Todays News

– Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) announced an investment of $60 million to expand its Bridgestone Bandag, LLC manufacturing plant in Abilene, Texas. The 50,000-square-foot expansion of the Abilene plant is aimed at the growing demand for the company’s tread rubber products, driven by the rapid growth of its retread business. The expansion includes an immediate increase in operational activity by running on six and seven-day production schedules, as well as the construction of new mixing operations at the facility. The mixing operations are expected to be completed and in operation by January 2025. The investment in the facility and the additional days of operations increase the plant’s output by 16 percent, furthering Bridgestone’s commitment to sustainable solutions.

Eagle Elastomer Inc. manufactures expandable Viton™ fluoroelastomer tubing for cable jacketing and over mold compounds for molding cable assemblies. Viton™ fluoroelastomer is engineered to withstand severe environmental conditions including extreme temperatures, hazardous chemicals and abrasive environments. Eagle Elastomer Inc. specializes in manufacturing premium quality fluoroelastomer products in its manufacturing plant which is certified to AS9100D.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS in Hermsdorf, together with TU Dresden, have now developed a process for extracting valuable ethyl acetate, a colorless solvent, from the molasses. Ethyl acetate is often used when manufacturing adhesives, printing inks or varnishes. It can also be used to clean surfaces.

On Tuesday, September 27 at 10:00 a.m. EST, Dow Polyurethanes will present a webinar titled “Making EV’s Quieter with BETAFOAM™ Acoustic Foam Technology”.

The achievement is the result of a two year-long joint development, in which both companies invested in creating a TPU made from an unconventional carbon feedstock originating from plastic waste. Having passed rigorous laboratory and athlete wear testing, Novoloop and On will begin scale-up planning to incorporate the chemically upcycled TPU into future products for mass production.

A Latex Tourniquet is a tool for compressing or restricting. It is utilized to short-term restrict venous and arterial blood flow to a portion of an extremity. It is tied around a portion of the limb at a specific location so that pressure is given to the blood vessel walls. They consequently briefly restrict or halt the blood flow. This is frequently used in surgical settings to reduce blood loss and block arterial blood flow, resulting in a treatment that is largely bloodless. Tourniquets help block blood flow in emergency circumstances where there is a risk of significant blood loss, such as acute bleeding or when an artery has been severed.

In the first half of 2022, Continental was the leading original equipment supplier for passenger car tires on the Chinese market. According to a study conducted by the trade publication “China Tire Dealer” amongst new vehicle models introduced on the Chinese market in the first half of 2022, German premium tire manufacturer Continental surpassed its competitors and now occupies the top spot when it comes to fitting cars with tires ex works. The trade publication revealed that Continental was the most popular tire brand among vehicle manufacturers in the period under analysis, strengthening its position in particular as an original equipment supplier, especially for electric and premium vehicles.

Safic-Alca announces that it has acquired 100% of Proquimil Produtos Químicos, a Brazilian chemical distributor specializing in rubber and plastic polymers and additives.

The incentive scheme is being implemented by the Kerala government in collaboration with the Rubber Board to ensure a minimum price of ₹170 per kg for rubber produced by farmers in Kerala. As per the scheme, the farmers who sell their produce as latex will only get ₹161 after deducting ₹9 as processing charge per kg. They will not be able to take full advantage of the scheme when the price of latex remains lower than that of sheet rubber.

Polymer Solutions Group (PSG) announced they are showcasing their patented, class-leading line of SureMix® Functional Process Aids in booth #827 at the upcoming International Elastomer Conference (IEC), October 10-13, 2022, in Knoxville, Tennessee. In addition, PSG’s Innovation Program Manager, Vince Cremona, will also present at the Technical Meeting. His presentation, “Improvement in Process Stability of Silica Tread Compounds,” is scheduled for 2:30 PM (EST) on Tuesday, October 11.

