European Rubber Journal articles from December 2001

European Rubber Journal archives from December 2001

Fenner to buy UniPoly conveyor belt unit: the 47.5 million [pounds sterling] acquisition of UniPoly Enerka will make UK-based Fenner the world's biggest conveyor belt supplier. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Fenner plc is to acquire UniPoly Enerka, the belting division of UniPoly SA, for around 47.5 million [pounds sterling] ($69 million) in cash. The deal, which is due to be completed by the year-end, will make Fenner the world's largest supplier...

Toyo in swap deal to aid global AVS strategy: Toyo raises its share of the global antivibration systems business via swap of airbag unit for Toyoda Gosei's AVS operation. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd is to gain Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd's (TG) antivibration system business in return for transferring its airbags division to the Toyota subsidiary. The deal, which will enable both firms to focus more on their respective...

Parker purchases Dayco Industrial unit: purchase extends Parker's range in niche industrial hose markets. (Rubber news).(Parker Hannifin Corp.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Parker Hannifin Corp. purchased Dayco Industrial's global fluid management business from Mark IV Industries Inc./BC Partners Ltd on 19 Oct, finalising the sale of Dayco's industrial division. With revenues of $304 million in 2000, the Dayco...

Trelleborg closes 3 units in further restructuring: two French and one UK unit shut as Swedish firm continues integrating Laird purchases. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... Trelleborg AB is continuing to restructure its operations, the company signalled in a 29 Oct financial statement, which showed robust earnings and sales figures for the first nine months of 2001. In Europe, the company's automotive division...

Avon confirms bid for the company.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Melksham, UK--Avon Rubber plc is the target of an acquisition proposal, the UK rubber automotive and industrial components maker has confirmed. Avon "has received a very preliminary expression of interest that may or may not lead to an...

Smiths Medical adds silicone tube firm.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * London--Smiths Group plc has paid $35.6 million to acquire US silicone medical tubes maker, Bivona Medical Technologies, from Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corp. The acquisition will enhance Smiths' medical division which supplies...

Vita highlights its Mini role.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Middleton, UK--British Vita plc moulding company Vitamol, based in Ashton-under-Lyne, is manufacturing 18 components for the new Mini One and Mini Copper car models, which went on sale in July. Vitamol's products include interior,...

Manuli role in Kursk recovery.(Manuli hydraulic assemblies used to raise the Russian submarine)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Milan--Manuli Rubber Industries SpA's hydraulics division supplied 5000 metres of hoses and hydraulic fittings used in the recent recovery of the Russian submarine Kursk. The vessel had been trapped on the bed of the Barents Sea since the...

Silentbloc wins Railpart contract.(Silentbloc Vibration Control, a division of Silvertown UK)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Burton on Trent, UK--Silentbloc Vibration Control, a division of Silvertown UK based in Burton on Trent, has won a 2.5-million [pounds sterling] ($3.6-million) contract to supply antivibration components to Railpart UK Ltd. Under a...

Duralay clear to buy Gates unit.(Ruling of the UK's Competition Commission)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * London--The UK's Competition Commission has cleared Duralay international Holdings Ltd's planned acquisition of Gates Consumer and Industrial, a division of Tomkin's subsidiary Gates UK Ltd. The ruling follows a three-month investigation...

Phoenix has record Q3.(Rubber and acoustics product maker Phoenix AG)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Despite current weakness in the automotive sector, third quarter results for rubber and acoustics product maker Phoenix AG indicate that 2001 will be a record year for the company. Phoenix reported revenue of 832.1 million [euro] ($743...

MBO from Voith in US.(Perma-Flex Inc. bought by officials)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Two officials have purchased US rubber roll maker Perma-Flex Inc. from its German parent firm. Michael Berwick and Douglas Angel finalised their buyout of Perma-Flex from Voith AG on 20 Sept, the Salisbury, North Carolina-based company said....

BarrierMed plans for major growth in gloves: US medical glove maker plans to produce patented latex-free surgical gloves in Thailand as it expands marketing into Europe. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Surgical and examination glove maker BarrierMed Inc. will open an office in London in December and one in Toronto in early 2002. The Lake Mary, Florida-based firm, which recently launched its first manufacturing unit in Bangkok, is expanding...

Carlisle's Q3 earnings fall as downturn bites: increased sales in construction, industrial sector are not accompanied by higher earnings for US polymer processor. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... Carlisle Companies Inc.'s third quarter net earnings fell 61 percent to $10.9 million. This was despite a sales rise of 4 percent to $462 million, which reflected both increased construction material volumes, and acquisitions in its general...

