On August 27, the Japan Belting Industry Association announced the sales ratios of conveyor belts and plastic belts by destination for the first half of 2024 (January-June). According to the report, Japanese domestic sales of conveyor belts accounted for 72.9% of total sales by destination (in value terms), with sales value up 10% year-on-year. Exports accounted for 27.1%, with sales...
Industry
Nara to Host 72nd International ISO/TC45 Conference in October
The 72nd International Conference of ISO/TC45, the ISO standard for rubber and rubber products, will be held at the Nara Convention Center in Nara Prefecture from October 21 to 25. This is the third time that the ISO/TC45 conference will be held in Japan, following Kyoto in 2002 and Yokohama in 2011. About 20 countries are expected to participate. The...
Zeon Files Lawsuit Against Arlanxeo for Battery Material Patent Infringement
Zeon has filed a lawsuit in Germany against Arlanxeo, seeking an injunction and damages for infringement of Zeon’s German patent on lithium-ion battery materials and an injunction against the manufacture and sale of such products in Germany. The lawsuit seeks an injunction and damages for the manufacture and sale in Germany of Arlanxeo products, which the company believes are manufactured...
Japan’s Rubber Unions Secure Average Pay Raises of 14,508 Yen, 1.62M Bonus in Labor Offensive
Gomu Rengo, the Japanese Rubber Workers Union Confederation, has announced the results of its spring 2024 labor offensive. According to the report, 51 of the 52 member unions reached wage agreements and all 52 unions reached lump-sum pay agreements. The average wage increase among the 47 unions with definite wage amounts was 14,508 yen ($100), or 4.85% of the previous...
Four Japanese Tire Makers Post Record Sales and Profit in First Half
The four Japanese tire makers have released their first half (January-June) results for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. Bridgestone, Sumitomo Rubber, Yokohama Rubber and Toyo Tires all posted record-high sales and profits for the period. Although tire sales volume was slightly struggling, the external environment, including raw material prices, yen depreciation, and lower ocean freight rates, in addition...
Nitta to Merge Two Subsidiaries
Nitta will merge its wholly owned subsidiary Nitta Air Solutions as the surviving company and Morimitsu, also a wholly owned subsidiary, as the dissolving company, effective October 1. The surviving company, Nitta Air Solutions, was established on November 16, 1960. The company is engaged in sales of air filtration materials and dust collectors, pipe installation, real estate maintenance and management,...