European Rubber Journal articles from October 2002

European Rubber Journal archives from October 2002

Icon buys ContiTech's brake seals unit; UK group expands core automotive brake diaphragm unit into `worm player' with 1-million [pounds sterling] purchase of German business. (Rubber news).(Icon Polymer Group Ltd.)
October 1, 2002... Icon Polymer Group has bought the brake-chamber diaphragm (BCD) business of ContiTech Holding GmbH in Germany. The deal takes the UK group a step closer to achieving its stated aim of having 50-million [pounds sterling] ($70-million) turnover...

Dow, Hydrogenics develop fuel cell stack seals.(Dow Corning Corp., Hydrogenics Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Midland, Michigan -- Dew Corning Corp. has signed an agreement to jointly commercialise a process for sealing fuel cell stacks which use proton-exchange membrane technology. Seal-in-place technology for fuel cells--developed by Dew Corning...

Freudenberg-NOK develops elastomers for LIM.(liquid injection molding )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Plymouth, Michigan--Freudenberg-NOK GP has developed a family of high performance synthetic elastomers that are 100-percent solids but liquid-injectable. The materials, which include liquid fluoroelastomers, EPDM, nitriles and...

Meteor opens profiles plant in Thuringia; doorseals for Mercedes are already rolling out of the new eastern German plant of automotive profiles maker Meteor. (Rubber news).(Meteor Gummiwerke)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Meteor Gummiwerke opened its new automotive profiles plant in Worbis, eastern Germany, 6 Sept, 2002. The Worbis unit will produce doorseals for saloons and coupes, and is currently making doorseal systems for the E-Class Mercedes. Meteor...

Fenner acquires US belting firm Eagle; belting giant Fenner buys small US concern, as last year's purchase of Unipoly Enerka produces a 7.5 million [pounds sterling] refund. (Rubber news).(Fenner PLC, Eagle Belting Co.)
October 1, 2002... Fenner plc expanded its thermoplastic polyurethane belting segment with the 27 Aug purchase of Des Plaines, Illinois-based Eagle Belting Co. The $5.3-million deal includes all Eagle's assets, but the firm is not expecting any changes in...

Trice may close Buffalo plant.(Trice Products Corp., Buffalo, New York)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Buffalo, New York -- Trice Products Corp., part of Tomkins plc is considering closing its Buffalo wiper blade plant for the second time in less than five years. The wiper systems manufacturer notified its 212 employees of the possible...

UK firm develops two-in-one silicone curing unit; silicone part maker develops sideline in affordable high quality equipment and launches patented curing unit. (Rubber news).
October 1, 2002... Silicone rubber manufacturer Truseal Ltd has branched out into machinery supply for the specialist silicone-processing sector. The small UK firm's latest development is a curing unit for silicone rubber extrusions which it claims converts...

Goodyear-Dunlop opens UK warehouse.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Birmingham, UK -- In a ceremony on 5 Sept, the UK arm of Goodyear-Dunlop showed off its new warehouse and national distribution centre to the UK tyre trade. The warehouse--known as TyreFort--is sited adjacent to the original Fort Dunlop...

Phoenix lifts sales, but earnings drop slightly; German group is optimistic, despite tough economy. It feels able to meet market needs--as with current high demand for turbo hose for diesel engined cars. (Rubber news).
October 1, 2002... Much lower than expected demand for air springs for a high-volume car model and high development costs at its Vibracoustic unit affected first half year earnings in Phoenix AG's comfort systems unit. Total operating earnings (earnings...

Rochester Medical signs deal with Coloplast; Danish medical part maker will sell US-made Foley catheters in Europe. (Rubber news).
October 1, 2002... Major Danish medical product supplier Coloplast AS has signed a pact with US-based Rochester Medical Corp. which will expand marketing and distribution of Rochester's silicone catheters into Europe. Coloplast, of Humblebaek, Denmark, will...

