Bridgestone Develops New Rubber With High Strength, Crack Resistance May. 22, 2018. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) recently announced that it has developed a new polymer, the first of its kind, using advanced synthetic technology for macromolecular conjugates. By combining rubber and resin at a molecular level, Bridgestone has become the first in the world to develop what it calls High Strength Rubber (HSR), a hybrid material able to freely exhibit the superior capabilities […]
JSR Aims to Surpass Market Growth Forecast for S-SBR Used in Fuel-Efficient Tires May. 21, 2018. - JSR Corp. (TYO:4185), a leading manufacturer of synthetic rubbers, is promoting its sales of solution-polymerized styrene–butadiene rubber (S-SBR) products that utilize the company’s solutions and highly functional materials. These efforts are focused on applications in fuel-efficient tires. While the S-SBR market has been projected to grow 6 to 7 percent per year by sales volume between 2015 and 2019, JSR […]
Daicel-Evonik PEEK Material Set for Use in High-Performance Plastic Needles May. 1, 2018. - Daicel-Evonik Ltd.’s Vestakeep Care brand of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) resin has been selected for use in a high-performance plastic syringe needle currently under development by Yamada Seiko Co. Ltd. Made using precision die casting and molding technologies, the needle is extremely thin, featuring an outer diameter of 0.57 millimeters and an inner diameter of 0.31 millimeters. The product is […]Chloroprene Rubber Shortage Intensifies Worldwide, Affecting Japanese Firms Apr. 18, 2018. - Chloroprene rubber (CR) is continuing to face a global shortage. Japanese CR manufacturers are already at their limit, holding down exports to prioritize domestic supply, while both producers and users of the product are struggling to navigate a situation where there are no expectations of a falloff in demand. A representative of one Japanese CR manufacturer has said that his […]
Toyo Tires Set to Launch New Premium Sports Tire for SUVs May. 17, 2018. - Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5105) recently announced that it will launch the new Proxes Sport SUV tire on June 1. A premium sports tire for SUVs, the new product is being marketed under the company’s global flagship brand Proxes. With this product launch, Toyo Tires is looking to expand its lineup of SUV tires in the Japanese market. […]
Bridgestone Reforms Working Conditions to Boost Efficiency, Productivity May. 11, 2018. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) is promoting reforms to working conditions to help change the way each individual employee performs their work, and to raise professional awareness, eagerness and creativity. The goal here is to strengthen competitiveness while boosting both corporate and customer value. In the autumn of 2016, Bridgestone reached agreement with labor unions to shorten the working hours of non-shift […]
Bando Chemical Sets Sights on Winning Top Share for Belt Business in Asia May. 18, 2018. - Bando Chemical Industries Ltd. (TYO:5195), a manufacturer of automotive rubber components and belts, is focusing on Asia as part of its current medium- to long-term management plan, which it has been following since fiscal 2013. With one of this plan’s guidelines targeting the “evolution of global market strategy,” the company has set Asia as a high-priority region, and aims for […]Sealing Giant NOK Announces 47.9B Yen Investment to Increase Production May. 15, 2018. - NOK Corp. (TYO:7240) President Kiyoshi Doi recently commented on the solid performance of his company’s seal business for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. Orders have been higher than expected, he said, leaving the company operating at full capacity – and so, he continued, NOK will make major investments this fiscal year to expand its facilities. Doi explained that […]
JSR Aims to Surpass Market Growth Forecast for S-SBR Used in Fuel-Efficient Tires May. 21, 2018. - JSR Corp. (TYO:4185), a leading manufacturer of synthetic rubbers, is promoting its sales of solution-polymerized styrene–butadiene rubber (S-SBR) products that utilize the company’s solutions and highly functional materials. These efforts are focused on applications in fuel-efficient tires. While the S-SBR market has been projected to grow 6 to 7 percent per year by sales volume between 2015 and 2019, JSR […]Denka Plans 10,000-Ton Production Increase for Chloroprene Rubber May. 16, 2018. - Toshio Imai, a managing executive officer at chloroprene rubber (CR) market leader Denka Co. Ltd. (TYO:4061), recently revealed plans by the company to deal with globally tight supply for CR. Imai clarified that Denka intends to increase its production of the material by 10,000 tons, and that plans here include resuming operations at a stopped line within its domestic Omi […]
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. […]
Bridgestone Develops New Rubber With High Strength, Crack Resistance May. 22, 2018. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) recently announced that it has developed a new polymer, the first of its kind, using advanced synthetic technology for macromolecular conjugates. By combining rubber and resin at a molecular level, Bridgestone has become the first in the world to develop what it calls High Strength Rubber (HSR), a hybrid material able to freely exhibit the superior capabilities […]Denka Targets January 2019 Launch for New High-Performance Elastomer May. 14, 2018. - Chemical manufacturer Denka Co. Ltd. (TYO:4061) has developed a new elastomer called Evolmer that it plans to release in January 2019. Evolmer will become the third product in Denka’s lineup of functional elastomers, following the company’s currently available chloroprene rubber and special acrylic elastomer products. Denka has developed Evolmer by taking the elastomer technology it has built up over the […]
Shin-Etsu Polymer Reports Growth to Sales, Profits for Fiscal 2017 May. 10, 2018. - Shin-Etsu Polymer Co. Ltd. (TYO:7970), a processing manufacturer of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and silicone rubber products, has reported 79.34 billion yen ($722.47 million) in sales for fiscal 2017, up 7.3 percent from a year prior. In other metrics, the year saw Shin-Etsu Polymer generate 7.21 billion yen in operating profit, up 30.7 percent; 7.27 billion yen in ordinary profit, up […]
Japan Belting Manufacturers Association Releases Demand Forecast for 2018 Jan. 31, 2018. - The Japan Belting Manufacturers Association recently published a 2018 demand forecast for rubber and resin belts. As part of the report, the association estimated the 2017 production volume of rubber belts at 26,694 tons, marking a 1 percent year-on-year increase and a third consecutive year below 30,000 tons. While transmission belt production stayed flat for 2017, conveyor belt production rose […]
