Author: RubberWorld

All India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA) reports natural rubber production in India has increased from 8.39 lakh ton in 2022-23 to 8.57 lakh ton in 2023-24. “But there has also been a sharp rise in NR consumption which has gone from 13.5 lakh ton in 2022-23 to 14.16 lakh ton now so the deficit is still 5.5 lakh ton,” Shashi Singh, president of AIRIA said.

Trinseo announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2024, reporting a net loss of $68 million and earnings per share (EPS) of negative $1.92. Despite the loss, the company saw an improvement in adjusted EBITDA, which reached $67 million, a $10 million increase compared to the previous year.

Trinseo’s second-quarter net sales stood at $920 million, a 4% decrease from the prior year. This decline was primarily due to lower sales volumes in Polystyrene, Plastics Solutions, and Latex Binders. However, higher sales volumes in Engineered Materials partially offset this drop, leading to a 6% decrease in net sales. A rise in prices contributed to a 1% increase.

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has made significant technological improvements to its seals for central tire inflation systems (CTIS) used by construction and agricultural machinery. These seals automatically adjust the tire pressure of off-highway vehicles to varying ground conditions and vehicle loads. Simply by pressing a button, drivers can now save time, reduce CO2 emissions and simultaneously extend the service life of their tires.

Lutz-Jesco Suisse SA specializes in the manufacture of universal electric motors with a power output of up to 1.5 kW, and motor components such as rotors and stators. The company’s product portfolio will in future also include pumps; dosing systems and water treatment systems suitable for sewage treatment plants, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, the paper and pulp industry and agriculture.

Bridgestone Corporation announced that it will invest ¥25 billion to upgrade equipment for certain facilities at the Kitakyushu Plant, which produces tires for mining and construction vehicles. This upgrade will be completed by the end of 2027.

AGC Inc., has developed an innovative process to manufacture fluoropolymers without the use of surfactants. Using this technology, AGC aims to achieve a continuous and stable supply of fluoropolymers, which is indispensable for the realization of a carbon-neutral and digital society. The technology AGC has developed makes it possible to manufacture fluoropolymers having the same type of high-performance properties as those produced by conventional methods with an extremely low generation of fluorinated byproducts, without using any surfactants.

Elkem has been awarded Platinum rating on sustainability transparency from EcoVadis, one of the world’s largest and most trusted providers of business sustainability ratings. This positions Elkem among the top 1% of the companies evaluated worldwide. In 2023, Elkem completed the world’s first pilot for carbon capture at a silicon smelter in Rana, Norway, with capture rates up to 95%. Elkem also recently received public support for their Sicalo-project, Silicon production with carbon looping, which may eliminate all carbon emissions from their silicon production, if realised.
The Platinum rating for 2024 is an upgrade from Elkem’s Gold rating in 2023.