European Rubber Journal articles from March 2002

European Rubber Journal archives from March 2002

CF Gomma extends Fukoku agreement; CF Gomma and Fukoku enter pact covering design, manufacture and sale of CVJ boots to the automotive industry. CF Gomma contributes its rubber production technology, while Fukoku will sell the products to its Japanese customers. (Rubber news).(constant velocity joint)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CF Gomma of Italy and Fukoku Rubber Co. Ltd of Japan have extended a 10-year-old technology agreement to include technical capabilities for design and manufacture of CVJ (constant velocity joint) boots. The partners already have similar...

Goodyear to cut 3500 jobs as losses mount; US tyre giant goes for further cutbacks in a bid to stem losses in Europe and Asia. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is axing 3500 jobs this year, mainly by eliminating tyre capacity in Europe, Asia and Australia. The rationalisation, on top of 10 000 jobs shed in 2001, is expected to provide the Akron, Ohio-based tyre maker with...

Volcrepe and St Albans in cellular merger: cost savings opportunities prompt merger of Evans and Reid's two rubber units. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Volcrepe and St Albans Rubber--the UK cellular rubber manufacturing subsidiaries of Evans and Reid Investment Co. Ltd--have combined to form a 7.5-million [pounds sterling] ($10-million) turnover company called E&R Polymers Ltd. With...

Freudenberg adds R&D, buys stake in Lederer; German seals and vibration control company plans to intensify its focus on fuel cells and mechatronics as leather production ends. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Freudenberg Group set up two research companies in January 2002, based at its Weinheim, Germany, headquarters. Freudenberg Mechatronic KG and the Fuel Cell Components Co. will deal with new products in the fields of ribbon-cable development...

FDS adds LSR moulding expertise. (Rubber news).(Freudenberg Group acquires minority interest in Lederer GmbH)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Weinheim, Germany--Freudenberg Group's sealing operation has bought a minority interest in Lederer GmbH, a liquid silicone specialist based in Ohringen, Germany. The move is part of Freudenberg Dichtungs- und Schwingun-stechnik KG's strategy to...

Phoenix optimistic following record 2001; billion Euro turnover at major German rubber processor can be repeated for 2002, says boss. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Phoenix AG, the Hamburg-Germany based producer of rubber products and acoustic systems, is "relatively optimistic" about prospects for 2002, according to ceo Konrad Ellegast, writing in the firm's 2001 results statement. In particular "Phoenix...

GDX wins Audi seal contract.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Farmington Hills, Michigan--Sealing systems supplier GDX Automotive has won a contract with Audi to design and manufacture the complete vehicle sealing system for the new Audi A6 executive sedan. This is the "first ever selection of a full...

Woodville gains Manila order.(Woodville Polymer Engineering wins contract)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Swadlincote, UK--Woodville Polymer Engineering has won a 700 000 [pounds sterling]($992 000) contract to supply rubber-coated train gangways for a light rail project in Manila in the Philippines. South Korean company Rotem (formerly Koros)...

JV for Conti, Yokohama.(joint venture)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Continental AG is finalising an agreement to establish a joint venture with Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd, Japan's second largest tyre maker, a Conti spokesman confirmed. The companies expect to sign a deal in late February to form the 50:50 JV,...

Russian tyre plan for Nokian.(Nokian Tyres PLC's venture with Amtel Holdings Co.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Nokian Tyres plc is to start contract-manufacturing of winter passenger car tyres in Russia with Amtel Holdings Co. during autumn 2002. The venture will initially aim to make 200 000 tyres during 2002, under the Nordman brand, and target...

EC clears AV joint venture.(European Commission, Meneta and TDM venture)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The European Commission has cleared a joint venture between Danish firm Meneta, part of the AP Moller group, and TDM of Germany, to make antivibration devices for automotive disc brakes. The deal concerns Meneta Advanced Shims Technology...

