Changing with the Times
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April 8, 2019 The Rubber Industry’s International Newspaper $99 per year. $4.50 per copy Changing with the times Symbio’s hydrogen fuel cells are zero-emis- sion and recharge in three to five minutes. Symbio JV to push fuel cell technology By Kyle Brown One of Goodyear’s recent development Rubber & Plastics News Staff deals is to supply Local Motors with an CLERMONT-FERRAND, France—Miche- exclusive tire fitment for its Olli vehicles. lin and Faurecia are coming together to ac- celerate automotive fuel cell technology. The two companies signed a memorandum Goodyear branches out to address new mobility trends of understanding to create a joint venture in Symbio, previously a subsidiary of Michelin, By Bruce Meyer at such iconic venues as the recent Geneva International according to a Michelin spokesman. The com- Rubber & Plastics News Staff Motor Show. pany will develop, produce and market hydro- AKRON—Chris Helsel, Goodyear’s senior vice president “At Goodyear, our New Ventures team includes our inno- gen fuel cells for light and utility vehicles and and chief technology officer, must need a large score card to vation labs, which we’ve positioned to test, learn and build trucks, as well as for other applications. keep up with the activities of his global research and devel- solutions with players in the new mobility space, from Fabio Ferrari, Symbio founder and CEO, opment team. fast-growing start-ups to more established companies,” started the company about 10 years ago with Working out of four global innovation Helsel said in an email. “And we have a global incubation a goal for commercializing fuel cell technolo- labs, the Akron-based firm has a and deployment team who takes these solutions to market, gy after working with the French Alternative broad range of ongoing projects, working closely with our regional business units.” Energies and Atomic Energy Commission many focused on the future of AI The labs are located at its headquarters in Akron, (CEA) to find the right market for the prod- transportation and mobili- which has access to the regional center of emerging uct, he said. ty, and others looking to automotive technologies; in Luxembourg, with a “They have been developing fuel cell sys- improve the performance close proximity to key OEMs and as the tire tems for about 30 years now. They’re really of its tires that are used in maker’s main connection point in Europe; in good at the technology, and they were look- today’s world. There are Shanghai, which is the hub for the rapid develop- ing for ways to put it into the market,” Ferra- numerous partnerships, ment of electric vehicles as well as a place to ri said. “I worked with them for about one trends to keep up with See our special report that scout for new materials technology; and San year to define where are the right market Helsel and splashes to be made begins on Page 10. See Goodyear, page 21 See Symbio, page 22 Kraton expands Cariflex production in Brazil By Miles Moore Kraton market development director customers, including the demand for ternatives for Cariflex, including a Rubber & Plastics News Staff for Cariflex Polyisoprene Products. Cariflex IR0401 latex, Cariflex IR2GL1 possible sale. Kevin Fogarty, Kraton PAULINIA, Brazil—Kraton Corp.’s “Cariflex is a growing and profitable latex and potential new innovations.” CEO and president, reiterated this planned expansion of Cariflex polyiso- business,” Henderson said. “Whether it Kraton announced early in March during a Feb. 28 conference call in which prene production at its Paulinia facility remains within Kraton or belongs to that it had approved construction of a Kraton executives discussed the compa- is an acknowledgment of the growing another owner in semi works latex ny’s fourth-quarter and full-year finan- demand for Cariflex, according to the the future does not unit in Paulinia for cial results. Houston-based company. matter. production of Cari- The semi works expansion will add However, the expansion should not “In either case, flex IR2GL1 latex. about 1,900 square feet to the Paulinia be taken as a commentary on whether we want the busi- This announce- complex, according to Henderson. or not Kraton will divest the Cariflex ness to be in a position to supply the ment came after Kraton’s Feb. 19 state- “To scale up a product from our lab business, said Philippe Henderson, growing needs of our existing and future ment that it was reviewing strategic al- See Kraton, page 22 ©Entire contents copyright 2019 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved. NOMINATE YOUR COMPANY AS ONE OF THE RUBBER INDUSTRY’S BEST PLACES TO WORK! See page 16 for more information. www.RubberNews.com/BestPlaces TIRE www.rubbernews.com Rubber & Plastics News • April 8, 2019 3 Cooper Standard finalizes AVS divestment to Conti Dow completes spin off, relisting Crain’s Detroit Business NOVI, Mich.