Consumption of new-rubber for industrial use in Japan is expected to increase 3 percent year-on-year in 2017, according to the Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association (JRMA). With cars being a major source of demand for anti-vibration rubber, the ongoing recovery in domestic automobile production, and the anticipated launch of new car models and intake of orders contribute to the expected increase. Rubber seal...
Market Background
Synthetic Rubber Production Regresses Into Negative Territory for September 2016
Total production volume of synthetic rubber fell 9.6 percent year-on-year for the month of September 2016, dropping to 128,830 tons, according to the Synthetic Rubber Industry Association of Japan. It represents a regression back from what was a positive year-on-year total the month prior. Outside of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), which saw a 1.9-percent increase, year-on-year declines were witnessed across all...
2017 Forecast: JATMA Expects Steady Automobile Tire Demand to Continue
The Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA) has announced its 2016 estimates for domestic demand of automobile tires, together with its forecast for 2017. According to the association, domestic demand in 2016 was in line with the previous year at 117.87 million units, and a virtually identical demand of 118.19 million units is anticipated for 2017. This demand estimate is...
Tire and Tire Tube Production Up Slightly to 94,000 Tons for October
Production of automobile tires and tire tubes was 93,934 tons in terms of rubber volume for October, up 0.7 percent year-on-year, according to the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA). Production rose for the first time in 22 months in September, and albeit small, year-on-year production rose for the second consecutive month in October. The production volume was up in...
Carbon Black Shipments Down 1.3% for October
Carbon black shipments totalled 50,624 tons in October, down 1.3 percent year-on-year, according to data compiled by the Japanese Carbon Black Association. This marked the 11th consecutive month below last year’s shipments. Shipments of carbon black used for rubber totaled 47,456 tons, down 1.4 percent year-on-year. Apart from the shift to negative growth for tires with a 1.1 percent decline...
Rubber Hose Production Down 1.4% to 3,126 Tons for September
Rubber hose production fell 1.4 percent year-on-year to 3,126 tons in terms of new-rubber volume in September, while the value of shipments fell 0.7 percent to 11.863 billion yen ($102.41 million), according records compiled by the Japan Rubber Hose Manufacturers Association based on statistics by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). By category, high-pressure hoses were recovering, while...