Toyoda to open Czech weatherstrip plant; Japanese manufacturer creates second front in European automotive seals market. (Rubber news).(Toyoda Gosei)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Toyoda Gosei is to make automotive weatherstrip products in the Czech Republic, as part of a $15-20 million investment at a facility established last year to produce automotive airbags. Around 400 people will be employed at a new sealing...

Gates, Nitta to build belt plant in Thailand; Gates shows commitment to Asian market through belt making operation with Nitta. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Gates Rubber Co. and Nitta Corp. are to start a belt manufacturing operation in Thailand, called Gates Unitta Thailand Co., based at Rayong, southeast of Bangkok. The new unit will begin production in February 2003, Gates announced 30 Jan. ...

Reshape at DSM leaves SBR future uncertain; DSM evaluates future of SBR unit as EPDM business is shaken up. (Rubber news).(DSM Elastomers, styrene-butadiene rubber)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... DSM Elastomers is restructuring and implementing a cost reduction programme to improve the competitiveness of its EPDM, thermoplastic vulcanisate (TPV) and oil additive operations. The company's parent DSM NV is, meanwhile, considering the...

Avon notes steadier business trends; first quarter results show some encouraging signs, UK rubber group says. (Rubber news).(Avon Rubber PLC)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Avon Rubber plc detected signs of recovery in the first quarter of its current fiscal year, as sales from continuing businesses came in 2 percent down on the same period a year ago. In particular, its US automotive business had steadied as car...

Dunlop gains seals contract.(Dunlop Precision Rubber wins Boeing Commercial Airlines contract)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Loughborough, UK--Dunlop Precision Rubber has won a three-year contract to make elastomeric clamping blocks for Boeing Commercial Airlines, The EPDM parts are used to clamp cables and hydraulic pipe-work on all models of Boeing's commercial...

Tenneco automotive to cut another 900 jobs; US-based automotive supplier of antivibration parts plans further moves to cut debt. (Rubber news).(Tenneco Automotive Inc.'s cost cutting measures)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Tenneco Automotive Inc. will cut another 900 jobs in a further attempt to boost profits and pay down the heavy debt it assumed when it spun off its packaging unit two years ago. The company is not disclosing if its elastomer facilities are...

Cutting both ways--Ford shares savings; Ford wants costs savings from suppliers, but is prepared to share benefits of its own design efforts. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Ford Motor Co's new programme of sharing cost savings with suppliers is a two-pronged approach to help turn around its ailing operations--one part a carrot, the second a stick. While Ford wants good, long-term working relationship with its...

Bridgestone, Conti team up on runflats; Japanese-German runflat alliance may delay introduction of a global standard for the devices. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Rivals in runflat tyre technology are outwardly calm about joint plans by Bridgetone Corp. and Continental AG to develop global standards for runflat tyre systems for installation on standard wheels. "We are delighted to see that others in...

PAX fitted as standard on renault Scenics.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Clermont-Ferrand, France--Groupe Michelin's PAX runflat tyre system has become a standard feature on top-of-the-range Fairway and Sport Way versions of the Renault Sc6nic sold in France. Renault, which was the first car maker to offer the...

Goodyear closes Philippines tyre plant; lower than forecast demand and strong competition forces closure of Marikina tyre plant. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Goodyear has closed its tyre plant at Marikina in the Philippines, blaming, "overcapacity and continuing softening in market demand" for the need to stop production. The plant, which employed about 175 people and made about 1200 tyres a...

Kumho picks JPM Chase/ Carlyle bid for tyre unit; Korean conglomerate has found a new investor to back its tyre division--ranked tenth among global tyre makers. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Kumho Industrial Co. Ltd. has picked an investors consortium involving JP Morgan Chase & Co. and Carlyle Group as the preferred bidder for a majority ownership stake in its tyre business. Kumho Industrial is selling up to 80-percent control...

Boost for Italy's retreaders.(retread tires legislation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Bologna, Italy--Public service agencies in Italy must ensure that retread tyres make up at least 20 percent of spare tyre orders, under new Italian legislation. The requirement covers all fleets of passenger cars as well as commercial and...

