European Rubber Journal articles from October 2003

European Rubber Journal archives from October 2003

Hexagon Polymers has major plans for growth: acquisition of GFD adds to Hexagon's sales. Further expansion and investments are likely.(Rubber news)
October 1, 2003... Hexagon AB's Polymers Group is pushing for growth in three of its four divisions--custom compounding, heat exchanger gaskets and rubber and plastics wheels--according to the Swedish group's chief financial officer Haken Halen, speaking in a 29...

Fenner Dunlop to idle site.(ERJ newsbriefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Charlotte, North Carolina--Fenner Dunlop Conveyor Belting Americas will temporarily idle its Bracebridge, Ontario, facility beginning 1 Jan 2004, because of a soft North American conveyor belt market. The shutdown will result in 90 layoffs...

Sri Lanka's polymer sector online.(ERJ newsbriefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Brussels -- A new database on the rubber and plastics sectors in Sri Lanka and Europe developed by the European Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, is available on the internet at www.eccsl.com. The information has been collected in a project...

WHO--more condoms in Asia.(ERJ newsbriefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Laos -- The World Health Organisation, holding its annual meeting in Laos, has called for millions more condoms to be supplied into Asia, to help reduce the spread of AIDS and to control birth rates The organisation is trying to persuade...

Bridgestone unveils new expansions in Asia: Japanese group's investment programme continues apace amid improving business trends.(Tyre news)
October 1, 2003... Bridgestone Corp. is investing [yen] 9000 million ($76 million) to expand production capacity for truck and bus radial tyres in Japan and Thailand, the company announced 8 Aug. The expansion includes a [yen] 2000-million investment in Japan...

Pirelli setting up tyre plant in Indonesia?(ERJ newsbriefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Jakarta -- Pirelli SpA is evaluating the feasibility of buying or setting up a tyre plant in Indonesia, but a company spokesman said the study is still preliminary. Asian media--quoting Pirelli's general representative in Indonesia, Luigi...

Sumitomo plans to expand Japanese plant.(ERJ newsbriefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Tokyo -- Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd says it is investing [yen] 11 500 million ($96.5 million) to expand the production capacity of its tyre plant in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. The expansion, it said, is part of a [yen] 23 000-million...

IRSG to study tyre, rubber parts market in China.(ERJ newsbriefs)
October 1, 2003... London -- The international Rubber Study Group in conjunction with the Economic and Social Institute, of the Free University of Amsterdam is to carry out a multi-client study entitled The future of the tyre and rubber sector of China and...

British Vita buys small French TPE compounder: purchase of French unit adds clean-room medical TPEs to Vita's range.(Rubber news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... British Vita plc has bought the thermoplastic elastomer compounding business of Polytex SAS, based at St Projet, near Toulouse in southern France, for 0.7 million [euro] ($0.78 million). Polytex had sales in 2002 of 2.5 million [euro], and...

Lord Corp. reorganises group structure: merger of units will allow better service, group says. Above: Lord's European technical centre in Strasbourgh, France, opened mid-2002.(Rubber News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Rubber-to-metal bonding expert Lord Corp. has reorganised, "merging its business units under common leadership, said a statement from the Cary, North Carolina-based organisation. Announcing the change, Richard McNeel, president and chief...

GenCorp earnings to fall.(ERJ newsbriefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Sacramento, California -- GenCorp Inc. has lowered its third-quarter earnings estimate be cause of poor performance by its GDX Auto motive vehicle sealing unit. The company now expects a loss of 4 to 8 cents per share instead of a gain of 4 to...

Moulding speakers wanted.(ERJ newsbriefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Akron, Ohio -- The second annual International Rubber Molding Conference invites papers on all aspects of manufacturing moulded rubber products, The conference will be held 27-28 April 2004 at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel Cleveland, Ohio....

No deal for Federal-Mogul.(ERJ newsbriefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Southfield, Michigan -- A US Bankruptcy Court has denied a request from seal maker Federal-Mogul Corp. to allow it to negotiate a $350-million investment from Citigroup Venture Capital Equity Partners LP. Federal-Mogul disclosed the denial...

Dana to shutter 14 more facilities by end of 2003: five-year closures plan will almost halve the number of Dana facilities.(Rubber news)
October 1, 2003... Dana Corp. plans to close another 14 plants in its Engine & Fluid Management Group by 2005, including some that make rubber products. The shutdowns will follow the closing of six other factories in the group by the end of this year, which...

