Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam were among countries which today agreed to refrain from selling natural rubber below current prices, according to the International Rubber Consortium. Cambodia, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea also pledged to join efforts by producers to improve prices to prevent small holders from suffering further losses, the group said on its website. It follows a move by trade groups from five Southeast Asian nations, which account for at least 70…

Rubber groups from the world’s top producing countries will refrain from selling below current prices and take steps to shore up rates from five-year lows as demand weakens. A meeting of industry officials from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia and the International Rubber Consortium resolved to improve prices, the group said in a statement on website. They gathered in Malacca on Oct. 10. The group accounts for about 70 percent of the global production….

AKRON—Goodyear is producing fuel-efficient tires through the use of rice husk waste once destined for landfills. The Akron-based tire maker said it plans to use ash left over from the burning of rice husks to produce electricity as an “environmentally friendly source of silica” for use in its tires. The company has tested silica derived from rice husk ash over the past two years at its Innovation Center in Akron and said it found the…

HANOVER, Germany—Continental A.G. has begun building test tires made with rubber derived from the latex of dandelions and projects serial production using the rubber could start as soon as in 10 years. Continental displayed the first test tires made from the dandelion-derived rubber at the International Motor Show Commercial Vehicles in Hanover this week. Conti has coined the name Taraxagum, derived from the botanical name for dandelion (taraxacum), for the material. The tires, winter passenger…

New York, NY – Bloomberg reports, “The global surplus of natural rubber will shrink 46 percent in 2015 as demand expands and farmers reduce tapping because of decreasing prices, according to the International Rubber Study Group. Production will outpace demand by 202,000 metric tons from 371,000 metric tons in 2014 and 650,000 metric tons last year, the Singapore-based body said in an e-mail on August 13. The group said in May the glut this year would exceed the 714,000 metric tons in 2013…

KUCHING: Following the International Rubber Glove Conference and Exhibition (IRGCE 2014) organised by the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA), analysts have learnt that the Malaysian rubber glove industry may be constrained by capacity limitations at packaging companies. According to AmResearch Sdn Bhd (AmResearch), the biennial exhibition, which is on its seventh edition this year, presents a platform for the rubber glove industry players and experts to interact and network with one another, and be…

ANHUI, China—Anhui HeDing Tires Technology Co. Ltd. has begun production at its new factory in Bengbu, Anhui, province, 17 months after beginning construction on the $323 million project. The plant, in the Huaiyuan Economic Development Zone in Bengbu, is designed to produce up to 4 million high-performance steel-belted radial tires annually in the project’s first phase, company officials said. The first tires were produced July 29. The company invested $145 million in this first phase…

TRENCIN, Slovakia—Mesnac Co. Ltd.’s European Research and Technical Center will expand its operations in Slovakia with the construction of a new production facility and additional research facilities. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2015. The new center will occupy about 32,000 square feet and will provide research and development, manufacturing and assembly. The facility will serve as the focal point for service to Mesnac’s European customers. “This new structure will…

Serious concerns are being raised over prices on the natural rubber market, as a glut is expected this year too, owing to weak demand from China and other major consuming nations. This has triggered scare in the local market, resulting in prices for the benchmark grade RSS-4 going down to Rs 145 a kg on Tuesday. However, Indian counters still remained in the upper level compared to the global markets. Bangkok market on Tuesday quoted…

PUTRAJAYA, June 4 (Bernama) — The government has approved an allocation of RM130 million to assist 260,000 smallholders affected by the fall in rubber price.Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said with the allocation, a one-off payment of RM500 would be made to each of the eligible rubber smallholders.“This measure is aimed at helping to lessen their burden as their income has been affected by the drop in rubber price,” he…