Hose Assembly Sales Down 3% for 2016, Industrial and Plastic Hoses Recovering

Sales of hose assemblies fell 3 percent year-on-year to 60.985 billion yen ($53.48 million) for January–December 2016, according to the Japan Hose Coupling Association (JHCA). It marks a regression to the negative after a 5-percent year-on-year increase in 2015. By category, the distribution ratio of industrial rubber hoses was at 67.7 percent; automotive rubber hoses, 15.2 percent; and plastic hoses,…