European Rubber Journal articles from January 2006

European Rubber Journal archives from January 2006

Hankook building UHP car tyre plant in Hungary; Hungarian plant will strengthen presence in strategic European tyre market.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Byline: David Shaw Hankook Tire has announced that its first European car and light truck tyre factory will be built at Dunaujvaros in Hungary. The plant is due on stream in 2007, reaching capacity of 10 million units/year by 2010. The...

Amtel-Vredestein to sell tyre plant, CB unit, expand in retail; Restructuring at Russian tyre maker will see 'Soviet-era' Krasnoyarsk tyre plant and carbon black plant sold.(News)
January 1, 2006... Amtel-Vredestein NV (A-V) has confirmed that it plans to, "sell or otherwise dispose of" its tyre factory in Krasnoyarsk and has also announced the sale of its Amtel-Carbon carbon black factory in Volgograd. In late 2005, A-V also...

A-V buys 40 tyre stores in Russia.(News)(Amtel-Vredestein NV)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Moscow-Amtel-Vredestein NV has bought about 40 retail and service centres across Russia, but particularly in St Petersburg, Perm and Kemerovo. These regions have high growth potential for sales of AV's top and mid-range tyres. The company...

Trelleborg doubles oil/gas sector business with CRP buy; CRP buy adds more profitable oil/gas segments,with high growth potential.(News)
January 1, 2006... Byline: Liz White Trelleborg is to acquire uk-based CRP Group for about SKr970 million ([euro]803 million). Skelmersdale, Lancashire-headquartered CRP is a supplier of rubber and plastics parts for the subsea oil and gas industry. It has...

Trelleborg's US buy in aerospace seals.(News)(Chase-Walton Elastomers Inc. acquired)
January 1, 2006... Trelleborg has acquired silicone rubber specialist Chase-Walton Elastomers Inc., which has annual sales of about SKr 100 million ([euro]10.5 million) and about 110 employees at two production units in Hudson, Massachusetts, in the US. ...

Datwyler's plants disrupted by fire, flood in 2005; Production stoppages at European plants-as Datwyler expands eastwards to Kiev.(News)
January 1, 2006... Byline: Liz White Datwyler's plants disrupted by fire, flood in 2005 Swiss group Datwyler Holding AG suffered some heavy blows during 2005. On 2 May, the group's French plant-Datwyler Elastomeres (France) SAS at Trie-Chateau-was...

At www.european-rubber-journal.com...(News)
January 1, 2006... You can see a host of stories in addition to those we've put in the magazine. Keep in touch with the news and sign up for our free daily news email. Avon Rubber records pre-tax loss on unchanged sales... Degussa sets up rubber silanes JV...

Forbo buys adhesives firm in China.(News)(Forbo Holding AG acquires Victa Technology Holdings Ltd. )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Swiss belting, adhesives and flooring group Forbo Holding AG has acquired Chinese adhesives business Victa Technology Holdings Ltd. This deal, "provides Forbo with an industrial platform to strengthen the group's presence with adhesives in...

Tire Technology Expo 2006.(Briefs)(Maxxis International)(Bridgestone Corporation announces sales)(Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. acquires Ansell Ltd)
January 1, 2006... Maxxis adds tech centres in US, Taiwan and China Taipei, Taiwan-Taiwan tyre maker Maxxis International is building technical centres in Taiwan, China and the US as part of an "ambitious expansion" of its worldwide research and development...

On the ERJ web site ... www.europeanrubberjournal.com.
January 1, 2006... You can find all the news we can't fit into the magazine, including... Kumho investigating site for tyre factory in Vietnam... Federal-Mogul announces restructuring plan... Natural rubber prices surge through 1988 levels... Dominant...

Major tyre technology event set for Stuttgart in March.(News)
January 1, 2006... A total of 100 speakers will present papers at the Tire Technology conference in March. With subjects ranging from "Road/vehicle interaction: Test tyres used for friction measurement" to "Modeling tyre force and moment mechanisms for...

List of exhibitors.
January 1, 2006... Company - Stand No A.M.A SpA 4150 Abaqus Europe BV 4000 Airtec Controls GmbH 4252 Alfautomazione SpA 4256 Alpha Technologies (UK) 4237 Ammeraal Beltech Holding BV. 4628 A-Z Formen-und-Maschinenbau GmbH 4552 ...

Conference programme.(News)(Calendar)
January 1, 2006... Day 1 session 1 Advanced tyre design, development processes, and performance 09.30-09.45 Opening address Bill Hopkins,Goodyear 09.45-10.10 Nanoparticles and their use in tyres Gary Crutchley, Kumho 10.10-10.35 Decision support...

