Recently appointed Nihon Michelin Tire Co. Ltd. president Paul Perriniaux (pictured, left) is resolved to garner more customers in Japan and earn the company loyalty for its high-quality tires and service. Perriniaux joined Nihon Michelin in 1995 in truck and bus marketing. He held posts at Michelin in England and Ireland, and at the France head office, before returning to...
The price of Japanese-made naphtha, an indicator of synthetic rubber prices, was 47,200 yen ($380) per kiloliter for the third quarter (July–September), down by more than 3 percent, or 1,600 yen ($13), over the second quarter (April–June). Naphtha prices are expected to drop further in the October–December period. Falling raw material prices look to continue as a factor in tire...
In the first three quarters of 2015 (January–September), consolidated financial results for four Japanese tire manufacturers—Bridgestone Corp., Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd., Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd., and Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd.—showed large gains in operating income thanks to low prices for crude oil, natural rubber and synthetic rubber. The lower raw material prices translated into gains for Bridgestone of...
Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. announced at a recent press conference that it is developing highly functional biomass materials for tires. Conventional rubber used in tires contains oil from fossil resource as a softener. The problem, however, is that the oil gradually leaches out of the rubber, causing tires to harden. Sumitomo Rubber solved this problem by using plant-based oil as...
Bridgestone Corp. announced on Oct. 30, 2015 that group company Bridgestone Americas Inc. (BSA) would acquire TireConnect Systems. Announced by BSA on Oct. 22, the deal provides BSA with TireConnect Systems, a software company that supports tire dealers and distributors in North America (primarily Canada) with a tire Internet sales tool featuring e-commerce capabilities. Bridgestone, the world’s largest tire manufacturer,...
As of Jan. 1, 2016, Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. will absorb its consolidated subsidiary Dunlop Goodyear Tires Ltd., which serves the original equipment market with tires and other products. The move will focus Sumitomo Rubber’s resources for more effective management and operations....