Tomkins taking tough route.(Tomkins PLC's reorganization)
October 1, 2002... A new Polychain drive belt unit at Tomkins plc's Gates Rubber Ltd plant in Dumfries, Scotland, is now supplying belts to leading motorcycle manufacturers, including BMW and Harley Davidson. Another feature of Tomkins' power transmission...

Semperit finalises China glove plant acquisition; glove unit is the growth engine for diversified Austrian rubber group. (Rubber news).
October 1, 2002... As can be seen, left, Semperit's new Research & Development Centre at Wimpassing has "extraordinary architecture." The unit, opened in June, has gained prizes for its architecture, the firm said. Austrian rubber group Semperit...

Glove coating launched. (Rubber news).(National Starch & Chemical Co. )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... National Starch & Chemical Co. is set to unveil a powder-free coating polymer for medical gloves which it says will allow glove manufacturers to switch to making powder-free gloves with minimal changes to their current manufacturing processes....

Jury finds for glove makers in trial.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Philadelphia, Pennsylvania--Safeskin Corp. and Johnson & Johnson Inc. had inadequate labelling on their latex gloves regarding allergies. But the nurse who sued them would not have heeded them anyway, a Philadelphia jury decided in denying...

Oregon bans NR latex gloves in food.(natural rubber; food preparation)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Portland, Oregon--The Oregon Department of Human Services has issued a rule banning the use of natural rubber latex gloves in food preparation, effective 1 March, 2003. The rule was prompted by, "a couple of dozen" claims for...

Solid first half results from British Vita: Vita's TPE business strengthened with Swedish Nolato buy. (Rubber news).
October 1, 2002... Despite the tough economic climate, British Vita plc turned in solid results for the first half of the year. The polyurethane foam, non-wovens and industrial polymers producer reported pretax profit up 5 percent over the first half of this...

Indian conference seeks papers for Mumbai; Indian Rubber Expo scheduled for Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai from 10th to 13th February 2003. (Rubber news).
October 1, 2002... Organisers of the Indian Rubber Expo are seeking papers to be presented at the meeting in Mumbai next February. The organisers include the All India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA) and the Chemical & Allied Products Export Promotion...

Gates Rubber selects E-business system.(from Comergent Technologies, U.S.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Redwood City, California--The Gates Rubber Co., provider of hose and belt systems, has selected Comergent Technologies Inc.'s E-business system to power its online catalogue. This will simplify Gates' dealings with its extensive distributor...

EC rejects complaints on Conti's Portugal deal; subsidies to Conti Mabor were legal, EU tells Swedish complainants. (Tyre news).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Portuguese financial aid to help Continental AG expand tyre production at its Mabor-Continental plant in Lousada, Portugal, was within EU rules, according to a European Commission investigation. The investigation followed Swedish complaints...

Brodsky group to buy stake in Alliance Tire: Majority stake in Israeli tyre maker is good opportunity, say US investors. (Tyre news).
October 1, 2002... A US investors' group, led by industry veteran Harvey Brodsky, has offered to buy a 51-percent share in Israel's Alliance Tire Co. (1992) Ltd for $50 million. The investors, operating as Harvey Brodsky Group llc, have studied Alliance off...

Michelin may return to Algeria.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Clermont-Ferrand, France--Group Michelin is seeking to re-establish tyre production in Algeria after a gap of nearly 10 years. However, the return is subject to on-going negotiations with the Algerian government, according to a spokeswoman...

Nokian sales, earnings rise.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Nokia, Finland--Nokian Tyres plc turned in positive results in the second quarter: a 43.3-percent jump in net earnings on 14.5-percent better sales This leaves the firm "well positioned to outperform the results of 2001 in terms of growth...

Pirelli dedicates US tyre plant.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Rome, Georgia--Pirelli Tire North America Inc. has dedicated a $141-million tyre plant in Rome, Georgia The 40 000-[m.sup.2] plant is equipped with Pirelli's Modular Integrated Roboticised System (MIRS) production units, which will be...

