FINANCIALS

Fenner reports growth ahead of Michelin takeover

HESSLE, England—Polymer engineering company Fenner has reported a strong half-year performance ahead of its expected takeover by Michelin.

TIRE

ITEC to host two special tire education classes

AKRON—Two educational programs are being held concurrently with the International Tire Exhibition & Conference, to be held Sept. 11-13 at the John S. Knight Center in Akron.

DISTRIBUTORS

Pan Stone aims to double rubber machinery sales

WREXHAM, Wales—Pan Stone Europe, a family-run distributor of rubber molding machinery based in Wrexham, is seeking to double sales within three years.

INTERNATIONAL

Natural rubber prices remain weak

LONDON—Despite a rise in crude oil prices, and the resulting pressure on synthetic rubber prices, NR prices showed little sign of strengthening last month as wintering season came to an end in Southeast Asia.

ACQUISITIONS

Astorg to acquire Arsenal's IGM Resins business

NEW YORK—Arsenal Capital Partners has signed a definitive agreement to sell its IGM Resins business to Astorg.

EXPANSIONS

Triangle clears government hurdles for funding of new U.S. tire plants

FRANKLIN, Tenn.—China's Triangle Group is getting close to breaking ground on its previously announced passenger and light truck tire factory in Edgecombe County, east of Rocky Mount, N.C.

FINANCIALS

Orion rubber black sales, earnings increase to start 2018

LUXEMBOURG—Orion Engineered Carbons has posted a 25.6 percent increase in earnings for its rubber blacks business.

INDUSTRY

Editorial: Time will tell if Goodyear's natural rubber policy has teeth

Three days after Goodyear's new sustainable natural rubber procurement policy made its debut, Mighty Earth—an environmental organization which had praised the sustainable NR programs of Goodyear's competitors—claimed the Goodyear plan looked...

MARKETING

New Products: Chem-Trend develops new polyolefin

HOWELL, Mich.—Chem-Trend has unveiled its Ultra Purge polyolefin, which extracts material residues that build up within hot runner systems and cause hang up spots in injection molded parts weeks after a color change.

AUTOMOTIVE

Study suggests new-vehicle buyers downplay fuel prices

Most new-vehicle buyers say the recent fuel price surge is unlikely to influence their vehicle purchasing decision, a new study indicates.

ASSOCIATIONS

ANRPC expects China, India to drive natural rubber consumption

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—Growth in demand throughout India and China is set to rekindle global consumption of natural rubber, according to the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries.