The Japanese Rubber Workers Union Confederation (JRC) has set out on its annual spring labor offensive for 2022. The bulk of demands here have now come in, especially those from the unions of large manufacturers. Looking at these demands, the weighted average wage increase demanded by 42 unions comes out to an extra 5,579 yen ($45.78) per month, or a...
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Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101) has announced that its Mie Plant and Shinshiro Plant received “Business Location in Harmony with Nature” certification last month from the Association for Business Innovation in harmony with Nature and Community (ABINC), highlighting these locations as plants that pay heed to biodiversity. This now makes for five Yokohama Rubber plants that have received this certification,...
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New findings from a collaborative research project involving Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. (TYO:5110) could lead to an improved supply of natural rubber. Working in collaboration here with Tohoku University, Kanazawa University and the Riken SPring-8 Center, Sumitomo Rubber has managed to elucidate the structure and modify the functionality of cis-prenyltransferase NDPS1, a tomato-derived enzyme with a structure similar to that...
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Achilles Corp. (TYO:5142) recently announced that a conductive surface material it offers has been picked up by Toyota Motor Corp. (TYO:7203) for use in a special-edition Toyota Corolla launched last November. By incorporating the conductive surface material into the driver’s seat, static electricity built up in the driver and their surroundings can be dispersed throughout their entire body, reducing electric...
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Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised its risk level for Russia – including Moscow – to Level 3 on March 7, constituting a recommendation to stop travel to the country. And against this backdrop, tire manufacturers with local subsidiaries in Russia are now pursuing measures such as pulling locally stationed employees out of the country. Bridgestone is approving special temporary...
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There are concerns that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could impact the business operations of tire-focused rubber companies. There are two Japanese tire manufacturers who have production bases in Russia: Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) and Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101). Both of these bases operate on a local-production-for-local-consumption approach, focusing on domestic Russian demand. More broadly, tires make up the bulk of...
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