L&B sells hose, extrusion, moulding businesses.(Leyland and Birmingam Ltd. sells business units to Newfox Rubber Ltd., Xelflex Precision Moulders PLC)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... [] Leyland, UK--Unipoly unit Leyland & Birmingham Ltd has divested three of its rubber businesses and may consider relocating the remaining businesses from the current site at Leyland, UK, said a company spokesperson. Following the recent...

DJ Profiles aims to expand to No 1 in UK.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Profiles maker DJ Profiles has recently combined its two sites at Stafford Park, Telford, UK, into one to make more efficient use of the production space. The moves are part of the extrusion specialist's plans for higher profitability and...

Goodyear to lay off 1400 at five tyre plants: flexible planning is the key to keeping ahead in a volatile tyre market, says Goodyear. (Tyre news).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... Goodyear plans to lay off up to 1400 salaried and hourly employees at five US tyre manufacturing sites as it reduces output and changes production schedules, the company announced 9 Oct. The Akron tyre manufacturer is making the moves to...

Goodyear in talks over UK truck tyre unit: severe overcapacity in truck tyres and poor productivity may force closure of Wolverhampton unit. (Tyre news).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. is threatening to cease truck tyre production at its plant in Wolverhampton, UK, as a result of continuing productivity issues and global market conditions. A decision on the unit's future, "will be made in the...

Nokian buys Swedish tyre distribution chain.(Dackaffaren)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... [] Nokia, Sweden--Scandinavian tyre maker Nokian Tyres plc has bought the Dackaffaren 2000 chain of 13 tyre outlets in southern and central Sweden, The deal completes Nokian's Vianor tyre chain in Sweden, the company said in a statement. ...

Michelin closing UK truck tyre and cord units: UK cuts by French tyre maker are blamed on the US automotive downturn, plus need for competititiveness. (Tyre news).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Michelin Tyre plc, the UK subsidiary of Groupe Michelin, is to close its truck tyre plant at Burnley, which employs 452, by March 2002. The UK firm is also ending steel tyre cord production at Stoke-on-Trent next September, with the loss of 230...

Michelin in French employment deal.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... [] Clermont-Ferrand, France--Groupe Michelin has reached a deal with unions representing the bulk of its 26 5000-strong workforce in France over staffing levels for the next five years. The agreement under French labour laws, with...

Michelin extends cuts, plans for difficult 2002: closure of German plant by Michelin may be followed by other cuts to cope with tough markets. (Tyre news).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... Groupe Michelin is to shut its St Ingbert plant for semi-finished products in Germany next year, with the loss of 216 jobs, and said it does not rule out "additional steps to adjust production capacities." The company is preparing for a...

Pirelli's first MIRS tyre is Mini Cooper S runflat: Pirelli will use its MIRS automated tyre manufacturing to make high quality runflat tyres. (Tyre news).(modular integrated robotised system technology)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Pirelli SpA has launched a runflat tyre called the Eufori@, the first commercial use of the firm's new MIRS (modular integrated robotised system) automated tyre making technology. The tyre, in a 17-inch version, features as OE fitment on...

UK retread firms in receivership.(Motorway Tyres Ltd., Colway Tyres Ltd.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... [] Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK--UK retread manufacturers Colway Tyres Ltd and Motorway Tyres Ltd have gone into receivership. The businesses are being offered for sale as going concerns by KPMG. With annual sales of 6.8 million [pounds sterling]...

Cooper settles US tyre defect lawsuits.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... [] Washington--Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has agreed to settle 32 class-action lawsuits on tread separation filed against it during the last three months. The tyre maker denies all wrongdoing and legal liability in the deal. Cooper will take...

Yokohama in tyre venture with Hangzhou.(Yokohama Rubber Co., Hangzhou Rubber)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd is to establish a joint venture with Hangzhou Rubber (Group) Co. to make radial passenger car tyres in Hangzhou City, 200 km southwest of Shanghai, China. Called Hangzhou Yokohama Tire Co. Ltd, the JV is to begin...

Kumho talks to banks on tyre stake.(possible sale of Kumho Tires)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Fontana, California--Kumho Industrial Co. is negotiating with several foreign investment banks about selling a major stake in its Kumho Tires business unit, based in South Korea. A spokesman with Kumho Tires USA Inc., based in Fontana,...

