Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) has started working alongside a pair of subsidiaries to manufacture simple masks amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The setup here is for Bridgestone Chemitech Co. Ltd. to produce polyurethane, with Bridgestone Diversified Chemical Products Co. Ltd. then processing this into masks. Bridgestone is basing its work here upon expertise it has built up since 2017, when it...
Kohshin Rubber Co. Ltd. on March 18 launched a series of new products based on the Ultra franchise, including Ultraman, Ultra Seven and the various monsters appearing in the franchise. Products offered here include safety sneakers, stretch hoodies, stretch pants, rubber boots, rain jackets, backpacks and tote bags. Hitting the market as a new work brand, this Ultraman line uses...
Fuji Latex Co. Ltd. (TYO:5199) recently posted its business results for April–December 2019, showing a drop in both sales and profits. The company’s sales for the three quarters came to 5.42 billion yen ($49.34 million) for a 14.1 percent year-on-year drop, while operating profit was down 95.6 percent to 22 million yen, ordinary profit was down 94.3 percent to 27...
Zeon Corp. (TYO:4205) recently held a ceremony to mark the end of construction for a new manufacturing line at its optical film plant in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture. Set to produce ZeonorFilm retardation film for use in large-screen televisions, the line is slated to begin full-scale operations in April. The ceremony was held at the Tsuruga base of Zeon production subsidiary...
Asahi Rubber Inc. (TYO:5162) has developed a new flexible wiring product that is able to stretch with just a small amount of force while also exhibiting excellent durability and low electrical resistance. The company has achieved this by combining rubber with a structure based on kirigami, the art of paper cutting. The new design combines the benefits of a three-dimensional...
Okamoto Industries Inc. (TYO:5122) is looking to establish recycling facilities within the site of its Shizuoka Plant in Yoshida, Shizuoka Prefecture. The company, which produces condoms, industrial goods and consumer products, uses the Shizuoka Plant more specifically to create the likes of plastic film, agricultural film, wallpaper and automotive interior materials. Toshio Tamura, president and CEO of Okamoto, said that...