Tomkins PLC. (ERJ People).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] TOMKINS PLC has appointed Norman Porter company secretary, replacing Richard Marchant, the former administration director and company secretary, who has retired from the board. Porter was previously group company secretary at Marconi plc and...

AlphaGary. (ERJ People).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Speciality thermoplastic elastomer compounder ALPHAGARY has appointed Simon Hubbard as managing director of its UK operations, based at its new plant in Melton Mowbray. Hubbard was previously managing director at Germany-based automotive...

West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. (ERJ People).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Michael Myers, president of WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES INC.'s Drug Delivery Systems Division, who joined the firm December 2001, has resigned for undisclosed reasons. Senior personnel in the unit will handle day-to-day management reporting...

Wacker Chemical Corp. (ERJ People).
October 1, 2002... [] WACKER CHEMICAL CORP, of Adrian, Michigan, has appointed Elaine Boyd as vice-president performance and advanced materials, Wacker Silicones division, to lead international business, R&D, supply chain and sales and marketing activities. Boyd...

Goodyear's North American Tire. (ERJ People).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] John Polhemus, president of GOODYEAR'S NORTH AMERICAN TIRE segment, will assume direct responsibility for the unit's consumer tyre business, Goodyear's aim is to improve customer focus by top management and speed decision-making, the company...

Lassa Tyres. (ERJ People).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Gunduz Akin is the new manager of LASSA TYRES' London based European export sales unit, replacing Gokhan Cuceloglu. Akin was previously in charge of central and west European sales for Lassa the export arm of Turkish tyre maker Brisa....

General Tire Inc. (ERJ People).(Obituary)
October 1, 2002... [] Alan Ockene, former president and ceo of GENERAL TIRE INC., died 20 Aug in Akron. Ohio, aged 71, Ockene spent almost four years at the helm of General Tire and became the first American to serve on the board of Germany's Continental AG,...

The Made Up Textiles Association. (ERJ People).(Clive Moss)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... THE MADE UP TEXTILES ASSOCIATION has appointed Clive Moss as its first chief executive officer. Moss has the task of making MUTA "an even stronger voice for the UK technical textiles industry," said a statement from the association.

Sartomer Co. (ERJ People).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Speciality chemical maker SARTOMER CO. has promoted Todd Spence to the position of strategic rubber accounts manager, to support rubber compounders worldwide. Spence was previously marketing manager with the company, which supplies resins and...

Rotex Europe. (ERJ People).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] ROTEX EUROPE has made Christian Exsteyl its new after-market manager, based at the firm's Belgian office. The firm supplies bulk-handling equipment to sectors including rubber, and was previously Locker Process Solutions in the UK and Thomas...

Merkle makes cutter.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Mitcham, UK--Cutter supplier PW Merkle Ltd said its new automatic cut-to-length machine (right) handles challenging materials, including soft foams and silicones or tough braided rubber. Parts up to 20 mm diameter can be cut cleanly, and the...

Pirelli in talks with Indian tyre maker Ceat: Ceat may get equipment to make 10 000 radial car tyres a month for Pirelli, if deal succeeds. (Tyre news).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Pirelli SpA has confirmed that it is negotiating an off-take supply contract with Mumbai, India-based tyre maker Ceat Ltd. The deal includes the provision of certain production equipment to Ceat. The Financial Express newspaper of India...

Apollo negotiating to buy Modi factory; Indian tyre makers attempt deal despite ownership dispute at troubled Modi. (Tyre news).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Financially ailing Modi Rubber Ltd is negotiating the sale of a Modi tyre plant to Apollo Tyres Ltd, officials for the two companies said. The proposed deal would have Modi making tyres for Apollo, an Apollo official said. Apollo is...

Federal reports increased sales.
October 1, 2002... [] Taipei, Taiwan--Federal Corp., enjoying strong overseas demand for its products, reported 19.4- and 18.3-percent growth in sales for the second quarter and first half of 2002, respectively. In response to rising demand. Federal is making...

