The so-called 2024 Problem, which refers to a cap on overtime hours for truck drivers in Japan that came into effect in April and results in transportation capacity shortages, has reached the rubber-related industries as well. Not only are transportation costs continuing to rise, but the conditions demanded by shippers, such as shorter waiting times for cargo, are becoming even...
Signs of recovery have emerged in demand for fluorine rubber sheets, which had been in a slump. With the elimination of the oversupply of semiconductors, there has been movement in the production of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, which had been undergoing production adjustments, and this has led to an upturn in current demand. Demand for silicone rubber sheets is also increasing...
According to statistics compiled by the Japan Belting Industry Association, Japanese conveyor belt production in 2023 was 9,073 tons, down 5% from the previous year, marking the second consecutive year of decline and the second year in a row that production has fallen below 10,000 tons. Japanese domestic demand was boosted by an increase in automobile production due to the...
The U.S. and China are not only the two largest economies in the world, but also the world’s number one and number two consumers of new rubber. The economic situation in the two countries has had a significant impact on the performance of Japanese rubber companies. In China, in addition to economic stagnation, Japanese automakers are struggling with sales. In...
The environment surrounding the Japanese rubber industry has been changing due to the ongoing depreciation of the yen, the decline in naphtha prices and the slump in China. These changes are a mixture of good and bad news for the rubber industry, but since they are all external factors, it is difficult for individual companies to influence them. Japan Rubber...
The business results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, for rubber and resin-related companies are now available, and among the 31 companies, 14 companies, or nearly half, achieved a record high in either net sales, operating income, ordinary income, or net income. It can be said that many of the companies posted solid performance growth, but automobile production,...
