Arburg took another significant step towards increasing its local presence worldwide by opening a new subsidiary in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The main aim is to bring Arburg products and services closer to customers in Vietnam.

Dayco has successfully passed the preliminary phase of the ‘Automotive Innovation Agreements DD 10/10/2022’ (MIMIT: Ministry of Industries and Made in Italy). Dayco submitted an R&D project entitled ‘The circular economy in the rubber industry: the re-use of devulcanized rubber in the design of components and in their production process’, as part of its mission to reduce the environmental impact.

The Injection Molders Market in Europe is poised for robust growth, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1% expected throughout the forecast period. Over this time frame, the market’s value is forecasted to experience significant expansion, surging from an estimated US$ 2,330.1 million in 2023 to reach a projected US$ 3,481.2 million by 2033 according to Future Market Insights. This growth trajectory underscores the sustained demand for injection molding services in Europe, driven by factors such as technological advancements, diverse industrial applications, and the region’s evolving manufacturing landscape.

TotalEnergies Corbion, producers of Luminy® PLA, has joined the United Nations Global Compact initiative, committing to ten principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. The UN Global Compact aims to align businesses with sustainability principles and accelerate the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). This voluntary initiative relies on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles.

ISCC PLUS is a global certification scheme providing traceability along the supply chain and guarantees correct and transparent use of the mass balance approach. All companies along the supply chain undergo the ISCC PLUS audit process, meaning when HEXPOL TPE purchases ISCC PLUS-certified raw materials, all upstream entities will have been verified. Sustainability declarations create a chain of custody from origin through to the brand owner.

The upcoming product lineup is set to feature an extensive array of equipment, including handheld and automatic Shore and IRHD Durometers, DIN Abrasion Testers, Rebound Resilience Testers, MDR, ODR, and Mooney Viscometers. Additionally, Automatic TR and Brittleness Testers, among various other innovative solutions, will be part of the comprehensive range.

ontinental added a new valve cap sensor to their lineup of Digital Tire Monitoring products and services. This sensor works with all of Continental’s digital tire monitoring solutions products including ContiConnect Live Truck and Trailer, ContiConnect Yard, and ContiPressureCheck. Installation for the sensor requires minimal downtime on the vehicle as there is no requirement to dismount and remount tires. This makes it easy to upfit any commercial vehicle and fleet of any size in a short amount of time.f

The Greater Akron Polymer Industry Cluster, a cross-sector collaboration between polymer-related companies and institutions in Northeastern Ohio, recently provided an “Exploring Polymers Workshop” to high school students in Barberton, Ohio. Representatives from RDAbbott, a leading materials science and distribution company; NovationSi, RDAbbott’s manufacturing subsidiary; and FocusCFO®, a provider of fractional CFO services, presented the two-part series to Honors Chemistry students at Barberton High School.

Chase Corporation announced the successful completion of its acquisition by affiliates of KKR, a leading global investment firm, for $127.50 per share. As a result of the completion of the transaction, Chase common stock has ceased trading and will no longer be listed on the NYSE American.

Synthos has announced WMG, the University of Warwick in Coventry, United Kingdom, and the University of Victoria in Victoria, Canada, as joint recipients of the inaugural Synthos Rubber Circularity Award for their project proposal. Launched in early 2023, this international competition aims to encourage cutting-edge ideas and solutions that will significantly improve the environmental performance of synthetic rubber-based tire compounds, aligning with the sustainability objectives of the global automotive and tire industries.

Evonik is building a new plant to produce ultra-high purity colloidal silica at its site in Weston, Michigan, USA which is expected to generate a total capital spending of $7.9 million in 2023 and 2024. The plant, which is expected to come onstream in 2024, will be the first of its kind in North America. Colloidal silica is an important raw material for the electronics and semiconductor industries, whose growth is driven by the global demand for microchips and digital products.

The Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Finals that took place from 18th to 19th November in Vallelunga, Italy, were the glorious conclusion to an extremely successful first season for Hankook Tire & Technology (Hankook Tire) as the official tire partner. A total of 82 Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 competed with the Hankook Ventus Race in the highlight of the 2023 season.

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions is set to break ground on a 1,000 square-feet hydrogen testing lab in Fort Wayne, Indiana with construction scheduled to be completed in Q1 of 2024. The lab space gives Trelleborg the capacity to expand its existing and future hydrogen testing capabilities.

The development is part of Trelleborg’s strategic goal to be a leader in hydrogen sealing and testing to help customers navigate the challenges of the entire hydrogen value chain – generation, storage and transportation, end use and future hydrogen applications.

Albemarle Corporation announced that Cynthia Lima has been promoted to senior vice president, chief external affairs and communications officer.

“We operate in an increasingly interconnected world, where our ability to engage with key stakeholders and the communities where we live and work is critical to our success,” said Albemarle CEO Kent Masters. “Cynthia’s leadership in navigating complex global issues across our footprint is evident today and will be increasingly valued as Albemarle continues to grow.”

LyondellBasell announced it has made the final investment decision to build the company’s first industrial-scale catalytic advanced recycling demonstration plant at its Wesseling, Germany, site. Using LyondellBasell’s proprietary MoReTec technology, this plant will be the first commercial scale, single-train advanced recycling plant to convert post-consumer plastic waste into feedstock for production of new plastic materials that can be ran at net zero GHG emissions. The new plant is expected to have an annual capacity of 50,000 tons per year and is designed to recycle the amount of plastic packaging waste generated by over 1.2 million German citizens per year. Construction is planned to be completed by the end of 2025.

