a group company that carries out conveyor belt production and related production for the Chinese market. However, Bando Chemical still sees the Chinese conveyor belt sector as offering a promising market going forward. The company will therefore look to have […]
JATMA Makes Upward Revision to Domestic Tire Demand Forecast Following Strong First Half Jul. 29, 2021. - The Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA) has revealed its mid-year revised forecast for domestic tire demand, with the association increasing its projections for a number of markets. According to the JATMA report, aftermarket demand for passenger car summer tires was up 8 percent year-on-year for the first half of 2021. With demand for the second half then projected to […]
Sumitomo Rubber to Launch Hydrogen Trial at Shirakawa Factory This August Jul. 30, 2021. - Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. (TYO:5110) has announced that it is set to trial the use of hydrogen in some processes at its Shirakawa Factory in Fukushima Prefecture. Demonstration testing for this is slated to run over August 2021 – February 2024. The project will see Sumitomo Rubber receive support from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), which […]
JATMA Makes Upward Revision to Domestic Tire Demand Forecast Following Strong First Half Jul. 29, 2021. - The Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA) has revealed its mid-year revised forecast for domestic tire demand, with the association increasing its projections for a number of markets. According to the JATMA report, aftermarket demand for passenger car summer tires was up 8 percent year-on-year for the first half of 2021. With demand for the second half then projected to […]
Mitsuboshi Belting Readies 3.6B Yen for New Plant in India Jul. 26, 2021. - Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd. (TYO:5192) is looking to build a new plant in India for the manufacture of automotive transmission belts and other products. Investment here will come to approximately 3.6 billion yen ($32.64 million), with the new plant slated to begin operations in February 2023. Mitsuboshi Belting’s 2021 medium-term business plan has the conveyor belt and automotive transmission belt manufacturer […]Gates Unitta Asia Launches New U-550 Sonic Belt Tension Meter Jul. 14, 2021. - Gates Unitta Asia Co. has launched the U-550, a new contact-free sonic belt tension meter. By employing a microphone to perceive the natural-frequency sound waves generated by belts and then analyzing these waves using a computer, the product makes it possible for anyone to easily and accurately measure a belt’s tension without the need for contact. The measurement process here […]
Toyoda Gosei Transitions to Renewable Energy at Three Japanese Locations Jul. 9, 2021. - Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) has switched over to getting all of its energy from renewables at three locations across Japan, making the shift here at its World Headquarters, its Inabe Plant and its Miyoshi Distribution Center. Toyoda Gosei has already been cutting down on its overall energy use via a number of energy-saving initiatives. This has seen the company […]
Shin-Etsu Chemical Plans 20B Yen Investment to Boost Eco-Friendly Production Jul. 7, 2021. - Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4063) is looking to invest a total of 20 billion yen ($181.1 million) into its silicone business to cut down on CO2 emissions. Half of this total will go toward improving manufacturing processes, while the other half will be used as capital investments to bolster production capacity for eco-friendly products. For its efforts on the manufacturing […]
Interview: Toyoda Gosei President Toru Koyama Discusses Efforts to Balance New Initiatives With Existing Businesses Apr. 23, 2021. - Inaugurated as president of Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) last June, Toru Koyama stepped into the role amid a raft of major changes in the business environment – including COVID-19 as well as the accelerating trend in automotive electrification. Speaking recently with Japan Rubber Weekly, Koyama said for fiscal 2021 that he aims to see the company land a proper […]
Zeon President Kimiaki Tanaka Sees Promising Market for Specialty Elastomers Jan. 15, 2021. - Speaking recently about the future of his company’s business for elastomer materials, Zeon Corp. (TYO:4205) President Kimiaki Tanaka said COVID-19 has made it clear that there is strong global demand for specialty elastomers. This can also be interpreted, he said, to mean that elastomers without specialized characteristics will have to be offered at a low price if they are to […]
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 […]
Toyoda Gosei Develops New Airbag Compatible With Increasingly Strict US Safety Ratings Aug. 2, 2021. - Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) has developed a new driver-side airbag with an innovative structure able to more safely protect the occupant. The airbag is fitted in the new Honda Civic, which launched in the U.S. market this June. In order to better protect the driver from angled head-on collisions, the new product makes use of an innovative structure. A […]Hayakawa Rubber Develops New Rooftop Waterproofing Method, Making Repairs More Convenient Jul. 2, 2021. - Hayakawa Rubber Co. Ltd. has developed a primer that enables the adhesion-based repair of conventional thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) sheets, which are used as a rooftop waterproofing material in large buildings such as factories, warehouses and commercial facilities. The company has then also started selling a new rooftop waterproofing method in the form of a soft polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheet using […]
Zeon Posts Sales Decline for Elastomer Business in FY2020 Results May. 11, 2021. - Zeon Corp. (TYO:4205) has posted its business results for fiscal 2020, revealing sales revenue of 301.96 billion yen ($2.77 billion), down 6.2 percent year on year, and an operating income of 33.41 billion yen, up 28 percent. Speaking at the results briefing, company director Kazuyoshi Matsuura said that with customer industries having made a recovery in recent months, the January–April […]
Toyoda Gosei Projects Revenue Growth for 2021 Following Mixed Bag of Results for 2020 May. 7, 2021. - Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) has reported its business results for fiscal 2020 and announced its projections for fiscal 2021. The company’s results for last fiscal year saw sales revenue fall 11.2 percent year-on-year to 721.5 billion yen ($6.61 billion), while operating profit rose 103.9 percent to 36.48 billion yen and net profit rose 213.6 percent to 35.21 billion yen. […]