BERU, Lear to supply Ford.(tire pressure monitoring systems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Ludwigsburg, Germany--BERU AG and its partner Lear Corp. are to supply tyre pressure monitoring (TPM) systems for a future model of the Ford Explorer sport-utility vehicle. The Ford Motor Co. order is expected to add 20 million [euro] ($18...

BS/FS to invest in Canada plant.(Bridgestone/Firestone Canada)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Joliette, Quebec--Bridgestone/Firestone Canada will invest $22.5 million in its Joliette passenger car tyre plant to purchase equipment to increase tyre production lines and add technology. The project is under way and set for completion by...

Tyre sales in France, Europe squeezed in 2001; Europe sees marked decline in heavy duty tyre sales, gradual drop in passenger car tyres during 2001. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Last year brought a squeeze on the main tyre market segments in France and in Europe, according to the French rubber manufacturers' association, the SNCP (Syndicat National du Caoutchouc et des Polymers). France's passenger car tyre market...

Michelin to expand Oklahoma site's output. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Michelin North America Inc. is investing more than $13 million at its Ardmore tyre plant this year--$10 million for machinery upgrades and $2.7 million for a calender used in tyre building. This is the first phase, due for completion in...

Tyres and energy cables buoy Pirelli.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Milan, Italy--Pirelli SpA's tyre sales and operating profit were stable in 2001, thanks in part to an increasing focus on high performance tyre markets, the Milan, Italy-headquartered group said 8 Feb. Sales at Pirelli's energy cables and...

Nokian results up despite weak Q4.(Nokian Tyres pLC)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Nokia, Finland--Weaker than estimated turnover in December, left Nokian Tyres plc's net fourth quarter sales and profit behind expectations, the tyre maker said. Net sales in 2001 grew 6 percent to $378.7 million and operating profit rose...

Stomil:stronger opposition. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... BRE Bank has sold its 5.9-percent stake in Stomil Olsztyn SA to shareholders who are suing majority owner Groupe Michelin over its management of the Polish tyre company. The unnamed buyers represented institutions from within the minority...

Michelin sales rise despite volume dip.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Paris--Despite a slight downturn in fourth quarter business, Groupe Michelin's 2001 sales grew 2.5 percent to $14 100 million. Improved pricing and a better product mix helped drive sales up despite a 2.8-percent decline in the tonnage volume,...

Cooper cautious amid `industry noise'.(Cooper Tire and Rubber Co.'s fourth quarter market share)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Findlay, Ohio--Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. gained market share in the light and medium truck tyre segments during the final quarter of 2001, Thomas Dattilo, Cooper chairman, CEO and president, said during a year-end conference call. But...

Bandag's fourth-quarter earnings up.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Muscatine, Iowa--Bandag Inc.'s consolidated net earnings rose to $17.4 million for the fourth quarter ended 31 Dec from $14.8 million in the same 2000 period. Sales slipped to $249.1 million from $252.7 million for the three months. For the...

ExxonMobil to buy rest of TPE maker AES; EPDM supplier ExxonMobil finally goes for total ownership of its TPE-making unit. (Rubber news).(thermoplastic elastomer maker Advanced Elastomer Systems; Ethylene-propylene diene monomer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... ExxonMobil Chemical Co. became the full owner of thermoplastic elastomer maker Advanced Elastomer Systems LP on 1 Feb, by purchasing Solutia Inc.'s 50 percent interest in the company. The timing of the sale and terms of the purchase...

DuPont reorganises, mulls fibres future. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... DuPont is realigning its main businesses into five segments and plans to sell or float off its textiles businesses by the end of 2003, the company announced 11 Feb. The US chemicals giant will organise its core activities in five new...

ARS launches Tires2Oil in Germany; new rubber recycling plant to be built in Penkun, Germany. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Advanced Recycling Sciences Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding with German environmental investment firm NEW (Natur-Energie-Wertstoffrecycling) Umwelt AG of Munich to develop ARS' Tires2Oil technology in Germany. NEW is...