Nokian develops summer tyres.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Nokia, Finland--Nokian Tyres is to launch two high-performance summer car lyres into the consumer market next spring. Labelled Nokian NRVi and Nokian NRY, the tyres are tailored for Central Europe, the US and the Nordic countries, the...

Profits up at Indian tyre firms.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Kerala, India-based Apollo Tyres Ltd has reported a net profit of Rs216.2 million ($4.4 million) for the quarter ended 30 June 2002 compared to Rs91.1 million for the same period a year ago, according to unaudited financial results from the...

Michelin restarts French working deal.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Clermont-Ferrand, France--Groupe Michelin has reinstated its plan for the early retirement of 4900 workers and the recruitment of 2000 new employees over the next five years. Michelin signed the deal last October with unions representing...

Ford has role in Conti problem.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Detroit, Michigan--While Continental Tire North America is taking responsibility for suspected flaws in 600 000 tyres--most of them on large Ford Motor Co. sport utility vehicles--there is a trail of evidence that strongly suggests that the...

Thai plan to lure tyre makers.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Bangkok--The government of Thailand is reported to be spending about one thousand million baht ($24 million) to develop a `Rubber City' in Songkhla. The move is part of the country's efforts to increase rubber consumption and lift prices....

Vredestein uncertain despite gains: cost-cutting measures work for Dutch tyre maker--but the economic climate is problematic. (Tyre news).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Vredestein NV has reported a "marked improvement" in earnings, helped by recent cost-saving measures such as the outsourcing of its bicycle tyre production to Asia. However, the group's management declined to make any forecasts for the whole...

Beru shifting TPM focus from US to Europe: German maker of tyre pressure monitors to aim for high-tech European business rather than US market. (Tyre news).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Unpromising returns from US car makers have prompted Beru AG to shift the focus of its fledgling Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPM) business to Europe. Beru will now concentrate on the European market, in particular on German car makers who...

Goodyear gains in Europe.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Goodyear's operating income in the European Union in July benefited from higher replacement volumes and lower raw material costs, the company reported in its monthly update for investors. During July, Goodyear's shipments of consumer...

Unisphere licenses pyrolysis technology from Metso.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Toronto, Canada--Unisphere Waste Conversion Ltd has completed negotiations on a 10-year agreement with Finnish machinery firm Metso Corp for exclusive North American rights to Metso's patented tyre pyrolysis system. Toronto-based...

Swiss recycling process goes into North America.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Toronto, Canada--Result Technology AG, a Mammern, Switzerland-based recycling firm, has set up business in Toronto to market its patented recycling process in North America. The heart of Result Technology's process is an accelerator...

Sartomer to take Kaucuk range global; marketing deal gives Czech rubber supplier access to wider markets for its polybutadiene materials. (Supplier news).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Sartomer Co. has gained exclusive worldwide rights to market and sell Krasol-brand polybutadiene products from Kaucuk AS, of the Czech Republic. Krasol products are used in the rubber, coatings, adhesives, sealants and polyurethanes...

Zinc firm files for Ch. 11 protection.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Monaca, Pennsylvania--Zinc Corp. of America has filed for Chapter 11 protection to reduce its debt load. The manufacturer of zinc oxide, used in many rubber formulations, filed for protection under the US Bankruptcy Code so that it can...

Dow halts ESI production. (Supplier news).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... DOW Chemical Co. has halted production of ethylene-styrene interpolymers (ESI) at its Sarnia, Ontario, facility, ending a seven-year project to establish commercial markets for the product, tradenamed Index. "We have not been able to...

TPE approved for drinking water contact.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Waldkraiburg, Germany -- Recent approval to two drinking water standards--Germany's KTW and the UK's WRC-BS 6920--means SEBS thermoplastic elastomers from Kraiburg TPEs can be used "in the entire European drinking water zone," the...

DuPont Dow in TPE linkup with PolyOne: elastomer supplier DuPont Dow moves further into TPE field, following deal with compounder. (Rubber news).
October 1, 2002... DuPont Dow Elastomers (DDE) and PolyOne Corp. are to develop thermoplastic elastomer compounds based on polyolefin elastomers from DDE. Under the deal, PolyOne will make a new range of TPE extrusion and moulding compounds based on DDE's...