New fire-test operation for Dunlop Aerospace: aerospace seals maker's new fire test unit will allow faster part development. And the firm can now offer a commercial fire-testing service.(Rubber news)
October 1, 2003... Dunlop Aerospace Precision Rubber, based in Shepshed, UK, has invested around 250 000 [pounds sterling] ($400 000) in a new fire-test facility near Stockport, UK, said Brian Lee, the firm's technical manager for aerospace products. The...

Gates to exit auto-hose in Europe, grow in China: Gates' strategy involves adding low-cost production and expanding in Asia. But the European automotive hose business is destined for closure.(Rubber news)
October 1, 2003... Tomkins plc is continuing to reorganise its industrial and automotive division, which includes the power transmission belt and fluid power businesses of Gates Corp. The aim is to cut costs, and gain better operating efficiency. "Overall...

Telecoms crisis and slow economy affect Datwyler: Helvoet Pharma unit is doing well, sales rose in rubber + plastics unit, but slump in cables sector causes Datwyler's total sales to drop.(Rubber news)
October 1, 2003... Swiss group Datwyler is investing in a new low-cost manufacturing location for its Rubber + Plastics division, adding to its existing low-cost site in Now Bydzov, 100 km south of Prague in the Czech Republic. Currently, the new plant,...

Better standards for physical testing of rubber.(ERJ newsbriefs)
October 1, 2003... London -- The British Standards Institute has produced two new publications to help rubber companies compare both single-point and multi-point data. For BS 903-3--Physical testing of rubber. Part 3 on acquisition and presentation of...

Tillotson Healthcare files for bankruptcy: US latex glove maker sells its assets and calls it a day. The Tillotson Corp. glove business of other family members is still operating.(Rubber news)
October 1, 2003... Tillotson Healthcare Corp. has closed its doors and filed for liquidation under Chapter 7 of the US Bankruptcy Code. It also has sold most of its assets in two separate transactions, according to international Latex Conference attendees and...

Catheters become X-ray opaque with nano-filler.(ERJ newsbriefs)
October 1, 2003... * A new nano-technology material which allows latex products such as catheters to be detected by X-rays has been made commercially available by Nanophase Technologies Corp. The bismuth oxide nanoparticles can be incorporated into materials...

Goodyear, USWA reach tentative contract: Huntsville tyre plant is to close as Goodyear and union agree labour contract--in principle.(Tyre news)
October 1, 2003... Goodyear and the United Steelworkers of America have a tentative agreement on a three-year master contract--but one of the company's tyre plants and its workers will be casualties of the new pact. After intense bargaining, negotiators...

Bridgestone Australia decides against lockout: Japanese tyre maker goes back to negotiating table in labour dispute.(Tyre news)
October 1, 2003... Bridgestone Australia Ltd has decided against locking out workers at its Salisbury tyre plant. The company will instead reconvene labour negotiations with union representatives there in an attempt to resolve the issues separating the parties....

Marangoni plans further growth in Brazil.(Tyre news)
October 1, 2003... Marangoni Group plans to add mixing facilities to its premoulded tread plant in Brazil, located in Lagoa Santa, in the Bole Horizonte area, Minas Gerais state. Marangoni will invest a total of 3 million [euro] ($3.25 million) to install a new...

Shanghai Tyre long-term credit rating downgraded.(ERJ newsbriefs)
October 1, 2003... * Hong Kong -- Xinhua Far East China Credit Ratings has downgraded Shanghai Tyre & Rubber Co. Ltd's long-term credit rating to C from B minus. The ratings firm cited overdue debt, accounting for nearly 4.1 percent of Shanghai Tyre's gross debt...

Goodyear to cut another 500 staff in North America.(ERJ newsbriefs)
October 1, 2003... * Akron, Ohio -- Goodyear said on 28 Aug that it intends to eliminate about 500 salaried and non bargaining unit jobs spread among most of its North American Tire unit's manufacturing sites by the end of September Each location is developing...

Lufthansa CityLine opts for Dunlop tyres.(ERJ newsbriefs)
October 1, 2003... * Birmingham, UK -- Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Ltd (DATL) has won a three-year contract to supply tyres to Lufthansa CityLine for the German airline's fleet of 43 Bombardier CRJ 100 and 200 regional jets. The deal is worth around 1 million [euro]...

Yokohama starts push into Russian tyre market.(ERJ newsbriefs)
October 1, 2003... * Tokyo -- Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd intends to increase sales of its tyros in Russia, which it sees a "critical strategic market," especially for high-performance tyres, according to a statement from the Japanese tyre maker, at the start of the...

