Yokohama Rubber, together with the Surat Thani branch of the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT), held a seminar event in June to help Thai natural rubber farmers improve the quality and productivity of their natural rubber. Fifty farm households in the Surat Thani area participated in the event. 

Each participating household received a complimentary 250 kg of fertilizer developed using RAOT’s specialist knowledge. 

The seminar is the fifth held by Yokohama Rubber and RAOT since 2020.

In January 2020, Yokohama Rubber signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the RAOT to cooperate to provide economic support for Thai natural rubber farmers and improve traceability to ensure transparency and soundness of the natural rubber supply chain. The MOU and events held under it are concrete actions based on Yokohama Rubber’s “Procurement Policy for Sustainable Natural Rubber.” 

This seminar event was held in the Surat Thani area, home to Yokohama Rubber’s Thai natural rubber processing company Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd., as part of support for farmers under the MOU. 

The farmers who received fertilizer are cooperating in follow-up surveys on its effect on their natural rubber's physical properties and productivity.

Specialty material solutions provider Trinseo has announced that it has established a tool that provides cradle-to-gate Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data.

The tool features nearly 6,000 Trinseo products, which can be accessed by customers to know the exact carbon footprint associated with a particular product.

On the other hand, LCA assess the environmental impacts of a product beyond PCF, including the use of resource, human health, ecological impacts, and more. This data the company said is crucial for understanding the environmental impact of products, allowing effective material comparison, enhancing R&D innovations, and ultimately contributing to a customer’s sustainability goals.

The Trinseo’s PCF and LCA tool follow the TfS guidelines and the latest European Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology and are compliant with the GHG Protocol and ISO standards 14040, 14044, and 14067.

Longxing Chemical Stock has announced plans to acquire 100 percent of China Rubber (Chongqing) Carbon Black from CSRC (Singapore), according to a filing with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

The target company is a key producer of carbon black, a vital material used in the manufacture of automobile tyres and other rubber products.

Longxing Chemical initially proposed purchasing a 55 percent stake in the company, with its actual controller, Liu Jiangshan, set to acquire the remaining 45 percent. However, the plan has been revised, and Liu Jiangshan will no longer participate in the acquisition.

The updated proposal is still in the planning stage, with specific terms and conditions yet to be finalised. Further details are expected as the process progresses.

PPG has formally announced the completion of the sale transaction of its silicas products business for USD 310 million (approximately) in pre-tax proceeds to Qemetica, a leading manufacturer of soda ash, silicates and other speciality chemicals.

The deal covers PPG’s precipitated silicas manufacturing plants in Lake Charles, Louisiana and Delfzijl, The Netherlands. Additionally, Qemetica will lease silicas production and R&D activities from PPG in Barberton, Ohio and Monroeville, Pennsylvania.

Tim Knavish, Chairman and CEO, PPG, said, “We are pleased to complete this transaction with Qemetica, and I want to thank the silicas products business employees for their dedication and commitment to the business and to PPG customers throughout the years.”

Kraton Corporation, a leading global sustainable producer of speciality polymers and high-value bio-based products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, has increased the price of its SIS polymer products by USD 330 per MT.

The company said the price hike was due to continued increase in raw materials and process chemicals.

The price hike will be global and comes into effect from 1 January 2025.