Nagoya-based rubber products trading company Katecs, together with Nishimatsu Construction and Geo Machine Engineering, has developed GroutViz, a system for 3D visualization of the state of the ground to be excavated. The system will be used to utilize data from chemical injection performed in the construction of mountain tunnel, making it possible to visualize the quality of tunnel cross-sections in...
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Bridgestone to Close Tire Plant in America
Bridgestone Americas will close its truck and bus radial tire plant in La Vergne, Tennessee, on July 31. This is part of the company’s strategic business restructuring and is intended to strengthen competitiveness and improve the quality of its business by optimizing its U.S. operations. The decision to close the La Vergne plant was based on the belief that further...
Forecast for New Rubber Consumption in 2025: JRMA
The Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association (JRMA) has compiled new rubber consumption forecasts for 2024 and 2025. According to the report, both Japanese domestic shipments and exports (on a rubber volume basis) of mainstay automotive tires in 2024 are projected to be lower than in 2023, and industrial products are also expected to be lower than in 2023, affected by the...
Yokohama Rubber to Close OHT Plant in Prague
Yokohama Rubber has decided to close the Prague plant of Yokohama TWS Czech Republic, a subsidiary that produces and sells off-highway tires (OHT), including tires for agricultural machinery, and mainly manufactures bias tires. Production of products manufactured at the plant will be transferred to other plants of the group. Yokohama TWS, one of the major production and sales subsidiaries of...
Interview: Hideki Ogawa, President of Nishikawa Rubber
Japan Rubber Weekly recently sat down for an interview with Hideki Ogawa, president of Nishikawa Rubber, to discuss the year ahead. “In 2025, we will continue to take on any challenge with elastic ideas,” Ogawa said. Also actively promoting the use of AI and automation, the company is on track to develop new products and technologies that are expected to...
Interview: Toyohiro Hagiwara, Vice President, Gates Unitta Asia
Japan Rubber Weekly sat down for an interview with Toyohiro Hagiwara, vice president of Gates Unitta Asia (GUA), to talk about business and the year ahead. “In the automotive field, we will expand the use of our products in commercial vehicles and respond to new types of mobility, such as EVs and electric motorcycles. In general industrial applications, we see...