The types of machinery operating in material-recycling centers differ a lot from each other, since they are intended for different activities facing one of the most difficult and demanding environments for tires. Not only has BKT hence developed purpose-made products, but it has also continued to expand the range of available tires in order to provide as many sizes and variants as possible – thus responding to every highly specific need.

The global medical tubing market is expected to grow from $9.61 billion in 2021 to $10.64 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.70%. The medical tubing market is expected to grow to $14.94 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.84% according to Report Linker.

A twenty-year success story began in 2002 between present-day DuPont and the distributor focused on specialty chemicals, the Offenbach-based Bodo Möller Chemie Group. “For leading manufacturers of the chemical sector, we are an active link in the chain that leads to the customer and combine high consulting expertise with the suitable delivery program and our own logistics. The anniversary with DuPont – then Gurit Essex, later Dow Automotive and today DuPont – marks a trusting collaboration, and we look forward to the next 20 years,” says Frank Haug, Chairman of the Board of the Bodo Möller Chemie Group.

The Arburg subsidiary in France officially opened its new building on 14 September 2002 in Tremblay-en-France. High-profile representatives from Arburg headquarters, Renate Keinath, Managing Partner, and Gerhard Böhm, Managing Director Sales and Service, were present to celebrate the opening of the Arburg Technology Center (ATC) alongside the guests. During an Open House event held the next day, the visitors were able to see for themselves the many possibilities of the ATC. The programme included live demonstrations in the new showroom and expert presentations. In total, over 80 guests attended the two-day event.

To ensure that customers of KRAIBURG TPE always achieve the best result, individual materials solutions are developed for many requested applications. The result: Right in time for the 2022 K trade fair, KRAIBURG TPE presents THERMOLAST® R, a portfolio of thermoplastic elastomers with a proportion of recycled materials. The product series is currently comprised of compound solutions for the consumer and industrial market segments as well as for the strictly regulated automotive sector. What they have in common is a high proportion of recycled materials (up to 41%), the possibility for in-process recycling, the “Made in Germany” quality label as well as good availability.

AGC Chemicals Americas Inc. (AGCCA) has opened a new office in Cupertino, California, to support the advanced materials needs of semiconductor and electronics manufacturers located on the northern West Coast.
The Business Development Office Chemicals (BDOC) will enable the company to enhance customer relationships, create partnerships and increase its involvement with technology associations and organizations.
Led by Ichiro Yamanouchi, new market development director, presence in the region will also enable AGCCA to directly inform stakeholders in semiconductor and electronics development about the company’s innovative sustainable solutions.

Smithers announces that Josh Guilliams, Vice President of Consultancy, is giving a presentation on polymer material sustainability on the Technology Presentation Stage at the Automotive Testing Expo 2022. The Automotive Testing Expo will take place in Novi, Michigan, from October 25 to October 27, 2022.

The global climate challenge calls for more sustainable mobility. That’s why Continental’s surface solutions focus on sustainability and climate protection. “Our sustainable product design is based on three pillars: carbon neutrality, circular economy and unique product properties as enablers,” says Dr. Dirk Leiß, Head of the Surface Solutions business area at Continental. “We’ve already achieved considerable success with our products on this path to sustainable vehicle interiors. In this way, we can now create customer-specific surface solutions that are up to 100 percent climate-neutral,” explains Leiß.

Want to attend the International Elastomer Conference Expo for FREE? All of the exhibitors are given a number of complimentary expo only passes to provide to their customers or potential customers. Reach out to an exhibitor and request one of these passes (provided through a Customer Invitation Code to enter during the online registration process).

At the IAA Transportation 2022 in Hanover, Continental showcases a range of highly innovative tire solutions aimed at improving the sustainability of passenger and goods transport over short and long distances. With the Conti Urban, for example, the tire manufacturer premieres a concept tire specially designed for the electrified bus and delivery traffic of the future.

reudenberg Sealing Technologies has been named a 2022 Automotive News PACE award finalist for its DIAvent Highflow pressure equalization element. Recognized at a black-tie gala on September 19 at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center in Detroit (USA), the honor validates two years of dedicated company research and development to successfully address customers’ needs for a safe, cost-effective solution for thermal runaway in battery-electric vehicles. The Automotive News PACE Awards competition highlights superior innovation, technological advancement, and business performance among automotive suppliers

Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia, LLC (YTMV) announced it has agreed in principle on a new four-year contract with United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1023. Tetsuro “Tex” Murakami, president of Salem, Virginia-based YTMV, made the announcement.

