Author: RubberWorld

HEXPOL has signed an agreement to acquire 80 percent of the shares in Piedmont Resin Supply, LLC (Piedmont) from the founder Mr. Matt Griffith and Mr. Paul Daniel. Piedmont was founded in 2013 and has grown to become one of the largest independent nylon compounders in the US. The company is an industry leader in technical nylon compounds on the US market and services a variety of customers within automotive, transportation and the furniture industries. Piedmont operates a well invested manufacturing facility in Cartersville, GA with some 60 employees and further capacity to grow. The company has a turnover of some 60 MUSD and a profitability on a similar level to the HEXPOL Group.

Solvay announced the official inauguration of its regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO) process at its Green River, Wyoming plant, marking a key milestone in the Group’s global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and drive sustainable growth. This innovative emissions control technology, the first of its kind in the trona mining industry, enhances Solvay’s long-term competitiveness while contributing to a group-wide goal of lowering emissions. It will contribute to reducing GHG emissions at the Green River plant by up to 20% annually and support achieving a 4% reduction in emissions at Group level by 2025.

Xuansheng’s pursuit of producing high-quality parts in the first trial, they put great emphasis on using Moldex3D to conduct various analyses, ranging from material testing and cold runner design to mold tryout parameters, etc. By doing so, Xuansheng is able to detect potential problems before manufacturing. The following case serves as an example that details how Moldex3D helped Xuansheng produce high-quality parts.

Wacker Chemie AG saw its sales decline in the third quarter of 2024 due to the ongoing difficult market environment. The chemical company generated sales of around €1.43 billion in the reporting quarter (Q3 2023: €1.52 billion), down 6 percent. This decline was mainly due to significantly lower volumes sold by the POLYSILICON division. Compared with Q2 2024 (€1.47 billion), sales decreased 3 percent.

In Q3 2024, WACKER posted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of €152 million (Q3 2023: €152 million). Earnings were thus on par with last year, despite the lower volumes sold by the POLYSILICON division. Compared with the previous quarter’s EBITDA (€160 million), earnings decreased 5 percent. The WACKER Group’s EBITDA margin for Q3 2024 was 10.6 percent, after 10.0 percent a year earlier and 10.9 percent a quarter earlier.

HEXPOL Compounding Americas (HCA) under the direction of President & CEO, Gary Moore, has announced a change to its Commercial Team leadership.
HCA has named Matt Angell as its Commercial Director for the Industrial Market Segment effective October 28, 2024. He will report directly to Bruce Wynd, Chief Commercial Officer of HCA.

Bridgestone announced it has once again been named a 2024 “Top Company for Women to Work for in Transportation” by the Women in Trucking Association (WIT). Representatives from Bridgestone will receive the award at the WIT Accelerate! Conference and Expo on November 11 in Dallas, Tex.

Hankook Tire announced its latest product portfolio expansion with the launch of the Weatherflex product family and the Weatherflex GT in North America. As the first member of the Weatherflex family, the Weatherflex GT is an all-weather product that delivers year-round control and confidence, especially during harsher weather months and snowy road conditions. Backed by a three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) rating, Hankook designed the Weatherflex GT to accommodate a variety of fitments from compact to full-size vehicle segments.

Pirelli North America announces the launch of its brand-new Scorpion XTM line, designed to meet the demands of electric, plug-in hybrid, and internal combustion engine trucks and off-road vehicles.
The Scorpion line has been iconic for Pirelli, especially in the SUV segment, where it has built a reputation for balancing performance and comfort. With the introduction of the XTM, Pirelli is taking this legacy to the next level by pushing the Scorpion family to its extreme. The XTM is designed to deliver outstanding off-road capability, specifically engineered to meet the rugged demands of all-terrain driving, making it the ultimate tire for those seeking adventure on any surface.
The “XTM” stands for Extreme performance, featuring aggressive styling, and advanced technology that cater to the evolving needs of today’s truck and off-road enthusiasts.

When it comes to rubber industry education, the Rubber Division is your best resource. Their training opportunities cover a wide variety of important topics and are offered all throughout the year. Webinars are free for Rubber Division, ACS Members and all Rubber Division, ACS courses are free for undergraduate Student Members (discount for masters & graduate Student Members). All courses are held virtually with the exception of a few scheduled to be held at partner locations.

BKT released its Sustainability report for the financial year 2023-24. ‘Promoting Sustainable Growth with Off-Highway Excellence’ is the company’s third sustainability report and its second Business Responsibility & Sustainability Report (BRSR), a milestone that reflects BKT’s concrete and measurable commitment to a more sustainable future.

The report, aligned with the international standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), has been verified by Bureau Veritas, an independent body of global prestige. This validation ensures that every result and progress reported is the result of practices that are transparent, verifiable and consistent with global sustainability expectations.