Sumitomo Riko Co. Ltd. (TYO:5191) President Kazushi Shimizu spoke recently about the expectation of growth in the electric-powered vehicle market, describing the trend as something that should benefit his company going forward. And already, he said, Sumitomo Riko is doing well at securing orders for new products in this field. Shimizu said that given the policies of national and local...
Ikuji Ikeda, president of the Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association (JRMA) and Chairman of Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. (TYO:5110), gave his thoughts recently on the state of Japan’s rubber industry and what opportunities lie ahead for domestic players. While companies have had to change as a result of the pandemic, Ikeda noted, this has then made it possible to turn difficult...
Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) Global CEO Shuichi Ishibashi recently announced the company’s new vision for sustainable business. And by spending 2021 on making this vision a reality, he explained, Bridgestone hopes to achieve SDGs and help bring about a more sustainable society. For Bridgestone, 2021 will be a year of getting up to full speed with efforts to carry out the...
Bando Chemical Industries Ltd. (TYO:5195) subsidiary BL Autotec Ltd. has launched the FlexR-25 as a new product under its BL Quick-Change series of tool changers. The FlexR-25 can be used for a wide range of applications, including the assembly, deburring, grinding, machine tool handling and cleaning processes. Making use of the ball-lock-based attachment and detachment mechanism inherent to the broader...
Speaking to the press recently in an online press conference, Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101) President Masataka Yamaishi reflected on 2020 and also discussed both the outlook for 2021 and the direction of the company’s new upcoming medium-term business plan. Under this plan, Yamaishi said, Yokohama Rubber’s 2023 sales will certainly exceed its 2019 sales, and the company will work...
Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. (TYO:4063) has developed a first-of-its-kind low-density moldable silicone for producing lighter rubber molded parts with the company’s Liquid Injection Molding System (LIMS). The conventional method of making silicone rubber more lightweight has been to add a blowing agent to millable silicone rubber to shape it into a sponge, but Shin-Etsu Chemical’s new product does away with...
