June 28, 2021 I $99 per year, $4.50 per copy The Rubber Industry’s International Newspaper No slowing down Michelin embracing future technologies to drive future growth By Erin Pustay Beaven tics recycling, cargo ship sails, hydrogen elec- Rubber & Plastics News Staff tric vehicle charging stations and even the GREENVILLE, S.C.—Make no mistake, Miche- medical industry. And while some of those in- lin makes tires. vestments may seem unconventional, each one That has been the heart and soul of the comes back to a simple premise: responsibility. company since 1889, and that won’t be chang- “When we say Michelin is motion today, we ing any time soon, even if the company changes mean that Michelin is in motion for our cus- a little along the way. tomers, we are in motion for people and also for The world’s largest tire maker has estab- our environment,” Alexis Garcin, chairman lished a long-term vision for its business that is and president of Michelin North America Inc., built on three pillars: people, profit and planet. told Rubber & Plastics News. “Because what we In the decades ahead, Michelin intends to grow deeply believe at Michelin is that we should not by establishing key partnerships and making oppose the economical growth and the mobility strategic investments in technologies, materi- of the people because motion is life. We should als and developments that drive not just the not oppose that to the protection of the envi- tire industry, but sustainable mobility overall. ronment. It is not either or. It is with.” That journey may connect Michelin to plas- See Michelin, page 18 Alexis Garcin, chairman and president of Michelin North America Inc. NAHAD Conference 2021 Coverage on page 4. Split decision ITC a rms duties on certain Asian P/LT tires, dismisses Vietnam from case By Bruce Davis Commerce are: percent on all other companies. Tire Business • In South Korea—Hankook P/LT tire imports from the WASHINGTON—The Interna- Tire & Technology Co. Ltd., 27.05 targeted nations totaled 85.4 tional Trade Commission has percent; Nexen Tire Corp., 14.72 million units in 2020, accord- voted to uphold the imposition percent; “all others” 21.74 percent. ing to U.S. Commerce Depart- of antidumping duties on con- • In Taiwan—Cheng Shin ment data, including 13.8 mil- sumer tires from South Korea, Rubber Industry Co. Ltd./Maxxis lion from Vietnam. Semperit photo by Jason Buch Photography Taiwan and Thailand, but ter- International, 20.04 percent; The USW, which represents Semperit A.G. Holding’s new facility will manufacture, warehouse and distribute minated the investigation into Nankang Rubber Industry Co. approximately 12,000 workers at rubber gaskets, seals and expansion joints. dumping from Vietnam. Ltd., 101.84 percent; “all others,” eight consumer tire factories in The vote was 4-1, with Re- 84.75 percent. the U.S., “welcomed” the ITC’s publican Commissioner David • In Thailand—Sumitomo decision, saying it affirms what Johanson dissenting. Rubber (Thailand) Co. Ltd., 14.62 USW members see every day: “a Semperit centers on N.A. The Commission affirmed the percent; LLIT (Thailand) Co. deliberate effort to undercut our imposition of countervailing du- Ltd. (Linglong), 21.09 percent; domestic industry and overtake ties on said imports from Vietnam. “all others,” 17.08 percent. our market.” with new Georgia seal plant The decision cements elevat- In Vietnam, Commerce had de- The USW represents workers By Andrew Schunk for specialized construction window ed import duties on nearly $3.5 termined five named compa- at plants operated by Cooper Rubber & Plastics New Staff profiles, building facade seals, road billion in imports from the nies—Sailun Vietnam Co. Ltd.; Tire & Rubber Co. (Findlay, NEWNAN, Ga.—Semperit A.G. and bridge expansion joints, and three remaining Asian lands, Kenda Rubber (Vietnam) Co. Ltd.; Ohio, and Texarkana, Ark.); Holding, a European producer of other sealing components. as determined earlier by the Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing Goodyear (Fayetteville, N.C., hydraulic and industrial hoses, It also will serve as a distribution U.S. Commerce Department, Vietnam L.L.C.; Kumho Tire and Topeka, Kan.); Michelin conveyor belts, extruded gaskets hub for conveyance products, though which based its ruling on its (Vietnam) Co. Ltd.; and Yokoha- North America Inc. (Fort Wayne, and other products, will Semperit will not manufac- belief that such tires “are be- ma Tyre Vietnam Co. Ltd.—did Ind., and Tuscaloosa, Ala.); Su- invest $9 million in a ture its conveyance applica- ing, or are likely to be, sold in not engage in dumping and there- mitomo Rubber North America new 150,000-sq.