EIU predicts NR rebound.(Economist Intelligence Unit, natural rubber)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * London--Natural rubber prices will recover from the current global economic woes to lead a recovery in industrial raw materials markets next year, according to the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit. Despite an expected fall of 7.4...

Eni may sell petrochemicals unit to Sabic.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Milan, Italy--Italian oil and gas major Eniis in talks with Sabic (Saudi Basic Industries Corp.) over the sale of its petrochemicals activities, which are focused on olefins, polyethylene, styrene and elastomers. The Saudi Arabian group...

Michelin moves to quell Stomil-Olsztyn row: minority shareholders need to commit to securing Stomil's future, says French tyre group. (Tyre news).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Matters could soon reach a head in the troubled Stomil-Olsztyn boardroom, where majority shareholder Groupe Michelin seems to have strengthened its position, despite a fresh rebuff from other investors. In September, Michelin launched a...

BS/FS recall extends to Europe.(Bridgestone/Firestone)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Brussels--Bridgestone/Firestone Europe (BFE) is to replace "a limited number" of Wilderness AT tyres under the latest tyre replacement programme of its US sister company, Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. Brussels-based BFE estimates that just...

Latest recall may cost $30 million.(for Bridgestone Corp.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Nashville, Tennessee--Bridgestone Corp. has earmarked about $30 million to cover the cost of the latest recall, involving 768 000 Firestone Wilderness AT tyres. In its long-awaited report closing an investigation of the Firestone light...

Ford unsure about Bridgestone lawsuit.(over tire recall)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Dearborn, Michigan--It is "too early to say" whether Ford Motor Co. will sue Bridgestone Corp. to recoup the estimated $3000-million cost of its voluntary recall of 13 million Firestone Wilderness AT tyres in May. "We always prefer...

Bridgestone denies reconciliation report.(with Ford Motor Co.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Nashville, Tennessee--Bridgestone Corp. and its US subsidiary Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. have refuted a report that Bridgestone and Ford Motor Co. officials are planning a reconciliation. Reuters news service had quoted a Japanese...

Watts embarks on overseas ventures. (Tyre news).(in South America and China, Watts Industrial Polymers)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... Watts Industrial Tyres has initiated the transfer of the bulk of its production to a number of joint ventures in China and has also set up a distribution JV in South America. The firm, which currently manufactures at Lydney in southwest...

Pirelli tyre division sales fall.(Industrie Pirelli S.p.A.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... * Milan, Italy--Pirelli SpA tyre sales fell 10.1 percent in the third quarter to $587.3 million, leaving sales revenue for the nine-month period about 1 percent behind the same period a year ago to $1910 million. Gross operating earnings for...

DuPont Dow to double EPDM using Seadrift: fate of gas-phase Seadrift plant finally decided, as DuPont Dow announces its use for EPDM expansion. (Supplier news).(DuPont Dow Elastomers L.L.C. to use Dow Chemical Co. plant)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... DuPont Dow Elastomers llc is to use a Dow Chemical Co. plant at Seadrift, Texas, to make a new granular EPDM to add to its existing Nordel IP EPDM materials. DuPont Dow has signed an agreement with Dow Chemical Co.--one of the companies...

Dow Corning adds 16 ktpa unit for organosilanes.(Dow Corning Corp., new plant)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Midland, Michigan--Dow Corning Corp. has opened an $11-million unit at its Midland site to make organosilane materials. These are used for making green tyres with low rolling resistance, as paint and ink additive, in materials reinforcement...

New managers at ContiTech units.(ContiTech Group AG)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Hanover, Germany--Heinz-Gerhard Wente has been appointed head of the ContiTech Fluid business unit, replacing Rudi Duker. Concurrently, Norbert Martin has been made head of the ContiTech Vibration Control business unit. Martin, who is now...

Larsen joins Trelleborg.(Anette Larsen, Trelleborg Industrial Anti-Vibration Systems)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Leicester, UK--Anette Larsen has been made product manager for the rail and marine sectors at Trelleborg Industrial Anti-Vibration Systems, based in Leicester, UK

Pipes to lead Akron research.(University of Akron hires Dr. Byron Pipes for polymer engineering and Kenneth Preston for research)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Akron, Ohio--The University of Akron has chosen Dr Byron Pipes as its new Goodyear professor of Polymer Engineering. Pipes, formerly president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will direct the Akron Global Polymer Academy. Another...

