After 12 years, Nagase Kenko Co. Ltd. is updating the design of the first Japanese softball made with rubber. Based in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, the ball manufacturer is planning to launch the new product in December 2017 and has started preparing for production. According to the Japan Rubber Baseball Association and Japan Baseball Industry Association, the concept behind the new...
Besides being a world-famous maker of basketballs and other sports ball equipment, Molten Corp. also boasts a history of more than 60 years as a manufacturer of automotive rubber and resin products. Japan Rubber Weekly recently had the opportunity to speak about the company’s future strategy with Toshihiko Kobayashi, a board member at Molten, and chief operating officer of its...
Sumitomo Riko Co. Ltd. (TYO:5191) has announced plans to establish a flexographic printing plate production site in Italy. The investment of 5 million euros ($5.22 million) in Turin province is part of the company’s efforts to develop the European market. With operations scheduled to start from beginning of 2018, the project is expected to contribute to achieve 14 million euros...
Power transmission and materials handling systems manufacturer Tsubakimoto Chain recorded favorable sales of power transmission belts for the first half of the fiscal year (April–September 2016), up about 3 percent year-on-year. Power transmission belts for automobiles and robots rose during the period. Sales for automobiles grew with the increase in models using power sliding doors and other devices, while sales...
Okamoto Industries Inc. (TYO:5122) is significantly increasing revenues by gaining new orders for its interior automobile parts thanks to the global growth of the company’s customers. Yoshiyuki Okamoto, the company’s president, commented on the particularly robust sales in the North America market. Okamoto’s plant in Sandusky, Ohio is a manufacturing center for interior auto parts that has increased revenues by...
Rubber hose production fell 1.4 percent year-on-year to 3,126 tons in terms of new-rubber volume in September, while the value of shipments fell 0.7 percent to 11.863 billion yen ($102.41 million), according records compiled by the Japan Rubber Hose Manufacturers Association based on statistics by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). By category, high-pressure hoses were recovering, while...