Degussa reorganises in antioxidants for rubber: chemicals supplier to close German plant, consolidate BHT production in Spain.(Supplier news)(Degussa AG)(Raschig GmbH)
October 1, 2003... Degussa AG is restructuring its antioxidant business. The company is consolidating production of its BHT (butylated hydroxy toluene) material at Sant Celoni, near Barcelona, Spain, and closing the former Raschig GmbH plant in Ludwigshafen,...

Letter to the editor.
October 1, 2003... From Manu M Patel, Director of Apar Industries Ltd, Polymers Division, India. We are regular subscribers to your journal, which we find gives concise and concentrated useful data. But I was dismayed to read a comment in your recent...

Flexsys claims patent victory.(ERJ newsbriefs)
October 1, 2003... Brussels--The European Patent Office has reversed an earlier decision concerning the validity of Flexsys SA's patent for production of 4 amino-diphenylamine (4-ADPA)--a key intermediate in the manufacture of para-phenylene diamine (PPD) rubber...

CIA gives Tom Swan award.(ERJ newsbriefs)(Chemical Industries Association)
October 1, 2003... London -- Tom Swan, owner and chairman of chemical supplier Thomas Swan & Co., of Consett. UK, has gained a special award from the UK's Chemical Industries Association. Praising Swan's "outstanding leadership and personal dedication" the...

Robinson Bros' new distributors.(ERJ newsbriefs)
October 1, 2003... West Bromwich, UK -- Rubber chemicals supplier Robinson Brothers Ltd has appointed new distributors for its Robac range. Ramkem SA will serve the market in Sweden, Norway and Finland, while CMS Chemicals will add Poland to its existing area...

Volumes high at Zeon, but costs are rising: Japanese rubber group evolving product lineup for European market.(Supplier news)
October 1, 2003... Rubber supplier Zeon Corp. expects its European business to benefit from a byproduct of the elastomer manufacturing operations, and while it is shipping healthy volumes of rubber, rising raw materials prices threaten to force prices up. ...

Zeon plans masterbatch operation in China.(ERJ newsbriefs)
October 1, 2003... Tokyo -- Zeon Corp. is to establish a company in Guangzhou, China, to manufacture and sell carbon masterbatch (CMB) raw material tot use in automotive rubber parts. The company, called Zeon Polymix (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd, will start...

Bayer shutting Marl butadiene rubber plant.(ERJ newsbriefs)
October 1, 2003... Leverkusen, Germany -- Bayer Polymers AG, part of Bayer AG, is shutting down its cobalt-polybutadiene (CoBR) plant in Marl, Germany The 45 kilotonne-per-annum facility is operated by subsidiary Bayer Buna GmbH. The closure is scheduled for...

Tyrfil sales team enhanced.(ERJ people)(Chemical Innovations Ltd.)
October 1, 2003... * Chemical Innovations Ltd has strengthened its Tyrfil sales team by appointing Chris Lubberson as technical sales representative. Tyrfil is a range of puncture proofing systems for industrial and off-road tyres. CIL has also appointed...

Allerton to head DAPR fire test unit.(ERJ people)(Dunlop Aerospace Precision Rubber)
October 1, 2003... * Andrew Allerton will head the new Stockport, UK-based fire test unit set up by Dunlop Aerospace Precision Rubber of Sheshed, UK. Allerton previously ran the BAE operation which carried out these important tests for the aerospace supplier.

Degussa appoints Lee to Akron.(ERJ people)(Kenneth Lee)(Akron Technical Centre)
October 1, 2003... * Kenneth Lee is to be the technical director for the Akron Technical Centre of Degussa's Advanced Fillers and Pigments unit. He moves to Akron, Ohio, to take responsibility for technical marketing activities of all products associated with the...

Roe rejoins Chronos Richardson.(ERJ people)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... * Marlin Roe has re-joined the Chronos Richardson Batching Systems Group as regional sales manager Roe will join John Dance, John Eaton and Steve Bowmar in promoting the group's products around the world and will be responsible for sales into...

Robinson names chemical manager.(ERJ people)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... * West Bromwich, UK-based speciality chemicals supplier Robinson Brothers Ltd has appointed Adrian Hanrahan as chemicals business manager Hanrahan was previously with adhesives supplier Devcon Europe.

Materials expert for PPE.(ERJ people)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... * Seals specialist Precision Polymer Engineering Ltd of Blackburn, UK, has appointed Vincent Ng as head of materials technology, where he will be in charge of new elastomer development. Ng has experience of sales in the Asia Pacific region,...

