Author: RubberWorld

Firestone Ag, a division of Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone), introduces the high-performing Destination Cart radial tire, providing a heavy-duty grain cart tire designed to support soil health and fluctuating cart weights.

“Specifically designed with soil health in mind, Destination Cart features a shallow skid depth and wide lug spacing that creates a flotation effect across the soil,” said Bill Durivage, senior agricultural product strategy manager, Firestone Ag. “The wide footprint minimizes soil compaction, and the shallower, wider-spaced lugs create less soil disturbance as the grain cart carries heavy loads during harvest season.”

Avient Corporation announced the launch of its latest mold release additive for high-temperature polymers. Formulated without intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), this new non-PFAS additive can be used to enhance the manufacturing processes of high-pressure injection molding. Part of the Colorant Chromatics™ portfolio of high-temperature polymer additives, Evoluscend™ non-PFAS mold release additive is an innovative solution for boosting production efficiency and product quality for manufacturers.

elanese Corporation confirmed that the force majeure declared for acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) sold in the Western Hemisphere has ended and the underlying supply chain conditions behind the declaration have stabilized.

ZC Rubber officially broke ground on its third overseas manufacturing facility in Saltillo, Mexico. This significant milestone marks a major step forward in the company’s global expansion strategy and commitment to meeting the growing demands of the tire markets in North America and Latin America.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by more than 250 distinguished guests, including Wei Dong, Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Mexico; Blas José Flores González, Chief of Staff of the State Government; Luis Eduardo Olivares Martinez, Minister of Economy of Coahuila; Mario Mata Quintero, Representative of the Mayor of Saltillo; Maria del Mar Treviño, Local councilors of Coahuila; César H. Cantú García, representative of the Alianza Industrial Park; Haoyu Shen and Zhiqiang Jiang, Vice Presidents of ZC Rubber Group; as well as leaders from OE manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, construction contractors, and various departments of the Group.

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced its business and financial results for the first half of fiscal 2024 (January to June 2024). Sales revenue increased 18.5% over the same period of the previous year, to \525.3 billion; business profit increased 113.4%, to \54.6 billion; operating profit increased 99.6%, to \56.3 billion; and profit attributable to owners of parent increased 68.3%, to \46.6 billion. The figures for all those items were record-high figures for first-half performance at Yokohama Rubber. Fiscal performance in Yokohama Rubber’s Tires segment greatly exceeded management’s projections, and business was also robust in Yokohama Rubber’s MB (Multiple Business) segment. Profitability benefited additionally from declines in raw material costs and logistics expenses and from the weakening of the yen against other principal currencies.

Mr. M. Vasanthagesan IRS, Executive Director of the Rubber Board, launched the digital directory of rubber chemicals, machinery manufacturers and suppliers in India. The directory, prepared by the Marketing Division of the Rubber Board, is a pioneering initiative in the Indian rubber industry. It contains details of the manufacturers and suppliers of rubber chemicals and machinery used by the rubber industries, as well as information about the synthetic and reclaimed rubber producers in the country.

Michelin North America, Inc. has made a $50 million investment at American Synthetic Rubber Company (ASRC) to construct a natural gas boiler facility. The new facility will significantly reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.f

Scrap Tire Research and Education Foundation (STREF), based in Washington, DC. STREF has been awarded US$3,778,326 to develop EPDs for the tire recycling industry. This project focuses on creating a product category rule (PCR) for tire recycling, aiming to fill a gap in the industry’s data on environmental impacts.

The project will highlight the use of ground tire rubber (GTR) from recycled tires as a low-carbon modifier in asphalt mixtures. GTR’s inclusion in asphalt helps extend pavement life and maintain smoother surfaces, improving vehicle fuel efficiency and reducing overall environmental impacts.

The global price of rubber is currently trading below $2 U.S. per kilogram while India reports price of natural rubber in the domestic market, which surpassed Rs. 200 per kg for the first time in 12 years in June this year, has marked the all-time record. According to the daily price report from India’s Rubber Board, the price for ribbed smoked rubber (RSS) – 4 grade (sheet rubber) hit $2.90 U.S. (Rs. 244) per kg in Kottayam market.

Dr. Bob Kumpf is a Materials Chemist and Chemicals & Specialty Materials Managing Director at Deloitte with 35+ years of experience across multiple geographies and functions. He has received over 20 U.S. and international patents and has published in refereed scientific and management journals.
Dr. Maria Kipreos is a Specialist Master in Strategy and Analytics at Deloitte. She is a key member of the SFL Scientific team, a Deloitte Business, where she is focused on building a science-centered portfolio. Dr. Kipreos is committed to exploring the transformative potential of AI/ML solutions in these industries and supporting her clients in adopting these cutting-edge technologies to achieve maximum impact.
Mr. Jim Eskew is an AI Innovation Specialist Master at Deloitte. He specializes in enabling organizations to unlock value through the utilization of AI/ML. Mr. Eskew has led cross-functional teams in designing, developing, and deploying AI solutions to enterprise organizations. He has also devised AI adoption strategies for C-suite executives, identifying investment and resource requirements for multi-year transformational journeys.