Today's News
RPM International reports record first quarter
The Medina-headquartered manufacturer of coatings, sealants and building materials reported $2.22 billion in sales for the quarter ended Aug. 31, up 4.8% from a year earlier. Net income increased 12.6% to $256.4 million, or $2.01 per diluted share.
Ansell opens Xperience & Innovation Studio in Portugal
Ansell Limited announced the opening of a second Ansell Xperience & Innovation Studio (AXIS) location near Coimbra, Portugal, servicing the European market. The first AXIS center opened in October of last year in Alpharetta, Georgia, USA.
Trelleborg to publish third quarter report on October 23
Trelleborg Group’s financial report for the third quarter of 2026 will be published on Friday, October 23, at about 7:45 am CEST.
A webcast conference call for investors, analysts, and media will be held at 9:00 am CEST on the same day.
Trelleborg will be represented by Peter Nilsson, President and CEO, and Fredrik Nilsson, CFO. The presentation will be held in English.
PPG announces $70 million expansion of Huntsville facility
PPG announced a $70 million investment to expand its aerospace transparencies site in Huntsville, Alabama. The investment is part of a series of multi-year projects that support the company’s ongoing efforts to increase production capacity and continued growth of PPG’s aerospace transparencies business.
Avient unveils new flame-resistant polymer technology
Avient Corp. has introduced new flame-resistant polymer technologies that use recycled materials while helping manufacturers meet increasingly strict fire-safety requirements.
The Avon Lake-based materials company unveiled the products ahead of the Fakuma 2026 industry trade show in Germany. The new materials are aimed at electrical, electronics and appliance applications
Dunlop expands support for smallholder rubber farmers in Indonesia
Dunlop is expanding a program to help smallholder natural rubber farmers in Indonesia as the tire company seeks to strengthen its supply chain and promote more sustainable rubber production.
The second phase of Dunlop’s Sustainable Natural Rubber project began in April and will continue through April 2029. The program will continue in the Jambi region of Sumatra and expand to Rantau Prapat in North Sumatra.
Featured
Mixing
Understanding the difference between high and low shear
Industrial mixing is a crucial process in various industries, including production of rubber formulations, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, personal care products and many others. It is also integral to continuous process industries including waste water treatment, fuel and energy production, and mining of metals and minerals.
Chemicals and Materials
Flexsys narrows 6PPD replacement to two final molecules
Flexsys has developed the world’s first viable alternative to 6PPD, the Company has now completed screening efforts and is focusing on two final candidate molecules for expanded testing and ultimately final selection as a replacement for 6PPD in tires.
Flexsys has also entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to independently and thoroughly evaluate the two molecules’ potential effects on aquatic life
Extrusion
Extruding full rubber bales without a granulator
Walk into most rubber compounding operations today and somewhere upstream of the mixer one will find a granulator. It sits
Silicone & Medical
Bluestar Silicones launches the first mechanically recycled silicone
Bluestar Silicones announces the launch of the first mechanically recycled silicone masterbatch in its portfolio to meet technical performance and product quality comparable to conventional materials.
Incorporating 33% mechanically recycled content, this new product, now available for pre-commercial sales, expands Bluestar Silicones’ Sircle™ circular technologies portfolio while supporting the company’s broader sustainability strategy.
Oil, Gas & Energy
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies develops new sealing system for CO2 compressors
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has developed a new sealing system for busbar sealing in vehicle air-conditioning compressors. This elastomer-based solution withstands test pressures of over 100 bar in leak tests and offers a cost-efficient alternative to conventional glass seals. Designed for CO₂ compressors (R744), it also works well with other refrigerants.
Testing & Instruments
Direct measurement of steady state shear viscosity
by Michele Scacchi and Denis Venturoli, Evercompounds S.p.A., and Mauro Belloni, Gibitre Instruments S.r.l. The Mooney viscometer (MV) was invented
Molding
Compression molding simulation: Capabilities, features and industrial case studies
by Harshal Bhogesra, MoldEx3D. The MoldEx3D compression molding module provides a fully coupled simulation environment that replicates the filling, packing,
Thermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes
Polycarbonate polyols for high-performance PU dispersions
by Yoichi Hirose, Asahe Kasei. Newly developed DK031E and PCDX-249 are designed to address the issues associated with aqueous dispersions of polyurethane (PUDs) offering the potential to reduce solvent usage.
Latex and Natural Rubber
Olam Agri acquisition nearly doubles rubber processing capacity in Ivory Coast
Olam Agri has completed its acquisition of Asia Africa Rubber Industry S.A., adding 176,000 metric tons of annual rubber processing capacity in Ivory Coast as the company moves to expand its natural rubber business and meet growing demand for traceable supplies.
The acquisition nearly doubles Olam Agri’s rubber processing capacity in the West African country and is expected to improve operational efficiency, supply reliability and access to international customers, the company said.
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