Parker Hannifin promotion.(ERJ people)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... * The board of Parker Hannifin Corp. has elected Craig Maxwell vice president of technology & innovation

Top changes at Bayer.(ERJ people)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... * Peter Vanacker, currently head of the Polymer Solutions marketing division of Bayer Polymers Americas, will join the executive committee of the future Bayer Polymers subgroup on 1 Sept He will take over as head of the Europe, Middle East and...

Hincker to head Gates unit.(ERJ people)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Earlier this year, Gales Corp. appointed Francois Hincker vice president of its Fluid Power Division Europe. Hincker became responsible for the manufacturing, sales and marketing of all Gates hydraulic hose and connector products in Europe...

Changes at Trafford Rubber.(ERJ people)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... * Trafford Rubber Products Ltd, a UK supplier of roller covering compounds, has promoted Vicki Higginson to sales and marketing director. Her duties as general manager are being taken on by Les Cotton who becomes operations manager--and...

Ian Parkin for MUTA president.(ERJ people)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... * The UK's Made Up Textiles Association, which represents the technical textiles industry has elected Ian Parker as its president Parker is managing director of family tarpaulin-making firm JR Parkin Ltd of Bradford, Yorkshire. Members of MUTA...

TC45 wants to raise test reproducibility in rubber: standards committee aims to help rubber companies with issues surrounding comparability of testing, such as calibration of equipment.(Rubber news)
October 1, 2003... A gathering in London 5-11 Oct aims to iron out some of the conflicting issues surrounding standards in the rubber industry. About 100 rubber industry experts will come to London for the 51st meeting of the ISO TC 45--the technical committee...

EC plans call for official registration of all chemicals: proposed EC legislation will force companies to prove that their chemicals are safe, rather than putting the burden on governments to prove they are hazardous.(Health and Safety)
October 1, 2003... Under a controversial European Commission proposal, known as REACH, for Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals, all chemicals made or sold in the EU risk being banned, unless they are accompanied by public data on potential...

DSM restructures to cut costs: in the short term, DSM's Elastomers business will concentrate on its strengths--EPDM terpolymers--as it closes a plant in the US and plans another in China. In the mid-term, DSM experts to develop its thermoplastic elastomer business with new materials and new process.(EPDM business)
October 1, 2003... The closure of DSM Elastomers EPD plant in Addis, Louisiana, is the most visible part of DSM Elastomers' current restructuring programme, but behind the scenes much more has been going on. Ben van Kooten took charge of the business from his...

Tyre sector puts in strong first-half performance: Bridgestone and Hankook post strong first half results, while Goodyear remains in the red.(European Tyre Report)
October 1, 2003... Of the world's major tyre makers, Bridgestone Corp. and Hankook Tire Co. Ltd reported the strongest first-half 2003 performance, chalking up double-digit--and triple-digit in Hankook's case--increases in both operating and net income. At...

Nokian sales, earnings improve.(European Tyre Report)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Nokia, Finland -- Nokian Tyres plc reported increased sales and earnings in its second quarter and half year, and management is positive about the company's goal to exceed last year's results for the whole year. Operating profit for the...

Toyo's North American sales rise, income drops.(European Tyre Report)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Tokyo -- Sales by Toyo Tire & Rubber Co.'s North American business units grew 12.7 percent last year compared with 2001, but expenses outgrew sales to leave operating income 54.3 percent below the 2001 performance. Toyo reported $438.2...

Marangoni wins orders in Hungary: retreading supplier gains business in Eastern Europe, and sells Hungarian firm Schlosser the country's first shearographic tyre inspection system.(European Tyre Report)
October 1, 2003... Hungary's current total market for precured retreads is about 50 000 units, a quarter of which are made using materials and technology from Marangoni Retreading Systems, according to a statement from Verona, Italy-based Marangoni. ...

Bridgestone expands Belgian site.(European Tyre Report)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... * Brussels -- Bridgestone Europe NV/SA has officially opened an extension to its European distribution centre, in the port of Zeebrugge, Belgium. At 56 000[m.sup.2]--double its previous size--the unit will hold up to 800 000 passenger car...

European tyre plants 2003 data.(European Tyre Report)
October 1, 2003... European tyre plants 2003 data The following table lists 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...

European car sales rise 2.9 percent in June 2003.(ERJ dataflow)
October 1, 2003... 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 natural rubber on the Singapore commodity exchange is possibly the most important...

Diary.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... 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/ OCTOBER * International rubber...

Tortoise, or hare?(postscript)
October 1, 2003... One of the more interesting aspects of my job is that I sometimes get to sit and chat about corporate strategy with some brilliant people--people who run large companies. Often, during a formal interview, I am working hard, taking notes,...