Wenning is new Bayer CEO.(Werner Wenning)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Leverkusen, Germany--Werner Wenning will be the new chairman of Bayer's Board of Management. At the end of April 2002, Wenning will succeed Dr Manfred Schneider, who has been chairman for 10 years. Schneider will then stand for election to...

Picker is new president of FEICA.(Arnd Picker, Association of European Adhesives Manufacturers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Dusseldorf, Germany--Arnd Picker, who is responsible for corporate development of adhesives within the Henkel Group of Dusseldorf, has taken over the presidency of the Association of European Adhesives Manufacturers (FEICA) for two years. ...

Dyneon appoints new tech director.(Greggory Bennet)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Oakdale, Minnesota--Dyneon llc, a 3M company involved in fluoropolymer production, has named Dr Greggory Bennet as technical director. Bennet will oversee global research and development. He will focus on aligning development at Dyneon's...

Porat to leave Trelleborg.(Hans Porat)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Trelleborg, Sweden--Hans Porat, Trelleborg AB's deputy chief executive officer and vice president responsible for business development, is to leave the Swedish rubber processor in spring 2002 to become president of Gadelius in Japan. Gadelius...

Sachs changes sales management.(Sachs Handel GmbH hires Stephan Freichel)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Schweinfurt, Germany--Dr Stephan Freichel is to manage the newly created Supply Chain & Services Division of Sachs Handel GmbH. His responsibilities will include the expansion of international supply chain management and e-commerce.

George Cline hired by Smithers.(Smithers Scientific Services Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Akron, Ohio--George Cline has been enlisted by Smithers Scientific Services Inc. to head the information technology department. The Akron-based firm has also hired Mario Perez as general manager of its test track facility called Drivetest...

New director at Stowe Woodward.(Graeme Noble)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Glenrothes, Scotland--Graeme Noble has taken over from Mike Bennett as director and general manager at roll coverer and web control equipment supplier Stowe Woodward Ltd. Noble has been with the firm for 15 years, most recently as...

KoSa has new fibres head.(Thomas Kehl)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Charlotte, North Carolina--Fibres supplier Kosa had appointed Thomas Kehl vice president and general manager for technical fibres. Kehl replaces Terry Hammond, who is to continue as US regional director, with a focus on Sakosa, a fibres joint...

Parker promotes Vande Steeg.(Parker Hannifin Corp.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Cleveland--Parker Hannifin Corp. has promoted Nickolas Vande Steeg to the position of corporate vice president & operating officer, from 1 Jan 2002. With this appointment, Vande Steeg will join corporate vice president & operating officer...

Sellers retains union position.(John Sellers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania--John Sellers will continue to be the top union official in the US rubber industry via an unchallenged mandate by members of the United Steelworkers' Rubber/Plastics Industry Conference. His new term will begin...

Goodyear has new E-commerce director.(George Rietbergen)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Akron, Ohio--The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has named George Rietbergen its European director of e-commerce. He will be responsible for the tyre maker's efforts to utilise Internet technologies for European customers. He will also, "work...

Rheometers revamped: on-line quality control allowed by rugged shop-floor rheometer. (Supplier news).(Alpha Technologies Inc.'s rheometers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Test instrumentation maker Alpha Technologies LP has repackaged its rheometer systems to allow them to be used on the shop-floor, providing real-time in-line process control. Moving these testing capabilities out of the laboratory and to...

Flexsys stake still on offer.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Cleveland Ohio--Akzo Nobel BV and Solutia Inc. continue to seek a buyer for their 50-percent ownership in rubber chemicals producer Flexsys NV, according to William Woodyard, vice president, Americas for Flexsys. With annual sales of...

DSM Elastomers reorganises R&D.(into three units in Japan, the Netherlands and Massachusetts)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Geleen, The Netherlands--DSM Elastomers is to reorganise its products-oriented R&D into three "state-of-the-art" units--in Chiba, Japan; Geleen, The Netherlands; and Leominster, Massachusetts--by the end of 2001. These units will each cover...

Dyneon to open FKM unit in China.(fluoroelastomers technology centre)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Oakdale, Minnesota--Dyneon LLC will open a fluoroelastomers technology centre in Shanghai, China, to serve its business in the Asia Pacific region. The company said the multimillion-dollar investment will help its fluoroelastomer business to...

Zeon chemicals, Sidiac in NBR/PVC alliance: transatlantic alliance will sell into North American market. (Supplier news).(acrylonitrile butadiene rubber/polyvinyl chloride products)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Zeon Chemicals LP and Sidiac formed a strategic alliance 11 Oct to develop and market acrylonitrile butadiene rubber/ polyvinyl chloride products in North America. Touvre, France-based Sidiac is a European market leader that will combine...