Cheng Shin buys new handling systems; Chinese tyre maker buys equipment from UK firm for Kunshan plant. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Cheng Shin-Toyo Tire and Rubber (China) has given UK materials handling firm BMH Chronos Richardson a contract valued at over 800 000 [pounds sterling] ($1.14 million) for equipment for its Kunshan City tyre plant in Jiangsu Province, the...

EniChem units look set for Sabic owners. (Rubber news).(Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Eni aims to complete negotiations over the sale of a controlling interest in Polimeri Europa to Saudi Basic Industries Corp by the end of March. Under a phased deal, Sabic is initially expected to acquire a 51-percent stake in the Italian...

Vita expands TPEs with Nolato Elastoteknik; Swedish SEBS pioneer will complement Vita's position in the TPE market. (Rubber news).(thermoplastic elastomers; styrene ethylene-butene styrene)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... British Vita plc has acquired Nolato Elastoteknik AB, a Swedish thermoplastic elastomer compounding company for 5 million [pounds sterling] ($7 million), Vita announced 29 Jan. Based at Amal about 150 km north-east of Gothenburg, the TPE...

Soberay, Woo Sung ink machinery pact; US rubber machinery supplier is to represent Korean supplier Woo Sung and is actively seeking other overseas partners. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Rubber machinery manufacturer and rebuilder Soberay Machine & Equipment Inc. is changing its focus toward marketing and sales of foreign-made equipment to help it compete in an ever-expanding global market. Soberay announced in early...

Butadiene use to rise.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Houston, Texas--Global demand for butadiene will increase 3.9 percent a year from 2001-2006, up from the compounded annual rate of 2.7 percent in 1996-2001, according to Chemical Market Associates Inc. The 1996-2001 rate slowed measurably...

Cordenka modernises converting plant.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Arnhem, The Netherlands--Acordis Industrial Fibers unit Cordenka has completed modernisation of its converting plant for tyre cord at Obernburg in Germany. Cordenka's aim is to save tyre manufacturers additional processing steps by supplying...

Kossan buys new equipment.(Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Major Malaysian rubber product manufacturer Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd has had a new mixer feed system installed. In a project costing more than 200 000 [pounds sterling] ($280 000), BMH Chronos Richardson's Weighing and Batching Systems...

RMS still going despite strike.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... RMS Equipment Co.'s Kitchener, Ontario, machinery plant continues to operate although its workforce has been on strike for eight months. Officials for RMS and United Steelworkers of America Local 80 have not met to bargain since September....

Sales fall for French additives firm MLPC; major sales decline at French rubber chemicals firm--largely owned by Atofina. (Rubber news).(MLPC International)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... French rubber chemicals and fine chemicals maker, MLPC International has reported sales for 2001 of 48.25 million [euro], 12 percent down on the previous year. The company is 67-percent owned by Atofina. About 56 percent of sales were to...

Thai government plans rubber production cuts; stockpiling is not part of Thailand's latest plan to raise prices for NR. Replanting and leaving trees untapped are possibilities. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Massive replanting and paying rubber farmers not to tap their Hevea natural rubber trees are alternatives the Thai government is considering to cut the nation's natural rubber output by 10 percent. The government announced its plans 16 Jan...

Teijin to spin off industrial fibres unit. (Rubber news).(will take role of holding company)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Japanese fibre producer Teijin Ltd, a supplier of aramid fibres to the tyre and rubber sector in Europe, is to spin off various businesses, including industrial fibres, textile fibres and its medical & pharmaceuticals business, into separate...

McNeil & NRM lays off workers at Akron; job cuts at US equipment maker reflect general economic gloom. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Tyre machinery manufacturer McNeil & NRM Inc. has laid off an unspecified number of its 80 employees at its Akron site, following the trend of many competitors and customers in the rubber industry during a difficult economic period. Most...

