Continental AG recently announced that it has opened Taraxagum Lab Anklam, a laboratory for research into dandelion rubber. The new facility is located in Anklam, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The research lab will conduct R&D efforts into cultivation and extraction processes for the Russian dandelion, looking to use this as a source of natural rubber. Plans are to then utilize this as...
JSR Corp. (TYO:4185) is intending to pursue its various goals for fiscal 2019 in a steady manner while achieving results, says Koichi Kawasaki, a representative director and managing officer. While external conditions for the year are difficult to predict, the first point of call, he said, will be in making efforts to get Hungarian operations up and running for solution-polymerized...
Carbon masterbatch (CMB) manufacturer Mitsufuku Industry Co. Ltd. has seen favorable conditions for its compounds business in fiscal 2018. A number of trends continuing from the previous year – such as a downsizing of automotive engines, high semiconductor-related demand and growth for fluororubber sponge – have led to an increase in Mitsufuku Industry’s production levels, particularly for fluororubber compounds. As...
Sumitomo Riko Co. Ltd. (TYO:5191) is keeping a close eye on trends in the automotive industry as it continues to make strides with its 2022V medium-term management plan. Japan Rubber Weekly recently sat down with company president Tetsu Matsui to hear his thoughts on these trends and their direction as the company gears up for 2019. Predicting how market trends...
Zeon Corp. (TYO:4205) group company Tokyo Zairyo Co. Ltd., a seller of chemicals and other products from stock, recently established a new subsidiary in the Czech Republic capital of Prague. The new subsidiary began operations earlier this month under the name Tokyo Zairyo Czech s.r.o. Utilizing the networks that its parent company has cultivated both locally and overseas, Tokyo Zairyo...
Sumitomo Riko Co. Ltd. (TYO:5191) is looking to target local OEMs by establishing a Chinese headquarters for its automotive business next April. Located in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, the new headquarters will come as part of a broader company initiative to strengthen its business system in China – the hope here being to speed up local sales growth for auto parts....