Liqun Zhang, the chairman of the conference, academician of the CAE Member and president of South China University of Technology, hosted the opening ceremony, and emphasized the importance of low-carbon and intelligent technologies in worldwide rubber industry. Michael Clayton, Executive Chairman of International Rubber Conference Organization, and Toh Heng Guan, Secretary General of ANRPC, attend the opening ceremony and have address. And related leaders from Chinese government also have address on the opening ceremony.

Italian manufacturer of commercial vehicles Iveco sets its trust exclusively in Continental for its eDaily 42S van. The premium tire manufacturer equips the all-electric van with matching summer, all-season and winter tires. The summer tire VanContact Ultra is a tire with long service life and robust design. The VanContact Eco, also developed for the warm seasons, comes with an excellent efficiency for low energy consumption. For efficient driving year-around, Continental offers the VanContact 4 Season. And the VanContact Winter provides highest driving safety during the wet and cold months of the year.

Apollo Tyres announced the launch of the fourth edition of United We Play (UWP) program, in the presence of former Manchester United and French footballer Louis Saha in Kolkata, in the eastern part of the country.

The United We Play program is an on-ground grassroots football initiative, supported by Manchester United to encourage young football talent from across the country by giving them a platform to showcase their skills with the objective of motivating aspiring footballers to continue playing and introducing them to global training methodologies.

In 2022, surface protection film sales reached a significant valuation of approximately US$ 1.5 billion globally. Looking ahead to the period from 2022 to 2030, experts anticipate a steady compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7%, propelling the market to soar to a remarkable US$2.3 billion by the close of 2030 according to Future Market Insights.

Milliken & Company received a gold rating on its 2023 EcoVadis assessment. EcoVadis provides trusted business sustainability ratings for more than 100,000 organizations representing more than 200 industries. Milliken’s 2023 EcoVadis score, assessed across its specialty chemical, textile, floor covering, and healthcare operations, places the company in the top 2% of organizations rated.

pecialty Silicone Products (SSP) is announcing a new EMI/RFI silicone, SSP502-55LT, that meets ASTM E595 low outgassing test requirements and withstands temperatures as low as -70°C. Applications for this shielding elastomer include the high-vacuum, low-temperature environment of outer space, where released gases from EMI gaskets can condense upon and cloud sensitive optics.

The Digital Solutions Center in Bari celebrates one year of activity with the announcement of further growth in the Apulia region, where from 2025 the number of employees will rise to 80 compared with THE 50 originally expected. Today, Pirelli’s digital center, born of the cooperation and commitment of the public sector, private industry and the academic world already counts 30 employees mainly from the Apulia region. To build the Digital Solutions Center, Pirelli has so far invested about 4.5 million euro of the 9 million euro originally earmarked through 2024, part of which will be financed by the Apulia region based on projects already completed.

Dr. Hyekyoung Choi and Min Ju Yun’s research team from the Energy Conversion Materials Research Center, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI), has developed a technology that can increase the flexibility and efficiency of a thermoelectric generator to the world’s highest level by using “mechanical metamaterials” that do not exist in nature. The research results were published in Advanced Energy Materials.

Specialty Silicone Products (SSP) announced that Bobbie Jo Bailey has joined their team as Quality Control (QC) Lab Leader. She’s currently learning about SSP’s manufacturing processes and laboratory test equipment as she connects with colleagues and masters her new role.

Before joining SSP, Bobbie Jo worked for Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics in Granville, New York for 20 years. There, she worked in Manufacturing, spent six years in QC, and then worked in Quality Assurance/Document Control for five years.

HEXPOL has acquired 100% of the shares in the American TPE Compounder Star Thermoplastic Alloys and Rubbers, Inc. (“Star Thermoplastics”) from Thomas A. Dieschbourg. Through the acquisition, HEXPOL establishes presence on the growing American TPE market. Thomas A. Dieschbourg founded the company in 1993 and has developed the company into a technically advanced TPE company. Thomas A. Dieschbourg will remain as the President of the company.

According to Future Market Insights (FMI) and a recent market analysis, the worldwide zinc carbonate industry is expected to grow at a 3.8% CAGR between 2022 and 2032. ZnCO3, or zinc carbonate, is an inorganic chemical. It is also referred to as zinc spar, calamine, or smithsonite. White, crystalline, insoluble zinc carbonate is a powder or solid. It is utilized in many different products, including fertilizers, cosmetics, and medications. It comes in several grades, such as technical grade and pharma & food grade, depending on how it will be used.

TireClub+, Pirelli’s B2B tire sales platform that was launched 10 years ago, has been entirely revised. Now this working tool is even easier and more efficient to use, offering tire dealers a better digital experience. Plenty of new functionality has been introduced, including real time monitoring of deliveries, more straightforward order management, access to data and statistics, and all the latest news from the world of Pirelli.

Kenda announced the groundbreaking of a new Martin Wheel facility in Brimfield Township, OH. This manufacturing plant, warehouse and office space will support the growing demand for specialty tires and wheels in the United States and is set to be operational in 2024.

Shoemaking machinery leader King Steel Machinery is publicly announcing its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, ahead of the upcoming 2023 COP28 UAE Conference. To mark the occasion, the brand is also celebrating several recent milestones in driving sustainability throughout its operations and across the elastomer (elastic polymer) value chain central to the shoemaking industry.

According to Alan Holtschneider, Yokohama’s director of marketing, the tiremaker will help support Surfrider North OC with the distribution of student club memberships; water quality testing kits; biodegradable utensils, straws, etc., starter kits for restaurants wanting to become ocean friendly; cigarette butt collection canisters; and replacement equipment for harbor cleanups.