Rubber Division, ACS annually honors the best of the best with the most prestigious awards in our industry – the Science & Technology Awards. Nominate someone who deserves to be recognized

Akron, OH – The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the University of Akron a grant of $660,421 to fund

Continental’s ContiConnect is now integrated with Samsara and available to fleets in the United States and Canada. This collaboration unites two platforms to address the rising customer demand for a holistic fleet management solution that seamlessly integrates digital tire management into existing fleet management systems. With the integration, customers get full visibility into trailer health on a single platform. Customers are now able to run proactive maintenance across their fleet with a complete view on faults and issues in real time.

Jarno Honkanen has been appointed as VP, Solutions & Technology of Cimcorp Group. With over two decades of expertise in solution management, sales and software development with Cimcorp, Jarno brings a wealth of knowledge and a fresh perspective to the company’s leadership team.

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. along with its U.S. subsidiary Shin-Etsu Silicones of America, Inc. (SESA), the company will be showcasing their industry first ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering at their booth (#412) during the IEEE APEC

The Association of Modified Asphalt Producers (AMAP) is hosting its inaugural Call for Abstracts for the 2025 AMAP Annual Conference & Workshop to be held October 14-16, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky.

he Detroit Rubber Group Spring Technical meeting will take place on April 15th at the Wacker Chemical Corporation – North American Innovation Center & Regional Headquarters, 4950 S. State Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Doors open at 10 AM with a meeting start time of 10:30 AM.

ENGEL is strengthening its market presence in the Americas with the grand opening of a new production facility in Querétaro, Mexico. This strategic step marks a substantial expansion of ENGEL’s regional manufacturing capabilities, aimed at providing faster delivery times and increased availability of injection molding machines for customers across the Americas.

After a few tough years, the commercial truck industry, including the tire segment, rebounded in 2024, according to Dan Funkhouser, Yokohama Tire vice president of commercial tire sales. However, with proposed tariffs and other uncertainties, 2025 could be a rollercoaster ride. In this Q&A, Funkhouser explains why and what to expect in the coming months.

Mihai Dumitru has been Managing Director of Arburg Romania since January 2025. The 43-year-old sales expert aspires to take the subsidiary founded in Bucharest last spring to the next level in his large country. He has a team of ten experienced employees at his side. As an up-and-coming market in Europe, Romania offers considerable potential for Arburg.

ridgestone unveiled the new Bridgestone R273 Ecopia regional tire for the steer position and the Bridgestone Duravis M705 for mixed fleet vehicles in pick up and delivery (P&D) and last-mile delivery (LMD) fleets. Both are debuting at the 2025 Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition. Both all-new tires feature the company’s next-generation ENLITEN technology, designed to help expand performance capabilities to new levels while also elevating focus toward sustainability.

Duolec Industrial Gear Oil features Duolec®, a proprietary dual-acting additive that significantly enhances the oil’s load-carrying capacity and provides unparalleled protection against wear. This unique technology forms a molecular barrier on metal surfaces, effectively reducing friction and preventing destructive metal-to-metal contact. As a result, tire manufacturers can expect extended gear life, reduced downtime and lower maintenance costs.

The global rubber industry is navigating a complex landscape in 2025, marked by a persistent shortfall in production and rising demand. For the fifth consecutive year, natural rubber production is expected to fall short of consumption, with output projected to increase marginally by 0.3% to 14.9 million metric tons, while demand is anticipated to grow by 1.8% to 15.6 million metric tons. This imbalance is driven by several factors, including stagnant output in major producing countries and a shift towards more profitable crops.

The Rubber Division, ACS would like to recognize their Science & Technology Award Sponsors. The Science & Technology Awards are the most prestigious in the industry and are made possible through the support of some amazing companies. The Division sends them a big THANK YOU and encourages you to learn about them

Datwyler Holding Inc., has announced its membership in the Circular Rubber Platform, a global sustainability initiative. This move underscores Datwyler’s commitment to promoting environmental responsibility within the rubber and plastics industry.

The Association for Rubber Product Manufacturer(s) (ARPM) Training Academy Unveils Product Liability Training – A First of Its Kind. Equip yourself with essential knowledge to navigate the complex world of product liability with our comprehensive course, designed specifically for manufacturing professionals. This training provides practical insights and strategies to address potential risks, ensure regulatory compliance, and respond effectively in the event of an incident.

Special Silicone Products (SSP) will exhibit advanced elastomers at The Gasket & Seals Show in Amsterdam, Netherlands from March 19-20, 2025. Visit us at Stand 712 and meet Dominic Testo, Business Development Manager; Gary Falchi, Business Development Specialist; and Taylor Smith, Product Engineer.

