Elkem announces price increases for its silicones products worldwide. The increase varies by product line, with a minimum increase of 10%, effective 15 August, and as contracts permit.
This price increase is necessary to enable Elkem to continue to invest in the capital needed to support capacity expansion, equipment maintenance and product development to meet customers’ growing needs in a safe and sustainable manner.

Datwyler has succeeded in the first half of 2024 in increasing the operating result (EBIT) to CHF 67.5 million and the EBIT margin to 11.8% despite the slight decrease in revenue. In the same period, revenue declined to CHF 572.5 million in a weak market environment. Adjusted for currency effects, this equates to a decline of 2.4%. The acquisition of attractive new business in all business units shows that the long-term growth drivers in the markets are intact and Datwyler is a sought-after partner for new and existing customers. For 2024 as a whole, Datwyler expects an EBIT margin above the prior year and revenue in the range of the prior year.

Chi Zhang, CEO of KraussMaffei, explains: “For KraussMaffei, sustainability means not only an environmentally conscious attitude, but also responsibility in all areas of the company, towards our environment and as part of our society. Our sustainability report documents that we take our responsibility seriously and that our customers and partners can rely on a transparent and responsible partner with whom they can ensure sustainability in their own supply chain and fulfill legal requirements.” 

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced that it succeeded this month in developing a proprietary tire design support system that uses eXplainable AI (XAI).This new system provides information that is useful in creating the desired tire features. The system supplements the knowledge and experience of development staff while also making it easier for less-experienced staff to design tires. It also contributes to speedier development and lower costs. Observing these features generates new insights and inspirations that will lead to the development of products with higher performance levels.

The silicone fluid industry is to surpass US$ 9.7 Billion by 2032, according to the latest report for Future Market Insights. This latest report on the global Silicone Fluid market provides an analysis of the regulatory landscape and profitable epidemiology. The study also tracks global sales of primary Silicone Fluid in 20+ high-growth markets, along with detailed coverage of the impact COVID-19 had on the Silicone Fluid market.

The Rubber Division, ACS would like to remind you that IEC 2024 Technical Meeting, Expo and Educational Symposium course prices increase August 1st and housing closes August 15. Register and book your hotel in the Division’s discounted room block now before it’s too late.

A research team from Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences has developed and validated a liquid single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip named “HbGBTS80K,” which includes 80,080 SNPs evenly distributed across 18 chromosomes. This SNP chip effectively distinguished 404 rubber accessions into four groups in population genetic diversity analysis and detected the major gene HbPSK5 in GWAS for the number of laticifer rings. The HbGBTS80K chip is a valuable tool for accelerating functional studies and molecular breeding in rubber trees, addressing the inefficiencies of traditional breeding methods.

Falken’s Silent Core technology adapts the Ultra High Performance All-Season Azenis FK460 A/S to the needs of today’s most popular Electric Vehicles (EVs). Silent Core dramatically reduces tire cavity noise thanks to a foam insert strategically placed along the backside of the tire tread. Falken engineers utilized tire noise simulation to ensure optimized development and placement for a quieter, more comfortable ride.

e Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company will report second quarter 2024 financial results after market close on Wednesday, July 31, followed by an investor conference call at 8:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday, August 1.

“Innovating Transportation – From Road to Cloud!” is Continental’s tagline for this year’s IAA Transportation from September 17 to 22. In Hanover, Germany, the technology company will present its broad portfolio of commercial vehicle solutions. Amongst them: cutting-edge hardware such as high-performance computers (HPC); software and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) functions that define the vehicle of the future; comprehensive services that increase safety and compliance; and innovative truck and bus tires and air springs that improve sustainability and efficiency of the transportation industry. Also on display: a development truck, set up in collaboration with the company’s partner Aurora, that incorporates many of the solutions for the autonomous commercial vehicle of the future.

The Rubber Division, ACS announces a Call for Abstracts for the Spring Technical Meeting being held on March 4-6, 2025 in Lake Buena Vista, FL (Orlando Area). Join the leading researchers and innovators in the rubber/elastomer industry and share your expertise with our Spring Technical Meeting attendees.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Off-the-Road (“OTR”) tire business to The Yokohama Rubber Company, Limited for $905 million in cash. The transaction follows a previously announced strategic review of the OTR tire business in connection with the Goodyear Forward transformation plan.

Apollo Tyres Ltd continues to shine with Silver Awards at the EcoVadis Sustainability Excellence ratings. This is the third consecutive year for Apollo Tyres to get the silver rating at the annual EcoVadis sustainability assessment, with improved scores from 56 to 70 over the last 3 years.

This prestigious recognition has placed Apollo Tyres Ltd in the top 5% of companies rated in the category of ‘manufacture of rubber tyres and tubes, retreading and rebuilding of rubber tyres’ globally.

Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO), a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, announced more than 54,000 trees will be planted in communities nationwide as a result of the company’s second annual “Download the App, Plant a Tree” campaign. The campaign encouraged customers of Firestone Complete Auto Care and Tires Plus to help the tire & automotive service locations reduce paper waste.

COLMEC, based in Italy, has achieved a leading position within the rubber equipment market, specializing in the manufacture of rubber mixing equipment and extrusion lines. The addition of this advanced machine at Laur Silicone ensures consistent, uniform mixing of silicone compounds, guaranteeing perfect dispersion and homogeneity of ingredients through a completely automated process. This investment enhances production efficiency, speed, and maintains the highest quality standards.

