Showa Glove Opens Japan’s Largest Nitrile Rubber Glove Production Base Nov. 6, 2024. - Showa Glove has opened Sakaide Plant, the first and largest nitrile rubber glove production facility in Japan. Marking an investment of around 15 billion yen ($100 million), the main feature of the plant is the automation of all processes, from production to packaging, which had been considered difficult to achieve in the past. The site area is approximately 97,000 square […]Report: Shadow of China’s Overproduction Spreads to Synthetic Rubber Nov. 5, 2024. - The impact of China’s overproduction, which has become a global problem for steel and commodity resins, is spreading to synthetic rubber as well. First in line are commodity synthetic rubber products for tires, but will it spread to other types of products as well? On October 25, Ube announced that it has resolved to dissolve its equity method affiliate Lotte […]
Report: Shadow of China’s Overproduction Spreads to Synthetic Rubber Nov. 5, 2024. - The impact of China’s overproduction, which has become a global problem for steel and commodity resins, is spreading to synthetic rubber as well. First in line are commodity synthetic rubber products for tires, but will it spread to other types of products as well? On October 25, Ube announced that it has resolved to dissolve its equity method affiliate Lotte […]
Bridgestone Soft Robotics Ventures and Crafsto Collaborate to Launch Bags Nov. 1, 2024. - Bridgestone’s in-house venture Soft Robotics Ventures and the unisex fashion brand Crafsto have announced the launch of a triangle bag, a collaboration between the two companies. The bag’s handles are upcycled rubber actuators from Soft Robotics Ventures’ soft robotic hand Tetote. This is the first upcycling of the rubber actuators. Crafsto is a fashion brand operated by Heritage. The brand […]
Retread Tires at Core of Sustainability Efforts, Attracting Attention: Bridgestone Oct. 31, 2024. - In line with its mission of contributing to society with the highest quality, Bridgestone’s vision is to become a sustainable solutions company that continuously delivers social and customer value by 2050. To achieve carbon neutrality and 100% sustainable materials by that year, the company is promoting the establishment of a unique sustainability business model in which tires are created, sold, […]
Test Ride: Yokohama Rubber Iceguard 7 Ideal for SUVs and EVs Oct. 18, 2024. - Yokohama Rubber’s Iceguard 7 studless tires for passenger cars are now in their fourth season. The tire combines ice performance, snow performance, and long-lasting performance at a high level, providing absolute peace of mind on winter roads. In recent years, sales of SUVs and EVs have been on the rise in the Japanese market, but how well does the Iceguard […]
Showa Glove Opens Japan’s Largest Nitrile Rubber Glove Production Base Nov. 6, 2024. - Showa Glove has opened Sakaide Plant, the first and largest nitrile rubber glove production facility in Japan. Marking an investment of around 15 billion yen ($100 million), the main feature of the plant is the automation of all processes, from production to packaging, which had been considered difficult to achieve in the past. The site area is approximately 97,000 square […]
Ishihara Packing Industry First to Install 5-Axis Water Jet in Kyushu Oct. 30, 2024. - Ishihara Packing Industry has installed a 5-axis waterjet machine manufactured by Kitagawa Iron Works at its sales office and factory in Kasuya Gun, Fukuoka Prefecture. “This makes us the first company in the rubber industry in the Kyushu area to do so,” the company said. In November 1994, Ishihara Packing Industry became the first rubber and packing processor in Japan […]Toyoda Gosei Doubles Rubber Recycling Capacity Oct. 29, 2024. - Toyoda Gosei has doubled the production capacity of the recycling process at its Morimachi Plant in Shizuoka Prefecture in order to accelerate resource recycling of rubber used in automobiles. In the automotive industry, while recycling of resources such as steel and plastics is progressing, rubber products are difficult to recycle and most of them are incinerated. The company has been […]
Kuraray Raises Prices of Septon and Other Elastomers Oct. 10, 2024. - Kuraray will raise the prices of its hydrogenated styrenic thermoplastic elastomers Septon and Hybrar as well as TU polymers globally, beginning with shipments on October 15. The price increase is $0.22 per kilogram. Regarding the price increase, the company said, “The increase in costs for the subject products, including key raw materials, utility and logistics costs, and repair costs, is […]
Interview With Bando Chemical President Tomio Ueno Sep. 3, 2024. - Bando Chemical is pursuing its medium-term business plan under the three guiding principles of Value Creation, Smart Manufacturing Creation, and Evolution of Organizational Capabilities for the Future. With co-creation as its keyword, the company is working to create new value and steadily achieving results in the fields of electronic materials, medical equipment, and healthcare equipment. Japan Rubber Weekly sat down […]
Interview With Yokohama Rubber President and COO Shinji Seimiya Aug. 21, 2024. - Japan Rubber Weekly recently sat down with Shinji Seimiya, president and COO of Yokohama Rubber, to talk about the company’s latest developments. Semiya is in charge of tire design and development, as well as manufacturing, quality, and and overseeing technology and production on a global scale. Under the new mid-term management plan Yokohama Transformation 2026 (YX2026), which started this year, […]
Nagoya University and Aisin Chemical Develop Next-gen Structural Adhesive Oct. 1, 2024. - A research group led by the Graduate School of Engineering at Nagoya University has developed a next-generation structural adhesive with superior impact strength and peel strength through joint research with Aisin Chemical. The newly developed adhesive, when used in automobiles and other vehicles, will greatly contribute to vehicle weight reduction, improved driving stability, improved fuel efficiency, and reduced emissions. The […]
Toyoda Iron Works Launches Sheet-shaped Cushioning Material Aug. 30, 2024. - Toyoda Iron Works has succeeded in developing Toyototsu, a sheet-shaped cushioning material that has already been widely used in automobile armrests, consoles, instrument panels, and other parts. The company has recently succeeded in extrusion molding, instead of the conventional injection molding process, using the proprietary technology of Osaka-based Katsuron, and has begun developing applications not only for automobiles but also […]
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 […]
Special Report: Signs of Recovery in Demand for Rubber Sheets Apr. 26, 2024. - 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 […]
