2014 Year in Review: November, December

Expansions, court rulings against price-fixers and more tire plants being built or planned for the U.S. were among the many news stories that the rubber industry produced in 2014. Here is a look at November and December.

Datwyler Group announces it will acquire Keystone Holding Inc. and its operating company, Columbia Engineered Rubber Inc.

West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. decides to build a factory in Waterford, Ireland, and expands its manufacturing and product development center in Dublin.

HF Mixing Group decides to keep its Farrel Corp. business in Ansonia, Conn., but will relocate its four local facilities under one roof.

Converse Inc. files federal lawsuits against 31 footwear makers, distributors and retailers, claiming they are infringing on its Chuck Taylor sneakers design trademarks.

American National Rubber Inc. sells its fabrication/converting division to Jacobs & Thom-pson Inc.

Waste-to-energy alternative fuels company Global Clean Energy Inc. signs a long-term agreement to be supplied by Liberty Tire Recycling.

Bridgestone Americas Tube Business celebrates 50 years of operation.

Terry DeLapa of Alpha Technologies U.S. L.P. prepares to succeed Doug Ruch, now of Nanotronics Imaging Inc., as the ACS Rubber Division's chair in 2015, the first woman to hold the division's highest post in its 105-year history.

Private equity firm Shorehill Capital L.L.C. buys a majority interest in Belt Power L.L.C.

Private equity group 3i Group P.L.C. plans to buy Q Holding Co. and its operating companies Qure Medical, QSR, and Quadra Tooling and Automation from Industrial Group Partners.

Bridgestone Americas Inc. opens an off-the-road radial tire plant in Aiken County, S.C.

Hitachi Metals Ltd. pleads guilty in a price-fixing scheme involving automotive parts, in its case brake hose.

Passaic Rubber Co. continues to add and improve its equipment, with plans to add more machinery in 2015.

Trelleborg/Vibracoustic expands and doubles capacity at a plant in China.

Bridgestone Americas Inc. plans to move into a new headquarters in Nashville, Tenn., by mid- to late-2017, unveiling plans for a new building downtown.

Dow Corning Corp. expands its European headquarters in Belgium, adding a health care application center.

Firestone Liberia Inc. makes progress in battling Ebola at its natural rubber plantation in Liberia.

The realignment program Lanxess A.G. announced earlier will cost 1,000 people their jobs.

Goodyear sues Sears, Roebuck & Co. and two subsidiaries over a claim of breach of contract involving 220,000 tires.

Imports more than doubled exports and the U.S. rubber goods trade deficit grew another 9.6 percent in the first quarter, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

A Delaware court rules against Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.'s attempt to collect a $112 million breakup fee in relation to its failed merger with Apollo Tyres Ltd.

The Michelin Challenge Bibendum initiative to pursue sustainable mobility is held in Chengdu, China.

Michelin North America Inc. continues to invest in its tire production facilities and unveils plans to invest $50 million to produce its Tweel tire in Piedmont, S.C.

The U.S. Department of Commerce sets preliminary countervailing duty subsidies for Chinese consumer tires and sets the final determination for April 6, 2015.

Dynasol Elastomers S.A. prepares to begin production at its joint venture facility in Panjin, China.

Austria's Semperit A.G. said it will invest about $8.7 million to modernize production at its Wimpassing, Austria, factory.

Pierluigi Dinelli, CEO for Pirelli Italia, will become chairman and CEO of Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.'s NAFTA region subsidiary effective Jan. 1.

Ansell Ltd. filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Reckitt Beckiser Pty. Ltd. in Australia, claiming the firm infringed on a patent for dip-formed latex goods.

The International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers announced that Vladimir Busygin of Nizhnekamskneftekhim will receive the group's General Award and Youchiro Kubo, retired from Zeon Corp., the Technical Award when the IISRP holds its Annual General Meeting in April in Cape Town, South Africa.

STI Polymer Inc. is expanding its plant in Sanford, N.C., and has developed a new roof adhesive for EPDM and thermoplastic polyolefin membrane bonding.

Soudal Holding N.V. closed on three acquisitions, including Elizabethtown, Ky.-based Accumetric L.L.C., to where Soudal Inc. will relocate its North America headquarters.

During its Fall Convention and Expo in Greenville, S.C., the Adhesive and Sealant Council outlined its six main long-term objectives. Andrew Johnson of Ashland Specialty Ingredients was also named chair of the association for the 2015-16 term.

Arkema S.A. made an offer to Total S.A. to buy its Bostik S.A. business for about $2.2 billion.

Richard D. Selip and Joseph A. Misinec of Grand River Rubber & Plastics Co. are named the 2014 Rubber & Plastics News Rubber Industry Executives of the Year.