January 2020

Yokohama is venturing into new territory with its RS02 radial snow tire, an offering that has been developed to give G2 graders optimal winter performance. Two years in development, the RS02 is designed to provide superior grip on snow and ice as well as durability in extreme conditions.

Condoms and car tyres helped make Thailand a US$6 billion latex powerhouse. Now, the industry wants to plaster the plant material on faces and use it to stop coastal erosion in a makeover designed to keep more rubber profits at home.

Bridgestone Americas announced the release of the new Bridgestone M704 all-position tire, designed to provide fleets optimal performance in wet weather conditions. Engineered for regional pickup and delivery service applications, the Bridgestone M704 tire is uniquely suited for the steer and drive axle positions.

With electrification and autonomy, the automotive industry is about to swirl into the center of a historic maelstrom.

International Business Machines (IBM) says it has developed a new battery with technology that doesn’t require the use of heavy metals such as nickel and cobalt, instead utilising materials extracted from seawater. The equally big news is that the battery could outperform lithium-ion in performance as well as cost. The design features a cobalt and nickel-free cathode and a safe liquid electrolyte, which has a high flash point.

It’s high time castor oil was replaced as the plasticizer of choice for tire curing bladders, says Dr Volker Börger, head of chemistry and technology at Schill+Seilacher ‘Struktol’. What will you be speaking about at the conference? Tire curing bladders are a big investment, so maximizing their service life can make a considerable financial difference to tire manufacturers. Ensuring the bladders last as long as possible heavily depends on being able to stave off cracks in the rubber.

Indonesia is the second-largest producer and exporter of rubber and the fourth-largest producer of coffee and cocoa globally. The three commodities combined comprised about US$1.88 billion of the country’s total exports.

Carbonylation is one of the most important types of reaction in the chemical industry, and it involves the catalysed introduction of a CO group into organic compounds.

The government says it is looking into a potential restructuring of import duties on cars, with both the finance ministry and the ministry of international trade and industry (MITI) involved in discussions, according to finance minister Lim Guan Eng. Lim said that a joint committee comprising officials from both ministries – and chaired by the two ministers in charge – is studying the matter, The Malaysian Insight reports.

Bridgestone announced it will make its first-ever appearance at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Jan. 7-10, 2020. As part of its interactive showcase, the company will spotlight a number of mobility solutions that enable an autonomous future with a focus on extended mobility, improved safety and increased efficiency.

Overall supply of the natural rubber is expected to be tight in the first quarter of 2020, which will likely lead to the continuous rising of rubber prices, according to an annual report on the Xinhua-HSF natural rubber series price indexes (2018-2019).