PolyOne in blends deal with Bayer.(will launch line of nitrile rubber/PVC masterbatches called ProFlex MB)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Cleveland Ohio--PolyOne Corp. announced 16 Oct that its Elastomers and Performance Additives Group is to introduce a line of nitrile rubber/PVC masterbatches called ProFlex MB. These materials will be direct replacements for the Krynac and...

Davis-Standard in European moves.(reorganizes in Europe and appoints three new business managers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Pawcatuck, Connecticut--Extruder supplier Davis-Standard has reorganised its production facilities in Europe and appointed three new business managers. The moves will streamline the firm's business efforts in Europe, according to Hassan...

RCMA buys NR trader Nordmann, Rassmann: rationalisation in rubber trading continues as long-established German company becomes part of RCMA giant. (Supplier news).(RCMA Commodities Asia Proprietary Ltd.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Nordmann, Rassmann GmbH & Co., a Hamburg, Germany-based rubber trader, has agreed to integrate its operations with trading giant RCMA Commodities Asia (Pte) Ltd of Singapore. With this agreement, Nordmann becomes a shareholder in RCMA. The...

GRIP gets funding for allergen-free latex.(Green Rubber Industrial Polymers Ltd.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Clay Cross, UK--Green Rubber Industrial Polymers Ltd has gained a SMART award of over 43 000 [pounds sterling] ($62 000) from the UK government towards further development of its patented low allergy latex. GRIP of Clay Cross near Derby,...

DuPont Dow ups engage capacity.(DuPont Dow Elastomers debottlenecks polyolefin elastomers plant)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... * Wilmington, Delaware--DuPont Dow Elastomers (DDE) has increased capacity for Engage polyolefin elastomers to around 90 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) through debottlenecking at its Freeport, Texas, plant. The move is in line with the firm's plan...

AES deal for wire and cable sector.(T and T Marketing Inc to market and sell Advanced Elastomer Systems L.P.'s thermoplastic vulcanisate products)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Akron, Ohio--T&T Marketing Inc. is to market and sell Advanced Elastomer Systems LP's thermoplastic vulcanisate products to the wire and cable industry, the firms have agreed. Allamunchy, New Jersey-based T&T has for 13 years serviced the...

Teknor Apex buys Singapore Polymer.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Singapore--Polymer compounder Teknor Apex Co. has acquired Singapore Polymer Corp. Ltd, a diverse compounding operation with 70 kilotonnes of annual capacity for polyolefin, styrenic polymer, thermoplastic elastomer and polyvinyl chloride...

Columbian to shut carbon black plant.(Columbian Chemicals Co., El Dorado, Arkansas)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Marietta, Georgia--Columbian Chemicals Co. is to temporarily close its 54 kilotonnes-per-annum carbon black plant in El Dorado, Arkansas, with the loss of 50 jobs. The move was prompted by overcapacity in the market and the economic slowdown,...

Crompton to open chem plant in China.(accelerator finishing plant)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... * Cleveland, Ohio--Crompton Corp. will open an accelerator finishing plant in China in the coming weeks, and is evaluating several Asia-Pacific EPDM producers for a possible acquisition. The new plant, called CromptonCNCCC Danyang Chemical Co....

Extruder makers face tough year. (Extrusion update).(companies delay purchases due to economic downturn)
December 1, 2001... Many companies are delaying purchases of new extruders, as economic uncertainty grows following the terrorist attacks of 11 Sept. Reports from the K2001 fair reveal divided opinion on the depth of the coming re, cession, though few expect...

Davis-standard to stop manufacturing in France. (Extrusion update).(consolidates European operation in Germany)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Davis-Standard is to consolidate its European manufacturing operations at Erkrath in Germany Gerard Charpiat (pictured, above), manager of rubber systems at Davis-Standard France said the company has been doing good business in Europe in the...

Colmec shows extruder with tangential pin barrel. (Extrusion update).(develops two new rubber industry machines)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Colmec SpA has developed two new rubber industry machines. The first is a conical extruder that can accept a complete bale of rubber and convert it to an extruded profile. The second is a tangential pin extruder, which increases the work put...