-ft. seal tions there. the U.S. at less than fair value.” fore would not be assessed duties. (Tonawanda, N.Y.); and Yokoha- production facility just The facility, which al- The investigation—which was The ITC chose to end all in- ma Tire Corp. (Salem, Va.) southwest of Atlanta—a ready existed prior to Sem- carried out in response to a peti- vestigation on this portion, but There are 16 other non-union- hub that will serve as perit taking ownership, tion from the United Steelwork- did vote to assess countervail- ized tire plants in the U.S. pro- Semperit’s new North will be operational by Nov. ers in May 2020—covered the ing duties on Sailun Vietnam ducing P/LT tires, with roughly American headquarters. 1. The company previously period from April 1, 2019, and Kumho Tire Vietnam of 20,000 workers, according to The building, scouted had its central N.A. offices through March 31, 2020. 6.23 percent and 7.89 percent, Rubber & Plastics News research. and discovered after in Stone Mountain, Ga. The final rates published by respectively, as well as 6.46 See Decision, page 17 about one year, will in- “We are just thrilled to fi- corporate operations with Coughlin nally have a manufacturing an eye toward sustainability in the footprint here in the U.S. We have Rubber & Plastics News SPECIAL REPORT Rankings Coweta County Industrial Park. been a trader for so many years,” The plant will manufacture, ware- said Irene Coughlin, managing di- North America Rubber Sales Leaders house and distribute rubber gaskets See Semperit, page 21 1 2 3 4 5 ©Entire contents copyright 2021 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved. See the rest of the Rankings starting on page 10 See Decision, page 17 LEARN MORE ON PAGE 23 July 20-22, 2021 | Virtual Edition P001_P021_RPN_20210628.indd 1 6/24/21 6:33 PM Difficult mix? We’ve got the fix. Achieve optimal performance with our sustainable, ceramic microspheres. Without Spherix® With Spherix® Faster Smoother Reduction Processing Surface in Edge Tear RPN05185.indd 1 3/26/21 10:05 AM www.rubbernews.com Rubber & Plastics News • June 28, 2021 3 In focus Feds to help boost U.S. glove production By Jim Johnson DOD said. Rubber & Plastics News Staff Buyers in America have to commit to WASHINGTON—More than $200 mil- paying “a little more” for domestically pro- Wilson to again provide lion in federal money is going toward in- duced gloves to ensure the long-term via- creased domestic nitrile glove production bility of production. A return to a low- NBA game balls at private firms. est-cost-only approach ultimately will sink Rubber & Plastics News Staff It’s part of a larger push by the U.S. the resurgence now occurring, he warned. CHICAGO—A familiar name is re- government to lessen the country’s de- With such a commitment, glove compa- turning to the NBA next season. pendency on imported personal protec- nies can successfully deliver their products Wilson Sporting Goods Co. has tion equipment following critical shortag- and then innovate and improve, he said. agreed to a multi-year partnership es last year as COVID-19 raged. “Because what America is great at is mak- with the NBA to supply the official This includes additional cash for one ing things better. We’ve got a bunch of bril- game ball beginning with the company that’s already begun construc- liant minds that can improve and innovate.” league’s 75th anniversary season. tion of additional glove making capacity Renco is not the only company receiv- The ball was introduced at the in the Northeast and has plans for a sec- ing federal funding to help develop the NBA Draft Combine June 21-27 and ond facility in Texas. Among the Renco Corp. products are nitrile domestic glove industry. will be available to purchase on Renco Corp. is receiving a $35 million accordion sleeves. A U.S. Department of Defense contract Wilson.com beginning July 29, the contract modification to increase nitrile for $63.6 million with U.S. Medical Glove day of the NBA Draft. glove production both at its existing Cole- we can be closer to raw material vendors Co. L.L.C. will allow the company to in- Wilson supplied the game ball for brook, N.H., location and at a planned and suppliers. That’s why we’ve chosen crease production by 2.31 billion gloves the NBA’s first 37 seasons. Spalding facility in Houston. Houston for that next location,” Renehan annually at its Fort Knox, Ky., location by had been the supplier since 1983. Renco previously was awarded a $22 explained. May 2023. The contract was made in co- “Wilson is excited to unlock our his- million contract to expand in New Hamp- The CEO said the country needs a net- ordination with the U.S. Department of tory and heritage with the NBA to shire at its American Performance Poly- work of glove-making facilities to help fill Health and Human Services.