LANXESS Corporation announced that its Urethane Systems (URE) business unit has partnered with Azelis Americas to distribute its polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) in the United States, effective November 1, 2022. The agreement adds the Witcobond® line of PUDs to Azelis’ existing portfolio of LANXESS Urethane Systems product lines serving the Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants and Elastomer (CASE) markets.

TechnoBiz is offering a short training program with a focus on “Cost Estimating for Molded Rubber Parts”, presented by a well-experienced rubber molding expert, Mr. Terry Chapin. The program focuses on a thorough review of factors that have the most impact on the costs for rubber molded parts. Factors such as raw material prices, labor rates, press rates, and how to determine some of these variables will be discussed. Attendees responsible for buying, selling, or manufacturing rubber products will benefit from this webinar. Participants will also a copy of the “Chapin Molded Rubber Parts Cost Calculator” program, which is developed by Terry Chapin. This calculator is a very useful tool for estimating rubber parts costs.

As NASA’s mission is to reach new territory in space development, there is a need for a crewed and autonomous vehicle to navigate unexplored areas on the moon. The LTV will be expected to endure extreme temperatures and harsh environments over long periods of time to support crew mobility and research efforts. To deliver the needed technology, Teledyne has built a robust team that includes industry champions such as Nissan North America, Sierra Space, Textron and now Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tires and rubber.

Borealis is a leading provider of advanced, circular and renewable plastic solutions and essential in creating high-performance, easy-to-process EVA foam for CleanCloud™. This collaboration clearly underlines Borealis’ commitment to a net zero future and fully aligns with its EverMinds™ ambition of accelerating circularity through partnerships.

Falken Tires, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries in Japan, has extended its original equipment relationship with Stellantis through the introduction of a 22-inch WILDPEAK A/T3WA. The complete tire size is 285/45R22XL (114H XL BSW) and will be available on the Ram 1500 Laramie, Limited Longhorn and Limited 1500 trucks beginning in December 2022.

Electroactive polymers convert electrical energy into sensitive and versatile mechanical motion through elastic deformation. With the patented solution from Dätwyler, it is possible for the first time to produce stack actuators on an industrial scale. Thanks to the unique stack design, conventional actuator technologies can be replaced by this more attractive technical solution in various application areas. The advantages of the new technology include: Low energy consumption, fewer mechanical parts, low weight and volume, a robust and durable design, and noise-free operation with sensor and haptic feedback functionality. Datwyler is currently working to build the proprietary, highly automated production line at its existing Swiss plant. Lab samples are already available, and delivery of the first industrial prototypes is planned for early 2024.

Continental has launched a new lineup of General tires for regional on/off-road all position use called General Grabber OA 2 and OA 2 Wide Base (WB). These 2nd generation tires have a new tread compound to improve mileage, chip and chunk resistance and protect the casing to allow for multiple retreads. The tires provide great traction, minimal stone retention, and durability. Helmut Keller, Continental’s Head of Product Management says, “Drivers should expect a reduction of road noise and improved comfort with the new tread design and tread compound. Fleets should experience better fuel economy with better rolling resistance.” The industries that benefit from these heavy-duty tires are construction, material transport, cement, utility, emergency vehicles, heavy haul and special loads and mining/quarry. Continental will be phasing out the General Grabber OA and OA WB tire.

In the report, FMR suggests that the price volatility of natural rubber and the demand-supply mismatch makes key stakeholders look at an alternative such as hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber. Moreover, the automotive industry is the largest end-user of hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. The aforementioned factors are anticipated to drive the growth of the global hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber market during the forecast period.