Kraton Raises Prices of Kraton D-Series SBS and Related Products Oct. 8, 2025. - Kraton Polymers Japan has increased the prices of domestically produced Kraton D-Series SBS, oil-extended SBS, and SIS by 34 yen ($0.23) per kilogram, effective with shipments on or after October 1. The company said that this price adjustment is necessary in light of continued cost increases since 2022, including expenses related to facility maintenance, logistics, packaging materials, and labor. Despite […]
Mitsui Chemicals Links R&D Closer to Business to Accelerate Innovation Oct. 7, 2025. - Mitsui Chemicals has implemented an organizational restructuring effective October 1 aimed at strengthening its research and development framework and accelerating product development. The company has separated its development divisions from the Research & Development Headquarters and reassigned them under the three designated growth areas—Mobility (including the Elastomers Business), Life & Healthcare, and ICT—so that each business division is now directly […]
Sumitomo Rubber Supplies Sustainable Tires at All-Japan Kart Championship Sep. 26, 2025. - The fifth and sixth rounds of the EV category in the All-Japan Kart Championship, featuring one-make tire supply by Sumitomo Rubber, were held on September 14 at Citycircuit Tokyo Bay in Koto-ku, Tokyo. In 2023, Sumitomo Rubber formulated its unique circular economy initiative, Towanowa, within its tire business. The company is promoting the use of sustainable raw materials in its […]
Toyoda Gosei to Dissolve Chinese Weatherstrip Subsidiary Sep. 18, 2025. - Toyoda Gosei has decided to dissolve Toyoda Gosei Star Light (Tianjin) Automotive Parts, its wholly owned subsidiary in China engaged in the manufacture and sale of automotive weatherstrip products, as part of efforts to reform the profit structure of its Chinese operations. Production will end in December 2025, with liquidation to be completed by December 2026. Amid dramatic changes in […]
Toyo Tires to Establish New R&D Center at Serbian Plant Oct. 6, 2025. - Toyo Tires has announced plans to build a new research and development facility within the premises of its Serbia Plant located in Inđija. The new facility will serve as the company’s European R&D Center and is scheduled to begin operations in January 2027. The total investment for the project amounts to approximately 5 billion yen ($33.26 million), and the center […]
Toyo Tires Conducts Tire Safety Awareness Activities in Itami Oct. 3, 2025. - On September 23, 2025, during the nationwide Autumn Traffic Safety Campaign, the Toyo Tires Group participated in the “Traffic Safety Festa in Itami 2025,” held at the Hanshin Driving School and organized by the Itami Traffic Safety Council, to carry out tire safety awareness activities. The company set up its original driving simulator, allowing visitors to experience differences in braking […]
Vertical Conveyor Performing Strongly: Yoshino Rubber Oct. 1, 2025. - Yoshino Rubber Industry supports a wide range of infrastructure sites, including power plants, steel mills, tunnel construction projects and sewage treatment plants. Among its key offerings is a unique vertical conveyor belt capable of efficiently transporting large volumes of material vertically. This flagship product is highly regarded in the market for its two-belt structure—consisting of a corrugated main conveyor belt […]
Kuriyama Holdings to Establish New R&D Center Sep. 30, 2025. - Kuriyama Holdings will open a comprehensive research and development facility, tentatively named the Kuriyama R&D Center, in Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. The facility is scheduled for completion around June 2026, with construction having begun in June 2025. The three-story building will occupy a site area of 4,800 square meters with a total floor area of approximately 3,400 square meters, representing […]
Kraton Raises Prices of Kraton D-Series SBS and Related Products Oct. 8, 2025. - Kraton Polymers Japan has increased the prices of domestically produced Kraton D-Series SBS, oil-extended SBS, and SIS by 34 yen ($0.23) per kilogram, effective with shipments on or after October 1. The company said that this price adjustment is necessary in light of continued cost increases since 2022, including expenses related to facility maintenance, logistics, packaging materials, and labor. Despite […]
Mitsui Chemicals Links R&D Closer to Business to Accelerate Innovation Oct. 7, 2025. - Mitsui Chemicals has implemented an organizational restructuring effective October 1 aimed at strengthening its research and development framework and accelerating product development. The company has separated its development divisions from the Research & Development Headquarters and reassigned them under the three designated growth areas—Mobility (including the Elastomers Business), Life & Healthcare, and ICT—so that each business division is now directly […]
Top Interview: President Tomio Ueno of Bando Chemical Sep. 2, 2025. - In an interview with Tomio Ueno, President of Bando Chemical, we discussed the company’s current business performance, the progress of its medium- to long-term management plan Creating New Value for the Future 1st Stage (CV-1), and the status of its overseas production bases. Regarding the situation overseas, Ueno explained that market conditions in Asia vary by country and timing. India, […]
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 […]
Toyoda Gosei Invests in Startup Aiming for Practical Nuclear Fusion Power Generation Jul. 30, 2025. - Toyoda Gosei has invested in Helical Fusion, a startup focused on commercializing nuclear fusion power generation, seen as a promising future energy source. Nuclear fusion power generates high-output energy from CO2-free nuclear reactions, using abundant fuel sources like deuterium found in seawater. Considered easier to control than nuclear fission used in traditional nuclear power, it is driving a global race […]
Sumitomo Rubber Develops Rubber Material Compatible with 3D Printing Jul. 17, 2025. - Sumitomo Rubber has developed a rubber material that can be processed using 3D printers. The company aims to commercialize the material for 3D printing applications by 2026 and will continue to advance its development. Traditionally, producing rubber products using 3D printers has been considered difficult. However, Sumitomo Rubber has succeeded in developing a proprietary material with excellent resilience and high […]
Japan Glove Manufacturers Association Publishes 2024 Glove Sales Volumes Apr. 18, 2025. - According to the 2024 Japanese domestic glove sales volume statistics compiled by the Japan Glove Manufacturers Association, household glove sales reached 73.253 million pairs, down 1% year-on-year, nearly flat. Nitrile gloves alone grew by 14%, but cautious buying due to a sluggish market continued to suppress demand post-COVID. Ultra-thin gloves (excluding medical use) totaled 5.405 billion pieces, up 6% and […]
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 […]
