Japan’s import volume of natural rubber (NR) for 2016 decreased 3.3 percent year-on-year, falling to 655,312 tons, according to data compiled by the Rubber Trade Association of Japan from the Trade Statistics of Japan. Import value decreased 23.6 percent, dropping to 99.59045 billion yen ($875.59 million). The average import price fell 20.9 percent to hit 152 yen per kilogram, dropping...
Natural rubber (NR) continues to trend at high price levels, currently running at around double those of early 2016. A steep run-up has come in a short period of time, spiking since last autumn. The high prices are set to strongly impact profit margins of rubber product manufacturers. Most notable are tire manufacturers, who make heavy use of NR. Current...
Japan’s import volume of natural rubber in August increased 8.8 percent year-on-year, while the import value decreased 19 percent year-on-year, according to data compiled by The Rubber Trade Association of Japan based on the Ministry of Finance’s Trade Statistics of Japan. This represents the first year-on-year increase in six months for import volume, but the 11th consecutive month of year-on-year...
Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. (TYO:5110) has developed a bridge-purposed ultra durability rubber bearing in collaboration with Central-Nexco Technical Marketing Co. Ltd. and Denka Co. Ltd. (TYO:4061). The new rubber bearing achieves a high degree of ozone resistance, employing a chloroprene rubber (CR) composition to make it 5,000 times more resistant than conventional natural rubber compounds. While Sumitomo Rubber is already...
Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. (TYO:5105) has made the voluntary declaration that it is on board with, and will be party to, objectives of the Sustainable Natural Rubber Initiative (SNR-i). Proposed and launched by the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG), the initiative serves to ensure the sustainability of natural rubber (NR). It seeks to achieve an NR economy in...
