Gates Unitta Asia Co. VP Shuji Miyamoto expects his firm to end this fiscal year with increases in both revenue and profit. Speaking to Japan Rubber Weekly, Miyamoto said that China and Japan were the main drivers of this growth during the first half of this year, and no significant slackening is anticipated for the second half. Looking at the...
Shipment values of construction machinery are forecast at 1.879 trillion yen ($16.575 billion) for the fiscal year ending March 2018, on a par with the previous year, according to the Japan Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA). This projection is based on a January 2017 survey of CEMA’s 68 member companies. CEMA Chairman and President of Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd....
According to statistics by the Japan Belting Manufacturers Association, the production volume of rubber belts for 2017 is expected to largely remain the same as 2016, at 26,339 tons. Both conveyor and transmission belt production is also expected to be about the same as 2016. This would mark the third year in a row that rubber belt production has been...
Trading Companies Part 2—Although many trading firms focus on domestic demand, a generational change has been under way recently, resulting in an increase in younger managers. Merchants of this new generation have begun setting their sights not just within the country but overseas as well. They are also eager to explore new markets and develop new technologies and products.
Trading Companies Part 1—A recent survey of trading companies in Japan conducted by Japan Rubber Weekly found that about 70 percent of respondents saw tough times ahead in 2016. The survey of 330 trading companies in Japan received 203 responses (62 percent response rate). Trading companies play a crucial role in Japan’s distribution.
Manufacturers Part 2—Under 1 percent of respondents answered that they expect "double-digit growth" for "forecast (planned) 2016 net sales," while roughly half the companies, or 48 percent, forecast "single-digit growth." A total of only 14 percent of respondents forecast either "single-digit" or "double-digit" declines in revenues.
