The Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association (JRMA), chaired by Takashi Shimizu, President and CEO of Toyo Tire Corporation, held its 36th Executive Committee meeting on October 24 at the Hotel Hankyu International in Osaka. In his opening remarks, Chairman Shimizu reflected on global and domestic developments that have shaped the year. “This year began with the inauguration of re-elected U.S. President...
Bridgestone announced on October 23 that Yasuhiro Morita, currently Executive Vice President and Representative Executive Officer, will be appointed Global CEO effective January 1, 2026. The current Global CEO, Shuichi Ishibashi, will step down from his executive role on December 31, 2025, and retire from the Board of Directors at the conclusion of the company’s annual general shareholders’ meeting scheduled...
In the first quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026 (April–June 2025), Nitta’s Nitta Moore Division posted a slight year-on-year increase in net sales but a decline in operating profit. Within the division, the General Industrial Business recorded a slight decrease in sales. “While the market conditions are not strong, we believe they are showing signs of recovery,”...
Yokohama Rubber has expanded its lineup of Versatran premium high-pressure hydraulic hoses for overseas markets by adding a new 3/8-inch (9 mm) inner diameter, four-spiral construction hose to the 42 MPa specification of the ISO Series. Sales of the new size began in September. The newly added 3/8-inch hose complies with the highest durability class “DC” of the international standard...
Chemical manufacturer Zeon has built and begun operating a new IoT common platform to advance companywide smart factory initiatives. The platform will enable visualization and effective use of diverse data from manufacturing sites and research facilities, driving efficiency in on-site operations and broader deployment of digital technologies. Since 2020, the company has pursued smart factory transformation using digital tools to...
Sumitomo Rubber has achieved process capability level 3 in Automotive SPICE, the international framework for evaluating automotive software development maturity, as confirmed by an assessment from third-party certifier SGS Japan. The milestone recognizes that the company has established software development processes compliant with international standards. Sumitomo Rubber plans to build on the achievement to accelerate development of its growth business,...
