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Three-dimensional (3D) movement testing is a valuable method for validating automotive hoses, especially turbocharger and coolant hoses, for both electric vehicles (EV) and traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. 3D movement testing simulates specific real-world conditions, which allows automotive component manufacturers to better predict the performance and durability of their products while in service.

Polymer Valley Chemicals has been awarded a platinum rating from EcoVadis, the top grade possible, for 2024. The platinum rating, awarded in May, recognizes Polymer Valley Chemicals’ commitment to sound environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices, ranks Polymer Valley among the top 1% of companies across all industries and regions evaluated by Ecovadis, and improves upon their inaugural Gold rating in 2023.

Wacker Chemie AG strengthens its focus on silicone specialties in Europe with the construction of a new production site. The chemical company, together with project partners and officials representing the city and the region, broke ground symbolically in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. From the end of 2025, WACKER will produce room-temperature curing high-performance silicones and from 2028 high consistency silicone rubber in Karlovy Vary. These silicones are used in key technologies such as electromobility, health and medical care and in grid expansion. The investment volume is in the low triple-digit million-euro range. 200 new jobs will be created in the first expansion phase. With the construction of a new site for silicone specialties, the WACKER Group is once again expanding its position as a solution provider for customers in key industries.

June 24-July 22 – Webinar Series: Manufacturing Mondays – Tires
*This series began June 3 but there are five left you can attend and you’ll also have access to the recordings of the first three.

July 9-12 – Webinar Series: Static, Dynamic & Fatigue Characterization Testing

July 16 – Webinar: Rubber Manufacturing Economics

July 17 – Course: An Introduction to Continuous Vulcanization

July 25 – Webinar: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ new synchrotron radiation technique is capable of measuring 0.1- to 100-nanosecond motion. Combining the innovative technique with conventional processes has made it possible to measure atomic or molecular motion in a wide time domain. It has been developed using SPring-81, a large synchrotron radiation facility, for the first time. Furthermore, the use of CITIUS2, the latest two-dimensional x-ray camera, has enabled them to measure not only the timescale of a moving object but its spatial scale at the same time. They succeeded in measuring molecular chain motion in rubber in a wide time domain of 0.1 to 100 nanoseconds by applying the developed technique to rubber material

Continental and Rheinmetall have signed a letter of intent to cooperate. The aim of the agreement is to partly cover Rheinmetall’s fast-growing personnel requirements in the coming years with Continental employees affected by the transformation. Rheinmetall expects sales growth of up to 40 percent in the current fiscal year alone compared to the previous year, with correspondingly high personnel requirements in the longer term.

The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) is hosting a Capitol Hill fly-in from June 12-13 for its Tire Manufacturing Ambassadors to raise awareness on issues important to the U.S. tire manufacturing sector and the communities it serves. USTMA’s annual Ambassadors Program provides the opportunity to emphasize issues on industry economic impact, innovative infrastructure solutions and sustainability with policymakers.

The refurbished ARBURG Technology Center (ATC) in Radevormwald is back in operation. After a two-year modernization phase, on 7 June 2024, ARBURG Partners Juliane and Michael Hehl, together with the Managing Directors and project leads, cut the reopening ribbon. This event, marked by an open house, followed an exclusive event the previous evening. The two-day event was attended by a total of around 250 guests.