September 2020

Thailand, the world’s largest natural rubber supplier, is ramping up domestic production of gloves with the coronavirus outbreak fueling a global shortage.

The prospects for natural rubber prices are rising, boosted by a sharp uptick in demand for protective rubber gloves because of the pandemic and limited supply in the world market.

Japanese scientists are proposing a new material for use in the permanent magnets of electric vehicle motors. The incumbent technology – neodymium-iron-boron, sometimes with dysprosium – works well, but Nd and Dy are considered minerals or strategic importance by nations which mine them, and are mostly found in China where exports are restricted.

Order visibility of glove makers is expected to continue at least until the first half of 2021 on the back of the current strong demand for glove globally.

Hartalega Holdings Bhd has commissioned four production lines at Plant 6 of its Next Generation Integrated Glove Manufacturing Complex (NGC) to accelerate its production capacity.

Nissan Motor Thailand reportedly announced to its dealers in a letter, stating that production and distribution of the Nissan Sylphy, Teana and X-Trail models will end on September 1.

Thailand is looking to increase electric vehicle (EV) production to 30% of the country’s total industry volume (TiV) over the next 10 years, the National News Bureau of Thailand reports. The plan to electrify cars, motorcycles and buses is part of the strategy to cut levels of hazardous PM2.5 air pollution that have plagued the country.