Goodyear adds Wriston to board.(Kathryn Wriston)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Akron, Ohio--Kathryn Wriston, a trustee of the John Hartford Foundation and the Practicing Law Institute, has been elected a director of Goodyear. Wriston, 62, also is a director of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. and the Stanley...

China Enterprises appoints.(Lien Kait Long chief financial officer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Hong Kong--Lien Kait Long has been redesignated as chief financial officer of China Enterprises Ltd, replacing Michael Chen, who resigned 30 Jan. Ho Kin Cheong has also been made secretary of China Enterprises Ltd.

Ex-Magna boss to lead Tomkins.(James Nicol new chief executive officer)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... London--Tomkins plc, the parent company of Gates Rubber Co., has appointed James Nicol its new chief executive officer. Nicol will fill a vacancy created 16-months ago when Greg Hutchings left Tomkins in controversial circumstances. Nicol...

Dyneon appoints Moore.(Robert Moore, global business manager)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Oakdale, Minnesota--Fluoropolymer supplier Dyneon llc, a 3M company has made Robert Moore its global business manager for specialty additives. Moore's group includes Dynamar Polymer Processing Additives and his focus will be to enhance...

New manager for Cooper-Standard's Welsh plant.(Larry Johnson)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Dearborn, Michigan--Larry Johnson has been appointed plant manager at Cooper-Standard's sealing plant at Maesteg, Wales. He will take up the appointment early in February 2002. Johnson moves to the Welsh plant of Cooper Standard Automotive...

New president at Solvay TPO unit.(Pierre Joris)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Auburn Hills, Michigan--Pierre Joris has been named president of TPO supplier Solvay Engineered Polymer, replacing Joseph Greulich, who is moving to a position as president of Solvay Advanced Polymers. Joris was previously with Solvay SA's...

Baranwal becomes RC&T editor.(Dr Krishna Baranwal; Rubber Chemistry and Technology)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Arkon, Ohio--The Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society has made Dr Krishna Baranwal editor of Rubber Chemistry and Technology. Baranwal is executive vice president for technical matters with Akron Rubber Development Laboratory...

Crompton selects Synnott.(Dennis Synnott, global tyre account manager)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Middlebury, Connecticut--Crompton Corp. has named Dennis Synnott global tyre account manager. Steve Tranguch will replace Synnott as Royalene EPDM business group global marketing manager. Synnott will be responsible for managing and...

Hutchinson Tires gains manager.(Eric Vanhaverbeke)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Paris--Eric Vanhaverbeke has joined Hutchinson Tires as commercial director, replacing Samuel Aichouba.

More support at BMH Chronos Richardson.(Peter Chylewski, Peter Wright appointed)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Nottingham UK--BMH Chronos Richardson, a supplier of materials-handling systems to the rubber sector, has appointed Peter Chylewski as technical support engineer and Peter Wright installation & commissioning supervisor in its Customer Services...

Machinery set for poor year in 2002; in this 7th annual machinery feature, we profile all the main companies active in the field, with an analysis of the sector and rankings of the top companies. (Machinery).(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Rubber machinery suppliers are having a lean time right now. Russia and China remain healthy, but orders in the US and in parts of Western Europe are hard to come by, and have been for the last six months or more, according to machinery...

Company websites.(rubber machinery makers)(Illustration)
March 1, 2002... ACC Automation Co. www.accautomation.com/ Acrolab www.acrolab.com; www.isobars.com Aeroglide www.aeroglide.com Agila NV ...

Rubber machinery manufacturers, 2002. (Rubber news).(Directory)(Illustration)
March 1, 2002... A&A Machinery Co. (01) No website Private UK Rubber plus Products: I OMix OMill C E People: / 2...

Diary.(industry events)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... 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/ FEBRUARY * Tires & Rubber 2002....

Packaging problems. (postscript).(elastomers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Packaging of elastomers has been a difficult issue for decades. Everyone agrees that it would be a Good Thing if the issues could be resolved and we all started using standard bale sizes. Unfortunately, practical difficulties have got in the...