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...
Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) recently announced that it has invested in Ball Wave Inc., a Tohoku University startup company engaged in the development and sale of chemical sensors. By using surface acoustic waves (SAWs) – a physical phenomenon discovered by Tohoku University researchers – Ball Wave is working to commercialize what are called ball SAW sensors. Such sensors are...
Toyo Tire Corp. (TYO:5105) and manufacturing subsidiary Toyo Tire Serbia LLC Belgrade recently held a groundbreaking ceremony at the intended site of a new plant in Indjija, Serbia. Approximately 40 guests attended the ceremony – including Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Indjija Mayor Vladimir Gak and Ambassador of Japan Takahiko Katsumata – to show their support for a safe construction process....
The Japan Rubber Hose Manufacturers Association recently released a forecast of Japan’s rubber hose demand for 2021. According to the figures here, domestic rubber hose production for the year is slated to come to 32,340 tons, up 11.9 percent year-on-year. But while this represents a significant increase, it does not quite get the sector back to where it was before...
The Michelin Group recently announced that it has formed a partnership with Canadian startup company Pyrowave Inc. Through this partnership, Michelin will look to make a speedy entry into the market for plastic waste recycling technology. A total of more than 20 million euros ($24.53 million) is set to be invested into joint development here, with an industrial demonstrator slated...
Japanese demand for automotive tires is expected to improve year-on-year across all product categories next year, totaling 174.75 million tires. This would mark a 5 percent increase over demand levels seen in 2020, though a 9 percent decrease when compared to 2019. These figures come from a tire demand forecast put together by the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA)....