Semperit has completed the sale of the medical business and transferred the remaining production and packaging of surgical gloves to the buyer of the entire medical business, the Southeast Asian Harps Global, as agreed. Combined under the discontinued operations “Surgical Operations”, these activities were most recently carried out as contract manufacturing for Harps Global.

Three Ansell manufacturing plants – Coimbra in Portugal, Melaka in Malaysia, and Bangkok in Thailand – have gained ISO 50001:2018 certification for their Energy Management Systems. The achievements were based on Ansell’s improved manufacturing processes in the three countries, which now incorporate energy-efficient practices and technologies, and follow the company’s first ISO 50001 certification for Ansell Textiles Lanka in Sri Lanka in 2023. These certifications for the plants in Portugal, Malaysia and Thailand form part of Ansell’s long-term decarbonization strategy and further the company’s goal of achieving Net Zero for its operations (Scope 1 and 2 emissions) by 2040.

Baron Group generated sales of approximately SEK 1,000 M in 2023. The company has its head office and two manufacturing facilities in Australia, as well as two additional facilities in China. The business primarily focuses on medical technology solutions and will become part of the Trelleborg Medical Solutions business area

Pirelli celebrates the triumphant performance of the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck at the renowned Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Equipped with Pirelli’s high-performance P Zero tires, the electric super truck has been crowned the ‘King of the Mountain,’ showcasing the exceptional capabilities and engineering prowess of both the vehicle and Pirelli’s tire technology.

The Disability Equality Index was launched in 2015 as a joint initiative of Disability:IN and The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and is acknowledged as the most robust disability inclusion assessment tool in business. In its 10th year, the index was utilized by 542 corporations, including 220 Fortune 500 companies to benchmark their disability inclusion efforts. Top-scoring businesses – scoring 80 or higher – are recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” for the benchmark year. PPG earned the top score possible; 100.

An inspection of Ecore International Inc’s Mexia plant by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration in January 2024 found more than a dozen safety and health violations. Investigators discovered the company made employees stand on a forklift’s elevated tines to reach work areas; failed to prevent small fires fueled by improper buildup of combustible dust and permitted potentially explosive atmospheres to exist; lacked safe areas for welding; exposed employees to slip, trip and fall hazards; allowed untrained workers to operate forklifts; and failed to ensure machines had required safety guards.

The Indian Rubber Gloves Manufacturers Association (IRGMA) has urged the government to ban the import of chlorinated gloves to protect healthcare professionals and patients. They recommend procurement of BIS-approved gloves through the Government e Marketplace for government hospitals. Many countries have already prohibited powdered, coated Nitrile Gloves. Industry body Indian Rubber Gloves Manufacturers Association (IRGMA) on Wednesday called for a ban on the import of chlorinated gloves. The aim is to improve safety in hospitals and protect healthcare professionals.

Hankook Tire & Technology (Hankook Tire) unveiled a new campaign brand film about the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, an electric car racing competition that was hosted by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA)

Ansell Limited has successfully completed the acquisition of Kimberly-Clark’s Personal Protective Equipment (KCPPE) business. This strategic acquisition strengthens Ansell’s position as a global leader in personal protection solutions, expands its product portfolio, and enhances its service capabilities to meet customer needs across industries and geographic markets.

The preliminary EBITDA pre exceptionals for the second quarter 2024, still subject to auditors’ review, is expected to amount to EUR 181 million which exceeds average market expectation of EUR 137 million (VARA consensus) by 32 percent and the prior year’s quarter by 69 percent which amounted to EUR 107 million EBITDA pre.

The president of SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly), Dr. Winston “Wole” Soboyejo, and postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Tabiri Kwayie Asumadu, have published a revolutionary new paper titled, “Robust Macroscale Superlubricity on Carbon-Coated Metallic Surfaces.” This paper explores an innovative approach to reducing friction on metallic surfaces – a significant advancement that could have major real-world impacts.
These findings are significant for a number of practical reasons. In the automotive industry, more than 30 percent of fuel in passenger vehicles is used to overcome friction, so these novel coatings can help to drastically improve fuel efficiency. In manufacturing and industrial machinery, they could help to reduce wear and tear, leading to massive cost savings and decreasing the 1-4% of countries’ GDP that is spent on friction-related equipment issues. In electronic devices, friction at a minute scale can present large-scale challenges that coatings could help to alleviate.

Bredel hose pumps has expanded its range of hoses by releasing the new and versatile Bredel NR Transfer hose for general fluid transfer applications at pressures up to 12 bar (174 psi). The Bredel NR (Natural Rubber) Transfer hose can be used for handling sludge with a high solid content, food and beverage waste and abrasive slurries. This solution complements the Bredel NR Metering hose, which is designed for heavier duties with pressure capability up to 16 bar (232 psi), already available from Bredel hose pumps.

Cambodia made 213.3 million US dollars in revenue from exports of dry rubber during the January-June period this year, up 8.6 percent from 196.3 million dollars over the same period last year, said a General Directorate of Rubber’s report on Wednesday.

H.B. Fuller Company announced that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.2225 per share of common stock, payable on August 14, 2024 to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 31, 2024. H.B. Fuller has paid quarterly cash dividends on its common stock for 56 consecutive years.

The global rubber tire market is characterized by steady growth driven by several factors, including increased vehicle production, expanding transportation infrastructure, and rising consumer demand for high-performance and durable tires. Major players in the industry include Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear, Continental, and Pirelli, among others.
The global rubber tire market size was USD 149.4 Billion in 2022 and is likely to reach USD 208.99 Billion by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 3.8% during 2023 – 2031 according to Growth Market Reports.