—Cooper Standard Automo- growth for its customers, “leveraging three advantaged tive Inc. has completed the divestiture of its MIDLAND, Mich.—Dow Inc. is about to make its debut building blocks—ethylene, propylene and silicones—to anti-vibration systems business to Conti- on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, replacing DowDu- power one of the deepest chemistry sets in the industry.” nental A.G. for $265.5 million, subject to Pont Inc., as the Midland-based giant breaks up into three DowDuPont, formed by the $130 billion merger of chem- certain adjustments. smaller companies. ical giants Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co. in 2017, is The firm said in an April 1 news release The company formally spun off from DowDuPont Inc. on splitting into three companies: Dow Inc., DuPont and that the estimated net cash proceeds after April 1, and began trading on the New York Stock Ex- Corteva Agriscience. taxes and transaction-related expenses and change under the trade symbol DOW on April 2. Corteva is expected to officially spin off in June. fees are expected to be about $220 million to “Today marks the beginning of a new and exciting chap- Dow Inc. also joined the S&P 500 on April 2, replacing $225 million. The transaction included facil- ter for Dow,” CEO Jim Fitterling said in a statement. “The Brighthouse Financial, S&P Dow Jones Indices said in a ities in Auburn, Ind.; Mitchell, Ontario; and changes we have made to Dow’s portfolio, cost structure separate statement. Rennes, France, as well as AVS-related as- and mindset are significant. The new Dow is a more fo- Replacing DowDuPont with Dow will maintain the sets in Poland and China, and an equity in- cused and streamlined company with a clear playbook to benchmark’s exposure to the materials sector, and its terest in a joint venture in India. deliver long-term earnings growth and value creation for price weight within the Dow Jones Industrial Average will The divested AVS business has about all stakeholders.” be similar to DowDuPont’s before its breakup, S&P Dow 1,000 employees and offers a comprehensive The company added that Dow is positioned to drive Jones Indices said. portfolio of anti-vibration systems, technolo- gies and products to automotive OEMs that mitigate vehicle noise, vibration and harsh- ness, and enhance ride and handling. U.S. tire trade deficit falls again Continental begins production at Thailand tire plant China remains country’s largest trading partner RAYONG, Thailand—Continental A.G.’s By Bruce Davis car and light truck tire plant in Rayong has Tire Business started production on schedule, two years WASHINGTON—Despite measur- after the company broke ground on the ably lower exports of passenger and $265 million project. light truck tires to the U.S. in 2018, The plant is designed to produce up to 4 China was the U.S.’ largest trading million tires per year for Thailand and the partner in the tire sector for a second Asia-Pacific region by 2022, Continental said, straight year, slightly ahead of Thai- with up to 900 employees at full production. land. The facility is Conti’s sixth tire plant in Overall, the value of imports into the Asia-Pacific region and 20th worldwide. the U.S. of tires of all kinds last year The firm said it improves the balance of increased 7.8 percent over 2017 to Continental’s global manufacturing foot- $14.8 billion, while the value of ex- print and strengthens its production capac- ports jumped nearly 28 percent to ities for Asia-Pacific. $5.23 billion, according to U.S. De- Conti said the Rayong site covers 185 partment of Commerce data. acres, which provides sufficient space for a As a result, the nation’s tire-related potential expansion to up to 25 million trade deficit shrank 6.8 percent to tires per year. $9.6 billion compared to 2017. This is the second straight year the deficit Correction has shrunk. Last year was the first Coin Holdings—started production rounded out the top five. Vietnam time in decades. this past year at its joint venture had the largest improvement, with In the story “Lehigh making headway un- China retained the title as the U.S.’ truck/bus tire plant in Rayong Prov- units shipped rising 31.9 percent to der Michelin ownership,” in the March 25 is- largest trading partner in tires as the ince, and Prinx Chengshan Tire Co. 8.52 million, good for No. 7 on the list. sue of Rubber & Plastics News, Kedar Murthy’s value of its overall exports to the U.S. Ltd. has acquired land in Thailand The average declared value per tire name was misspelled. He is vice president and jumped 21.8 percent over 2017 to as the potential site for a new plant.