Asian rubber producers sign new NR pact. (Rubber news).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... Government ministers from Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia signed a Memorandum of Understanding On Rubber Cooperation in Bali, 7 Aug. The agreement formally commits the countries to the previously announced Tripartite Rubber Cooperation. ...

NR prices skyrocket.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... New York -- Natural rubber prices surged to near the 60-cent-per-pound (110c/kg) mark in early Sept in both technically specified rubber and smoked sheet. "This is probably the highest it's been in three or four years," said Dennis Fenley, vice...

Farrel still in the red as sales fall.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Ansonia, Connecticut -- Rubber and plastics machinery maker Farrel Corp. was $467 000 in the red in the second quarter, as sales fell 25.6 percent to $9.18 million, the company reported. The loss compares with a loss of $573 000 a year ago....

PolymerLatex gets control.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... [] Bromsgrove, UK -- Polymer Latex Ltd is the first user of a new fail-safe control system from Siemens Automation and Drives The Bromsgrove, UK-polymer supplier is using the device to manage an PG installation used to make latex.

Electrical switches use conductive rubber. (Conductive rubber).
October 1, 2002... Conductive rubbers have been used to build pressure sensors and switches for some time. The first materials on the market lacked stability and durability. However, new developments in manufacturing and mixing processes have led to improved...

Conti signs with Moscow Tyre. (Tyre news).
October 1, 2002... Hanover -- Continental AG has signed a joint venture with Moscow Tyre Plant. The deal allows Conti to take part of the Moscow factory and build a modern tyre plant with initial capacity for 1.5 million car and light truck tyres per year, rising...

Russian meeting highlights progress. (Tyre news).
October 1, 2002... Russian tyre makers have been told to be aware of the commercialisation of runflat technologies as the next major shift of emphasis in this sector. They also heard a series of other messages from western companies participating in a recent...

World's top tyre makers. (European Tyre Report).
October 1, 2002... Groupe Michelin, despite unfavourable currency swings, is back on top of the world's tyre makers. The French company posted 2001 tyre sales of $13 400 million, 1.7 percent better than in the previous year. Michelin's gains coincided with...

Top tyre maker hope for better times. (European Tyre Report).
October 1, 2002... The last year has not been kind to the tyre industry. Taken together, the top ten tyre makers made a large collective loss, and only one third of the world's tyro makers reported results better than a year ago. A detailed breakdown of the...

European tyre plants 2001 data. (European Tyre Plants).
October 1, 2002... The following tables list tyre-making facilities throughout the world. Plant information shows: the year a factory opened; whether some of the workers are represented in a union *; the number of employees at the facility; the types of tyre made...

Scrap tyres in Europe. (TAIEX seminar).
October 1, 2002... Tyre recycling in the EU has been extensively studied and reported upon. There are a number of major EU initiatives which affect the business of disposing of end-of-life tyres, and these will progressively come into force within the region over...

EU candidates: good, bad and unready. (TAIEX seminar).
October 1, 2002... Many of the prospective members of the expanded European Union--notably the Czech Republic, and Slovakia--have the necessary legislation in place and the capacity to deal with all end of life tyres (ELTs) that arise each year in their...

Routes to ELT disposal. (TAIEX seminar).
October 1, 2002... European Union legislation is forcing the tyre industry to think out ways to dispose of their tyres. While many point to burning tyres in cement kilns, this can be considered only a medium-term solution. Emissions legislation will prevent...

Diary.(Calendar)
October 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/ SEPTEMBER * 2002 Polyolefins &...

Scrap tyre issue is (nearly) solved. (postscript).(European Union legislation)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2002... For some years I have thought privately that the scrap tyre issue is solved in all but the implementation. There are enough technologies available to deal with all the new scrap tyre arisings and the existing stockpiles. Furthermore, the...