University of Akron short course in Tire mechanics.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... The 30th Annual Tire Mechanics Short Course will be held concurrently with Tire Technology Expo and Conference in Stuttgart, 6, 7, 8, 9 March 2006. The course is designed for practicing engineers, chemists and scientists concerned with...

Exhibitor profiles Part 1 of 5.(News)
January 1, 2006... AMA SpA 4150 AMA, based in Bitonto, Italy, makes tyre moulds, notably for large tyres, truck tyres and agricultural tyres. The company also produces moulds for tubes and bladders. At the 2006 event, AMA is showing its latest range of...

Exhibitor profiles Part 2 of 5.(News)
January 1, 2006... Counteract Balancing Beads 4507 Counteract Balancing Beads offers a clean, trouble-free alternative to lead weight balancing. At Tire Technology, the company is demonstrating its approach to truck tyre balancing for the first time. ...

Alfagomma buys Dunlop Hiflex hose operation; UK hydraulic hose unit with major European distribution network becomes part of Italian group.(News)
January 1, 2006... Byline: Liz White Alfa Gomma SPA, the holding company of Italian hose-making group Alfagomma, has acquired UK-headquartered hydraulic hose supplier Dunlop Hiflex Group, in a transaction which took effect 14 Dec 2005. UK-based Dunlop...

MTI buys French silicone firm.(News)(Sterne SARL of Cavaillon)
January 1, 2006... MTI Global Inc.has announced that it has agreed to purchase 51 percent of Sterne SARL of Cavaillon, France. Sterne SARL is a manufacturer of medical grade silicone rubber products. The company will be re-named MTI Sterne. MTI will pay...

Bespak commissions specialised elastomer plant; UK supplier of medical devices opens important elastomer unit at King's Lynn.(News)
January 1, 2006... Byline: Liz White UK designer and manufacturer of speciality medical devices Bespak plc has commissioned a dedicated elastomer manufacturing facility at King's Lynn, the group announced 25 Nov 2005. This "state of the art facility"...

Yokohama sets up AV, belting JVs in China.(News)
January 1, 2006... Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd has set up a joint venture, Yamasei Automotive (Foshan) Co. Ltd, to produce automotive parts-including power steering hose-in South China. The joint venture's capital of [yen]70 million ([euro]500 000) is split 40:40:20...

Four fined in EC price fixing case: Bayer to pay [euro]58.8 m; EC sends strong message to companies about cartels, as firms found guilty of price fixing in rubber chemicals are hit with heavy fines.(News)(European Commission)
January 1, 2006... Byline: Liz White The European Commission has fined four firms-Chemtura, Flexsys NV, Bayer AG and General Quimica-a total of [euro]75.86 million for cartel activities in the rubber chemicals business. In its judgement, the commission...

Freudenberg extends brake hose production in Romania.(News)(Freudenberg Dichtungs- und Schwingungstechnik)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Freudenberg Dichtungs- und Schwingungstechnik (FDS) is planning a significant increase in its activities in Romania. FDS intends to invest about [euro]1.5 million there in the coming months to move production into new, larger premises on the...

Michelin to get tough with truck tyre counterfeiters; French tyre maker campaigns against imitators, suing Aeolus Tyre of China.(News)(Compagnie Generale des Etablissement Michelin)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Byline: David Shaw Groupe Michelin has launched a blitz against makers of truck tyres who copy Michelin tread patterns and then claim their tyres are as good as Michelin products, while selling them at around half the price. Michelin...

Private company buys Dunlop India, Falcon.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Ruia Group in India has bought a controlling stake in two Indian tyre-making companies and a third tyre trader from Dubai-based Jumbo Group, for about Rs 2000 million ([euro]37 million) Jumbo World Holdings has "divested its interest in the...

Bridgestone to build synthetic rubber plant in China; Bridgestone to make SR to supply tyre plants in China, under license from JSR Corp. The tyre maker has also has appointed Shoshi Arakawa, (below) as its new chairman.(News)
January 1, 2006... Byline: Liz White Bridgestone Corp. is planning to invest about $100 million ([euro]82.5 million) to build a synthetic rubber plant. Production from the plant, in Huizhou in China's Guangdong Province, will be used "to meet growing global...

ICI India sells rubber chemicals unit to PMC Intl.(News)(PMC Rubber Chemicals India Pvt Ltd. acquires ICI's Rubber Chemicals )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... ICI India sold a 51 percent share of ICI's Rubber Chemicals business to PMC International, a US-based speciality chemicals supplier on 28 Dec 2005. The divested company has been re-named PMC Rubber Chemicals India Pvt Ltd. ICI India said it...

