Author: RubberWorld

AB Svenskt Konstsilke (SKS), a Swedish global leader in single-end cords for tires and MRG reinforcement, announced the acquisition of the assets from Mehler EP’s 153,500-square-foot Martinsville plant in SC, USA. The equipment will significantly enhance SKS’s production capacity at its facilities in Estonia, China, and Mexico, adding an additional 3,000 tons of SEC capacity annually. The assets include multiple dipping lines, twisting machines, winders, and a fully equipped laboratory.

For the 14th consecutive year, Goodyear will host toy drives, in partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, at its Blimp bases in Ohio, Florida and California. These events offer a unique opportunity for the public to contribute to the Marines Toys for Tots Foundation while enjoying an up-close view of the iconic Goodyear Blimp.

Teknor Apex, along with Maillefer, a Davis-Standard Company, hosted a two-week live demonstration and technical seminar for customers, inviting other key industry partners to participate and showcase the latest advancements in thermal management technology for electric vehicles. The unique thermal characteristics of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), including their heat generation, temperature sensitivity, and space constraints, necessitate a fundamentally different approach to thermal management compared to traditional ICE vehicles.

Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of fleet managers recognize a need for substantial changes within their fleets to meet current industry challenges. This finding comes from a survey conducted by the market research company Dataforce on behalf of Continental, polling 850 fleet managers in Germany, France, the UK and the USA. Key challenges identified by respondents include rising costs (76 percent), economic uncertainties due to crises (46 percent), and the pressure to reduce CO₂ emissions (40 percent). The survey was conducted online between June and July 2024.

Holcim has acquired OX Engineered Products. This acquisition further strengthens Holcim’s commitment to expanding its comprehensive building envelope solutions beyond roofing, providing customers with a broader range of high-performance materials for residential and commercial applications. Holcim Building Envelope’s leadership position and national footprint in the polyiso insulation market will accelerate OX Engineered Products’ growth in polyiso solutions

The Tire Recycling Foundation (TRF) on November 14, announced its Board of Directors and Board President, Anne Forristall Luke, President and CEO of U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA). Anne will serve a one-year term.

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announces that it launched sales from this October of a new ultrahigh performance winter tire, the ADVAN WINTER V907, as an afterparts tire for the Mercedes-AMG E-Class luxury sedan. Sales initially are mainly through Mercedes-AMG dealerships in Europe. The initially available tire sizes are 245/45R19 102V for front tires and 275/40R19 105V for rear tires. Yokohama Rubber also plans to develop an ADVAN WINTER V907 replacement tire based on the new afterparts tire in a wider range of sizes, with sales to be launched sequentially at tire dealers mainly in Europe from 2025.

Arburg awarded another Gold Medal from Ecovadis. Scoring a total of 78 points, Arburg was able to secure a leading position among the top five per cent of the world’s most sustainable industrial companies, thereby receiving impartial confirmation of the success of its extensive sustainability activities under the arburgGREENworld programme.

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag announced that it has placed in the 94th percentile of worldwide companies assessed by EcoVadis, a globally recognized sustainability ratings platform. Awarded silver for the second year in a row, the company narrowly missed out on a gold medal. This repeated recognition highlights Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s relentless dedication to sustainability, ethics, and responsible business practices, and provides further assurance that the company’s sustainability strategy is continuously advancing in the right direction.

Bridgestone India Private Ltd. (BSID), a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone), announced a strategic growth investment to expand
capacity and capability in India. The investment will be directed to the Bridgestone Pune Plant and the Indore Plant to reinforce the company’s premium-mass strategy. The collective investment will be approximately US$85 million with expansion scheduled to start from the beginning of 2025.