Japan’s import volume of natural rubber for January 2016 increased by 1 percent year-on-year to more than 58,000 tons, rising for the first time in five months, according to the Rubber Trade Association of Japan. However, the import value plunged by 18 percent to 9.26 billion yen ($81.7 million), declining for the fifth month in a row. The average import...
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Hiroshima Kasei to Build Automotive Seals Plant in Indonesia
Hiroshima Kasei Ltd. is moving ahead with the construction of a factory to make vehicle seals in Bandung, Indonesia. The decision is in response to Japanese vehicle manufacturers operating plants outside Japan. The venture in Indonesia will be the first time the company will directly manufacture vehicle seals outside Japan. The company has until now indirectly supplied vehicle manufacturing plants...
Rubber Industry Expands Hiring of Female Tech Grads – Japan Rubber Weekly Survey
Employers in the rubber industry are increasingly expanding business operations and beefing up production by increasing their workforces, according to a spring 2016 hiring status survey of 31 major rubber industry companies. The survey by Japan Rubber Weekly also indicated that the number of firms increasing the number of new hires this year compared to the previous year has grown...
Kinugawa Rubber to Accept Takeover Bid by Development Bank of Japan
Kinugawa Rubber Industrial Co. Ltd. (TYO:5196) will accept a takeover bid (TOB) from the Development Bank of Japan, Inc. (DBJ). For this deal, the DBJ has concluded separate agreements with Kinugawa Rubber Industrial’s largest shareholder, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (TYO:7201; stake of 20.25 percent), and second largest shareholder, Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5105; stake of 11.89 percent), to...

Yokohama Rubber Makes Strides With New Conveyor Belt
Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5101) has a policy with its conveyor belt business to focus on the steel sector in Japan while focusing on resource development sectors in overseas markets. In the last few years, the company has been actively developing new conveyor belt products, including the popular High-Heat Resistant MJ Fabric Belt that it developed last year. The use...

Nitta Celebrates 131 Years of Business
Nitta Corp. (TYO:5186) held ceremonies on March 18 at its head office in Osaka and plant in Nara to celebrate 131 years in business, followed by awards for its long-service employees. In his ceremony speech, President and Representative Director Motonobu Nitta said that the company has survived through the generations by responding to whatever challenges have come its way and...