Gear pumps become respectable: gear pumps and gear extruders are now the machines of choice for normal compounds in straining and calendering applications. How much further can they go? (Extrusion update).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Although gear pumps and gear extruders are relatively new to the rubber industry, they have in the last five years or so acquired a new respectability, as problems with feeding and reliability have been solved. Gear pumps (the geared unit...

Krupp introduces extruder control system. (Extrusion update).(Krupp Elastomertechnik)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... While many of the developments in extruder technology have concentrated on improved feed mechanisms, Krupp Elastomertechnik (through the company's Freudenberg works) is now actively selling a control system that delivers consistent products,...

Report from Dusseldorf. (K2001 review).(overview of the plastics and rubber show)
December 1, 2001... The three-yearly K international show is one of the biggest events for the plastics and rubber industries in the world. While rubber plays only a relatively small part in the overall show, there was a lot of interest and activity there for...

How long will it last? Predicting the service life of rubber components is a tricky task, but researchers are getting closer to accurate estimates, using a combination of finite element analysis and fracture mechanics, amongst other means. (Service life).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Finite Element Analysis is a useful tool, but it doesn't have all the answers in designing rubber parts. In particular, Trelleborg Industrial Anti-Vibration Systems has found it may not always predict very high stresses in areas of a part where...

Variable stiffness may be coming.(research in magneto-rheological rubbers; Europe)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Magneto-rheological rubbers, filled with up to 30 percent by weight of magnetisable particles, have potential in variable stiffness devices, since their properties alter on application of a magnetic field. Mattias Lokander of the Department...

Tragedy, or just a drip? (Rubber news).(O-ring failure research at University of the West of England)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... The tragic failure of the US Space Shuttle in 1986 highlights the catastrophic effects which can be caused by simple O-ring failure, said Ralph Rizk, of the Engineering and Medicine Elastomers Research Centre at the University of the West of...

Rail mount re-design: Trelleborg Industrial AVS learnt a great deal from its recent redesign of a cone spring part for a railway suspension system--not least that FEA may not be foolproof. (Service life case study).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... In a recent spring redesign at Trelleborg Industrial Anti-Vibration Systems in Leicester, UK, finite element analysis did not help to predict fatigue failure in the resulting part. This led Bill Mortel, Trelleborg IAVS's engineering and...

Diary.
December 1, 2001... Readers are strongly advised to confirm details with organisers before making any travel arrangements. An updated list of industry events is available on the ERJ website at http://www.crain.co.uk/ NOVEMBER * Rubber bonding 2001,...

What is happening to the economy? (Postscript).(Europe and Asia affected by terrorist attacks on U.S.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... I have just returned from K, and it was clear that visitor numbers are down. Furthermore, there is a general feeling that the business will not be in a good state for at least another six months, probably more like 12. I spoke with...

Exchange rates keep Bridgestone at top: you might have thought that the problems with Firestone tyres in the US would have affected Bridgestone's performance. On the contrary ... (Global Tyre Report).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... Despite some widely publicised problems in North America last year, Bridgestone Corp. held on to the title of world's largest tyre maker, based on fiscal 2000 sales revenue. However, Bridgestone's claim to the No. 1 ranking is precarious...

Tyre market data. (Tyre data).(financial performance statistics of various tire companies)(Statistical Data Included)
December 1, 2001... These tables show how the main tyre companies compare in their financial performance. The main table shows a comparison of financial performance based on full-year results for fiscal 2000, while the smaller table (right) shows a reduced version...

Top 75 listing.(global tire producers 1999-2000)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Top 75 global tyre producers 1999-2000 RANK Company 2000 Percent 2000 '99 Headquarters Tyre sales of corp. ($ million)...

Pirelli introduces tyre for asymmetric rims on Mercedes.(allows car to hit corners much faster)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Asymmetric Pirelli tyres combined with DaimlerChrysler's hydraulic wheel tilting system allow a Mercedes-Benz research car to corner far faster than an SLK. Lateral acceleration in a cornering test was 28 percent higher in the Mercedes-Benz...

Bridgestone wants to make up--maybe: Bridgestone CEO says he's willing to discuss repaying Ford for some recalled tyres.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... Bridgestone Corp., parent of Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., last week extended a slender olive branch to Ford Motor Co. in a bid to patch their bitter split over Ford's decision to recall 13 million Firestone tyres. In an Automotive News...

Telematics combines with tyre monitoring. (Pressure monitoring).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2001... US firms ATX Technologies Inc. and Cycloid Co. have combined technologies to give drivers and automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) a quick response to tyre pressure problems. ATX Technologies, which provides telematics for the...