Rubber-related Companies Recognized for Excellent Health Management Mar. 21, 2025. - The Excellent Corporation for Health Management certification system recognizes corporations, including large enterprises and small-to-medium businesses, that practice exemplary health management. It is divided into the Large-Scale Corporation Category and the Small-to-Medium-Scale Corporation Category, with top performers in the former category earning the additional White 500 designation. Moreover, the Health and Productivity Stock Selection is a program by the Ministry […]
Bridgestone, Ueshima Co-Develop Lab-Scale Wear Testing Machine to Accelerate TRWP Research Mar. 19, 2025. - Bridgestone and Ueshima Seisakusho have jointly developed the FPS Wear Testing Machine: Wear Particle Collection Model, capable of generating and collecting wear particles from rubber samples with the same composition as tires at a laboratory scale. Leveraging Bridgestone’s expertise as a tire manufacturer in rubber products and their wear characteristics, and Ueshima Seisakusho’s proficiency as a physical testing equipment manufacturer […]
Rubber-related Companies Recognized for Excellent Health Management Mar. 21, 2025. - The Excellent Corporation for Health Management certification system recognizes corporations, including large enterprises and small-to-medium businesses, that practice exemplary health management. It is divided into the Large-Scale Corporation Category and the Small-to-Medium-Scale Corporation Category, with top performers in the former category earning the additional White 500 designation. Moreover, the Health and Productivity Stock Selection is a program by the Ministry […]
Bridgestone, Ueshima Co-Develop Lab-Scale Wear Testing Machine to Accelerate TRWP Research Mar. 19, 2025. - Bridgestone and Ueshima Seisakusho have jointly developed the FPS Wear Testing Machine: Wear Particle Collection Model, capable of generating and collecting wear particles from rubber samples with the same composition as tires at a laboratory scale. Leveraging Bridgestone’s expertise as a tire manufacturer in rubber products and their wear characteristics, and Ueshima Seisakusho’s proficiency as a physical testing equipment manufacturer […]
Bridgestone Develops On-Vehicle Collection Method for Tire and Road Wear Particles Mar. 19, 2025. - Bridgestone has developed a unique on-vehicle collection method to assess the environmental impact of tire and road wear particles (TRWP). TRWP is dust generated by the friction between tires and road surfaces, consisting of a mixture of tire tread and road pavement materials. The company visualized the dispersion of particles like TRWP using a combination of high-speed cameras and laser […]
Special Report: Yokohama Rubber’s Advan V61 Tire for Premium SUVs Mar. 18, 2025. - Yokohama Rubber has been selling the Advan V61, a tire designed for premium SUVs, since March. This tire primarily targets medium and large premium SUVs, which have been growing in popularity in recent years. Deliveries as an original equipment tire for new vehicles began in 2022, and with an eye on expanding replacement demand in the repair market, the company […]
Rubber Hose Production Down First Time in Four Years: Japan Rubber Hose Manufacturers Association Mar. 14, 2025. - According to data compiled by the Japan Rubber Hose Manufacturers Association based on Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) statistics, production and shipments of rubber hoses in 2024 totaled 31,662 tons in new rubber volume, down 6.6% from the previous year, and shipments were 135.83 billion yen ($914.26 million), down 4.5%. This was the first time in four years […]
Mitsuboshi Belting to Raise Belt Product Prices by 10% or More Mar. 10, 2025. - Mitsuboshi Belting announced that it will raise the prices of its belt products beginning with orders received on May 1. The price increase applies to transmission belts (friction transmission belts and timing belts), other transmission-related products, conveyor belts (plastic and rubber), and other conveyor-related products, all of which will increase by 10% or more. “In recent years, prices of raw […]
Zeon Establishes Chinese JV for Lithium-ion Battery Anode Binders Mar. 11, 2025. - Zeon Trading (Shanghai), a wholly owned subsidiary of Zeon Corporation, has agreed with Zhuhai Chenyu New Materials Technology (Chenyu), an affiliate of Shanghai Energy New Materials Technology (Semcorp), to establish Shanghai Chenon New Materials Technology, a joint venture to sell binders for negative electrodes used in lithium ion batteries. The investment ratio is 51% by Chenyu and 49% by Zeon […]
Lanxess Introduces Sustainable Anti-Aging Agent to Improve Tire Durability Mar. 11, 2025. - Lanxess has announced the launch of a new anti-aging agent, Vulcanox HS Scope Blue, which contributes to improved tire durability. The product is a highly sustainable addition to the proven Vulcanox HS (TMQ) line of anti-aging agents, which effectively protects tires against oxidative and thermal degradation, and is characterized by low volatility and elution resistance. The use of renewable energy […]
Interview: Hideki Ogawa, President of Nishikawa Rubber Jan. 27, 2025. - 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 Jan. 24, 2025. - 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 […]
Yokohama Rubber Begins Testing AI Tech to Determine Air Pressure Feb. 13, 2025. - Yokohama Rubber has developed a technology that uses AI to determine the air pressure status of truck and bus tires based on the sound of the tires hitting the ground, and has begun demonstration tests. In daily inspections of air pressure in truck and bus tires, hammering inspections are still the mainstream method because measuring air pressure with air pressure […]
Katecs Develops System to Visualize Excavation Grounds Jan. 30, 2025. - 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 […]
CEMA Publishes Construction Machinery Demand Forecasts for Fiscal 2024 and 2025 Mar. 7, 2025. - The Japan Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA) recently released its construction machinery demand forecasts for fiscal 2024 (April 2024-March 2025) and fiscal 2025 (April 2025-March 2026). The forecasts were compiled based on a questionnaire survey conducted in January among 61 construction equipment manufacturers that are regular members of the association. According to the survey, in fiscal 2024, Japanese domestic shipments […]
Nitta Posts Financial Results, Sees Opportunity in Semiconductor-related Business May. 24, 2024. - Nitta announced net sales of 88.61 billion yen ($565.29 million), up 0.7% year-on-year; operating income of 4.42 billion yen, down 11.4%; ordinary income of 12,01 billion yen, down 6.9%; and net income of 9.68 billion yen, down 9.2%, for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. “Sales were decent, but profits fell sharply due to a slower-than-expected decline in the […]