Hoffmann invests [euro]4 m in Neuberg plant.(News)
January 1, 2006... Byline: Liz White White filler supplier Hoffmann Mineral has spent [euro]4 million to build a new facility for custom treatment of fillers at its Neuberg site. The new production building, opened at the end of September 2004, is now...

Diary.(Calendar)(Calendar)
January 1, 2006... * Latex 2006, conference. 24-25 January: Frankfurt. Contact Rapra Technology. Tel +44 1939 250383, fax +44 1939 251118. * Rubber testing: selecting, performing & interpreting ASTM rubber methods, training course. 2-3 February: University of...

NR prices pass 1988 levels, show no sign of slowing.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Information We present here a series of charts and tables which are meant to give a snapshot of how the rubber industry is performing. The price of rubber on the Singapore commodity exchange is possibly the most important price in the...

Tokai Rubber in hose-making JV in India.(News)
January 1, 2006... Tokai Rubber Industries Ltd is investing [yen]100 million ([euro]720 000) to set up a joint venture to make automotive hose with Indian hose company Imperial Auto Industries Ltd, in Delhi. The JV will be based in Imperial Auto Industries' home...

Demand and yet more demand.(Column)(tire industry)
January 1, 2006... Byline: David Shaw I don't think I've ever seen such a comprehensive shortage of different materials. There are shortages in almost all the polymers: natural rubber, EPDM, butyl, polychloroprene and more. There are shortages of steelcord,...

Interest in new cold runner blocks at Desma meeting.(News)
January 1, 2006... More than 260 visitors from 120 companies and 23 countries attended a two-day meeting at Klockner Desma's Fridingen site, 18/19 Oct 2005. As shown in the picture (right) , the main focus was on the FlowControl cold runner block developed...

Conti to shut passenger tyre unit, lay off 320 at Stocken; IGBCE union is stung by Conti's turnaround on closing car tyre plant; says it will stop joint cost-cutting programme with the tyre maker.(News)
January 1, 2006... Byline: Liz White Continental AG has announced that it will reduce staff by roughly 10 percent at its Hanover-Stocken plant by the end of 2006 and will stop making passenger car tyres there. The layoffs affect 320 employees in tyre...

Nokian announces temporary layoff of 700 in car tyres.(News)
January 1, 2006... Nokian Tyres agreed late November 2005 with labour representatives to temporarily lay off up to 700 production workers at its car-tyre plant in Nokia, Finland. Nokia said it wants to reduce inventory levels, following lower-than-predicted sales...

Spah to invest [euro]7 million to upgrade seal facility; Plant upgrade will give seal maker Spah better workflow, and more production space.(News)
January 1, 2006... Byline: Liz White German seal maker Karl Spah GMBH & Co. KG plans to invest up to [euro]7 million at its main site at Scheer in Germany. Its core investment will be in a new warehouse for incoming goods, which will free space for...

Nylex sells two rubber companies to Huon.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Consumer plastics manufacturer, Nylex Ltd-the former BTR operation in Australia-has announced the sale of three of its four non-core automotive businesses. The three are Empire Rubber, Mills Elastomers and Nylex Frankston. The businesses...

Exhibitor profiles Part 3 of 5.(News)
January 1, 2006... ITW Ride Quality Products 4304 Two companies are showing products on this stand: ITW Akron Standard focuses on tyre uniformity machines, and tyre & wheel assembly uniformity machines. ITW Micro-Poise focuses on dynamic balance machines for...

Exhibitor profiles Part 5 of 5.(News)
January 1, 2006... Seichter GmbH 4318 Seichter GmbH of Hanover is a global supplier of test systems for the tyre industry. The company specialises in inspection systems for tyre geometry and tyre uniformity. www.seichter.com/ Sigmavision Ltd 4005...

Exhibitor profiles Part 4 of 5.(News)
January 1, 2006... Parker Hannifin 4169 www.parker.com/ Pelmar Engineering Ltd 4124/4125 Pelmar, based in Israel, specialises in used tyre machinery. The company buys, sells and refurbishes machinery used in the tyre sector. Pelmar offers to...

Mercedes drops brake-by-wire project-technology may die.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Byline: Jens Meiners Automotive News Europe Mercedes-Benz is discontinuing its twice-recalled Robert Bosch-supplied braking system from the E class and CLS class next summer in a move that apparently dooms automotive brake-by-wire...

Cooper setting up JVs with China's Shandong Chengshan.(News)(Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. )(Shandong Chengshan Tire Co. Ltd )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. is setting up two joint ventures in China with Shandong Chengshan Tire Co. Ltd to make passenger and truck tyres. Cooper will invest $70 million in the projects, to be known as Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Passenger...