Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. (TYO:5110) is proceeding with revamping its North American plants and bringing in new equipment for use with current production, said President & CEO Ikuji Ikeda at a press conference last week. He added that, with a view to the future, the company will also adopt new production technology to increase production capacity for high-performance tires. Increasing...
Tires
Toyo Tires Improves Environmental Footprint at Sendai Plant
Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5105) will start shifting from thermal energy sources to natural gas at its Sendai automobile tire manufacturing plant in Iwanuma, Miyagi Prefecture. The Sendai plant has been Toyo Tires’ manufacturing base for automobile tires for more than half a century since 1962. Until now, it has utilized the burning of coal and used tires...
2017 Forecast: JATMA Expects Steady Automobile Tire Demand to Continue
The Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA) has announced its 2016 estimates for domestic demand of automobile tires, together with its forecast for 2017. According to the association, domestic demand in 2016 was in line with the previous year at 117.87 million units, and a virtually identical demand of 118.19 million units is anticipated for 2017. This demand estimate is...
Tire and Tire Tube Production Up Slightly to 94,000 Tons for October
Production of automobile tires and tire tubes was 93,934 tons in terms of rubber volume for October, up 0.7 percent year-on-year, according to the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA). Production rose for the first time in 22 months in September, and albeit small, year-on-year production rose for the second consecutive month in October. The production volume was up in...
Sumitomo Rubber to Take up Full-Scale Operation at USA Technical Center
Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. (TYO:5110) will commence full-scale operation at its USA Technical Center in January 2017. Increasing its freedom to operate in the U.S. market by dissolving its alliance with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in October 2015, the company has made strides in its efforts to enhance development, production and sales systems. The new technical center is linked...
Bridgestone Announces New Motorcycle Tires With Better Tread Life and Handling
Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) will release its new Battlecruise H50 motorcycle tires in February of next year. The tires, which come in eight sizes, are designed for V-twin cruiser motorcycles. The company plans to put out 14 more sizes in 2018. The Battlecruise H50s are tubeless bias-ply motorcycle tires for cruisers outfitted with a V-twin engine. The concept behind the product...