Yokohama Rubber to Raise Domestic Prices on Aftermarket Tires by 3% Jun. 20, 2019. - Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101) recently announced that it will be raising prices on its aftermarket tires in the Japanese domestic market. The change will apply to all shipments from Aug. 1 onward. This move comes as factors such as a personnel shortage cause distribution-related costs to surge, with expectations that this trend will continue going forward. The decision marks […]
Bridgestone Receives 2018 Supplier of the Year Award from GM Jun. 19, 2019. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108), including subsidiary Bridgestone Americas Inc., was recently selected by General Motors Co. (GM) for the automaker’s 27th annual Supplier of the Year awards. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Bridgestone has received the award, and the 17th time overall. At the official award ceremony held on May 16 in Detroit, Michigan, the award was presented to […]
Bridgestone Receives 2018 Supplier of the Year Award from GM Jun. 19, 2019. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108), including subsidiary Bridgestone Americas Inc., was recently selected by General Motors Co. (GM) for the automaker’s 27th annual Supplier of the Year awards. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Bridgestone has received the award, and the 17th time overall. At the official award ceremony held on May 16 in Detroit, Michigan, the award was presented to […]
Bridgestone Installs Accessible Curbs at Bus Station in Okayama Jun. 13, 2019. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) has teamed up with Yokohama National University, the Japan Transportation Planning Association (JTPA) and Advance KK to install accessible curbs at the Korakuen bus station in Okayama, Okayama Prefecture. Making use of features such as a specially shaped side, these accessible curbs for bus stations facilitate smaller gaps between the curb and a bus’s entrance and exit. […]
Yokohama Rubber to Raise Domestic Prices on Aftermarket Tires by 3% Jun. 20, 2019. - Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101) recently announced that it will be raising prices on its aftermarket tires in the Japanese domestic market. The change will apply to all shipments from Aug. 1 onward. This move comes as factors such as a personnel shortage cause distribution-related costs to surge, with expectations that this trend will continue going forward. The decision marks […]
Sumitomo Rubber’s Falken Tires Selected as OE for New Jeep Gladiator Jun. 18, 2019. - Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. (TYO:5110) recently announced that U.S. sales subsidiary Sumitomo Rubber North America Inc. has begun supplying Falken-brand tires for the new Jeep Gladiator pickup truck sold by FCA US LLC. The supply agreement includes Wildpeak A/T AT3W tires as OE, with Wildpeak M/T MT01 also being provided as an option. The Wildpeak A/T AT3W tires selected as […]
Okamoto Launches New Condom Aimed at Improving STD Prevention, Rate of Condom Use Jun. 14, 2019. - Okamoto Industries Inc. (TYO:5122) recently announced that it has launched a new condom in the Japanese market. Named the VivaGel condom, the product is aimed at preventing the transmission of STDs and encouraging more people to make use of condoms. The new product is the first in the Japanese market to make use of VivaGel coating in its lubricant. Developed […]
Mitsuboshi Belting Targets R&D, Increased Production in Largest Ever Plan for Capital Investment Jun. 3, 2019. - Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd. (TYO:5192) is setting aside approximately 5.7 billion yen ($52.64 million) for capital investments in fiscal 2019, marking a 74 percent increase over fiscal 2018 to make for the company’s largest ever year of such investments. This will go toward updating and expanding the company’s production facilities, both in Japan and abroad; enriching test research facilities; and reconstructing […]
Keeper Develops Electromagnetic Shielding Materials That Capitalize on Rubber Properties Jun. 4, 2019. - Keeper Co. Ltd., a manufacturer of rubber auto parts, has developed electromagnetic shielding materials from rubber. The company has high hopes for the commercialization of these going forward. With regard to applications for the new materials, Keeper is envisaging use in the likes of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and electronic toll collection (ETC) systems. A particular merit of the […]
Global Supply Remains Tight for Chloroprene Rubber May. 30, 2019. - The global supply–demand balance for chloroprene rubber (CR) continues to sit tight. And with no significant reversal expected in these market conditions for the time being, CR manufacturers are rushing to deal with the situation. In Japan, this has seen Tosoh Corp. (TYO:4042) recently give details on a plan to bolster its production capacity for CR, set to be achieved […]
Shin-Etsu Polymer Posts Increased Sales, Profits for Fiscal 2018 May. 7, 2019. - Shin-Etsu Polymer Co. Ltd. (TYO:7970) has posted year-on-year increases to both sales and profits as part of its results for fiscal 2018. The company recorded sales of 85.46 billion yen ($770.76 million) for the year, up by 7.7 percent; operating profit of 8.15 billion yen, up by 13.1 percent; ordinary profit of 8.03 billion yen, up by 10.3 percent; and […]
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 […]
Toyo Tire Develops Drive Simulator for Virtual Tire Performance, Safety Education Apr. 17, 2019. - Toyo Tire Corp. (TYO:5105) has developed a driving simulator with realistic steering, accelerator and brake controls for tire performance safety education events. Control software developed by Toyo Tires will enable drivers to virtually experience how tire wear can change braking distance under rainy conditions or cause hydroplaning, as well as how differences in inflation pressure can alter operational stability. It […]
Toyoda Gosei Develops Lightweight Resin Turbo Duct for Vehicles Apr. 3, 2019. - Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) has developed a lightweight resin turbo duct for automobiles. The use of resin for the turbo duct, which conducts air to the engine, makes it possible for the newly developed product to improve vehicle environmental performance. It is installed in new HiAce vans launched outside of Japan by Toyota Motor Corp. (TYO:7203) in February. A […]Japanese Production of Transmission Belts Falls Year-on-Year Amid Shifts in Automotive Sector Jun. 12, 2019. - Japan’s domestic production of transmission belts fell 2 percent year-on-year in 2018 to end at 11,701 tons, according to statistics from the Japan Belting Manufacturers Association. General-purpose industrial products performed well for the year, with demand increasing for use in the likes of semiconductor production equipment, injection molding machines, machine tools and industrial robots. This was offset, however, by a […]
Mitsuboshi Belting Targets R&D, Increased Production in Largest Ever Plan for Capital Investment Jun. 3, 2019. - Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd. (TYO:5192) is setting aside approximately 5.7 billion yen ($52.64 million) for capital investments in fiscal 2019, marking a 74 percent increase over fiscal 2018 to make for the company’s largest ever year of such investments. This will go toward updating and expanding the company’s production facilities, both in Japan and abroad; enriching test research facilities; and reconstructing […]
