Yokohama Rubber Expects to Grow Revenue, Profits for 2021 on Back of Strong Tire Sales Feb. 26, 2021. - Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101) has released its results forecast for calendar 2021. The company expects to generate 620 billion yen ($5.83 billion) in sales revenue for the year, up 8.7 percent year-on-year; 50 billion yen in business profit, up 35.9 percent; and net profit of 34.5 billion yen, up 31.1 percent. Looking at the upward and downward factors on […]
Bridgestone Sets 2023 Sales Revenue Target at 3.3 Trillion Yen Feb. 25, 2021. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) has published its Mid-Term Business Plan for fiscal 2021–2023. The company here is targeting fiscal 2023 sales revenue of 3.3 trillion yen ($31.1 billion), an adjusted operating profit of 450 billion yen, a net profit of 290 billion yen, a return on invested capital (ROIC) of 10 percent and a return on equity (ROE) of 12 percent. […]Michelin Moves to Build First Tire Recycling Plant Feb. 24, 2021. - The Michelin Group is set to build its first tire recycling plant, locating this in the Antofagasta region of Chile as a joint venture with Swedish-based Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (Enviro). Construction on the plant is slated to begin this year, with production then beginning in 2023. The project is expected to require an investment of around $30 million. Enviro […]
Michelin Seals Deal With Air France to Become Exclusive Tire Supplier for Next 10 Years Feb. 22, 2021. - The Michelin Group recently announced that it has been chosen to serve as Societe Air France SA’s exclusive tire supplier for the next 10 years. Beyond just covering tire supply, a new agreement between the two companies will see them bolster their collaborative efforts with regard to the sustainable development of the aviation sector, including CO2 emissions reduction and the […] Bridgestone Sets 2023 Sales Revenue Target at 3.3 Trillion Yen Feb. 25, 2021. - Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) has published its Mid-Term Business Plan for fiscal 2021–2023. The company here is targeting fiscal 2023 sales revenue of 3.3 trillion yen ($31.1 billion), an adjusted operating profit of 450 billion yen, a net profit of 290 billion yen, a return on invested capital (ROIC) of 10 percent and a return on equity (ROE) of 12 percent. […]Michelin Moves to Build First Tire Recycling Plant Feb. 24, 2021. - The Michelin Group is set to build its first tire recycling plant, locating this in the Antofagasta region of Chile as a joint venture with Swedish-based Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (Enviro). Construction on the plant is slated to begin this year, with production then beginning in 2023. The project is expected to require an investment of around $30 million. Enviro […]
Denka Releases Video Showcasing Company Efforts to Supply Ingredients for Antiviral Drug Avigan Feb. 8, 2021. - Denka Co. Ltd. (TYO:4061) has released an approximately eight-minute video documenting its project to supply diethyl malonate for use in Avigan, an antiviral drug being touted as a potential treatment for COVID-19. The video has been made available on the company’s website. The video brings to life the story of how Denka, responding to a government request, managed to get […]
Inoac Makes Single-Piece Mask With Integrated Strap Available Online Feb. 3, 2021. - Inoac Corp. has made its patent-pending, strap-integrated Kake mask available for purchase online through the company’s Inoac Net Shop and its Inoac Living platform on Rakuten. Made of layered polyurethane and fabric and featuring a neck strap, the product’s single-piece design integrates a strap by which the mask can hang from the neck, obviating the need to purchase a lanyard […]Denka Takes Hit to Sales Results Despite Recovery for Chloroprene Rubber Feb. 10, 2021. - Denka Co. Ltd. (TYO:4061) has released its business results for the first three quarters of fiscal 2020. The company revealed sales revenue of 261.99 billion yen ($2.51 billion) for the April–December period, down 9.2 percent year-on-year; an operating income of 28.03 billion yen, up 16.7 percent; an ordinary income of 27.3 billion yen, up 20.2 percent; and a net income […]
Sumitomo Riko President Kazushi Shimizu Eyes Electric-Powered Vehicles as Driver of Business Growth Jan. 13, 2021. - Sumitomo Riko Co. Ltd. (TYO:5191) President Kazushi Shimizu spoke recently about the expectation of growth in the electric-powered vehicle market, describing the trend as something that should benefit his company going forward. And already, he said, Sumitomo Riko is doing well at securing orders for new products in this field. Shimizu said that given the policies of national and local […]
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 […]
Interview: Toyoda Gosei President Naoki Miyazaki Explains Plans to Boost Revenue in 2020 Jan. 30, 2020. - Facing a tough market and a need for innovation, Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) has been making a range of moves to solidify its business foundations and pave the path for future growth. Company president Naoki Miyazaki recently sat down with Japan Rubber Weekly to give some insight into these plans. To begin with, Miyazaki noted that 2019 saw Toyoda […]
Natural Disasters Keep Infrastructure-Related Demand Strong Even Amid COVID-19 Oct. 2, 2020. - While economic conditions are taking a hit from COVID-19, Japan’s demand for infrastructure-related products has avoided any major slump, staying comparatively firm. The infrastructure maintenance sector makes use of a wide range of rubber and plastic products for all sorts of applications. This includes conveyor belts and hoses used for moving materials and dirt at building sites, as well as […]
Denka Research for Infection Testing Selected for Subsidies Under AMED Project Jun. 17, 2020. - Denka Co. Ltd. (TYO:4061) announced on June 10 that it has been offered subsidies for an in-house R&D effort focused on infection testing. The company has been working here to develop and test new multiplexed diagnostics technology that targets COVID-19 alongside a range of other infections. The subsidy offer came in on May 28 from the Japan Agency for Medical […]
Shin-Etsu Chemical Develops New Silicone Materials for Heat Dissipation in EVs, Hybrids Jan. 27, 2021. - Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4063) has developed a range of new silicone materials for heat dissipation, and is targeting these toward use in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). With the global automotive sector moving toward electrification at an increasing pace, the market is seeing more advanced and diverse demands for heat countermeasures in the likes of lithium-ion […]
Zeon Uses Single-Walled CNTs to Develop Conductive Silicone Rubber With Medical Applications Jan. 26, 2021. - Zeon Corp. (TYO:4205) has used single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to develop a masterbatch that significantly improves the conductivity of silicone rubber. Compounds using this new masterbatch are being targeted toward use in medical equipment that can help limit the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and similar conditions. Zeon is pursuing joint research here alongside Novation Solutions LLC (NovationSi), a U.S.-based manufacturer […]
Yokohama Rubber Expects to Grow Revenue, Profits for 2021 on Back of Strong Tire Sales Feb. 26, 2021. - Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101) has released its results forecast for calendar 2021. The company expects to generate 620 billion yen ($5.83 billion) in sales revenue for the year, up 8.7 percent year-on-year; 50 billion yen in business profit, up 35.9 percent; and net profit of 34.5 billion yen, up 31.1 percent. Looking at the upward and downward factors on […]
JRW Report: Rubber and Resin Conveyor Belts See Spotty Demand Amid Coronavirus Nov. 17, 2020. - Demand for rubber and resin conveyor belts remains spotty as the industry is impacted by the wide division of peaks and valleys it faces. Since the spread of COVID-19, demand for rubber and resin parts has declined for many applications, as is the case with other rubber and resin products. On the other hand, there are also applications for which […]