Continental has been awarded “Tire Manufacturer of the Year” at this year’s Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence. The premium tire manufacturer received a further honor for its tire plant in Lousado, Portugal, which can produce tires CO2-neutrally since last year. This makes Continental the only tire manufacturer to win two of the prestigious awards, outperforming the competition as “Tire Manufacturer of the Year” as well as in the category “Environmental Achievement of the Year – Manufacturing.” The awards were bestowed as part of the Tire Technology Expo on March 4 at the exhibition center in Hanover. They are regarded as some of the top honors in the industry.

Akron, OH – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s Taylor Davis, staff electrical engineer, and Jingwei Yu, finance director, Asia

LSR 2025 brings together professionals from various industries to discuss timely topics in LSR, including new chemistry, novel manufacturing techniques, emerging technologies, and silicone applications in various industries. Some twenty professionals from around the world will be presenting at the conference, with topics ranging from research on LSR processing, to silicone in medical device componentry, to conductive silicone using carbon nano tubes, to advances in LSR sustainability, and 3D printing. The conference also includes a panel discussion on developments in molding machines, featuring representatives from Arburg, Engel, Sodick, and Sumitomo.

MAXAM Tire announces that its participation in PROMAT 2025, the largest material handling and logistic trade show in North America, taking place March 17-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL.

Pirelli will become the official tire supplier to MotoGP from 2027. A new five-year contract until 2031 inclusive, currently being finalized, will coincide with a new era for the sport as new MotoGP bikes and technical regulations debut in 2027.

At the Tire Technology Expo on March 4th 2025, VMI was presented with the Tire Manufacturing Innovation of the Year award for the next level of integrated quality monitoring for MAXX and MILEXX platforms. The award was received by Mr Mike Norman, CCO of VMI Group.

WACKER is all set to showcase a new generation of silane-terminated polyethers at the European Coatings Show 2025: GENIOSIL® STP-E 140 and GENIOSIL® STP-E 340. These novel polymers can be formulated into tin-free sealants and adhesives that are highly elastic and achieve a low modulus of elasticity – properties that are most desirable in the construction sector and a first in the adhesives and sealants world.

The recognition highlights Orion’s achievement as a “Key Innovator” for being the first company to produce circular carbon black from 100% pyrolysis oil from end-of-life tires. The market-ready material serves as an alternative to carbon black made from fossil oil.

untsman announced that its Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) manufacturing sites in Jinshan, China, and Osnabrück, Germany, have successfully secured ISCC+ Certification – the globally recognized standard for sustainability and traceability in supply chains.

Greene Tweed announced that it was awarded the Best Innovation Award at the RoTIC Symposium 2024, the Middle East’s leading Rotating Machinery Technology and Innovation Technical Conference and Expo. The accolade recognizes Greene Tweed’s significant contributions to improvements in maintenance and reliability in rotating equipment, and its impact on plant performance.

This 15% capacity expansion of Arkema’s PVDF production site in Calvert City, Kentucky, represents an investment of around 20 million US dollars and is aligned with the strategy of the Group to increase its global PVDF footprint at a pace and with capabilities that match market development. This will support the increasing demand for locally manufactured high-performance resins for lithium-ion batteries as well as the growing semiconductor and cable markets.

Continental continued to improve its earnings and achieved its corporate targets in the past fiscal year. Against the backdrop of a weak macroeconomic environment, especially in its core market of Europe, and a global downturn in automotive production, the company’s focused implementation of its value-creation strategy is proving effective. The Executive Board’s decision to spin off the Automotive group sector is another important step toward leveraging Continental’s full potential for creating value. Despite a global automotive market that is expected to continue to decline, the technology company is targeting an increase in earnings for 2025 (consolidated sales of around €38.0 billion to €41.0 billion and an adjusted EBIT margin of around 6.5 to 7.5 percent). This will primarily be achieved through the measures taken to improve earnings. Continental therefore expects an increase in its adjusted earnings margin, particularly in the Automotive and ContiTech group sectors.

Elementis announced the launch of its innovative CHARGUARD™ fire-retardant synergist portfolio in China and the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. Featuring three advanced products—CHARGUARD™ 1000, CHARGUARD™ 2000, and the latest addition, CHARGUARD™ 2010—the portfolio is manufactured using sustainably sourced, smectite-based organoclays, ensuring compliance with the highest international environmental and regulatory standards. The locally sourced CHARGUARD™ 2010 is produced in China to meet the specific needs of manufacturers in the region.