Andrew Schunk

Cuyahoga Falls

Diligent reporter with Crain Communications and Rubber & Plastics News and keen observer of all things polymer and thermoplastic.

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Articles

A century of success: Smithers evolves alongside industry, grows around innovation

3 weeks ago | rubbernews.com | Andrew Schunk

AKRON—The histories of the tire industry and Smithers are inextricably linked, all-American stories born of persistence, innovation, resilience and an unwavering commitment to scientific research. Since its founding by Vernon Smithers in a three-car garage on Sweitzer Avenue in Akron in April 1925, the 1,000-employee, global testing, consulting and compliance firm continues to evolve around the tire space—and many other industries—as it celebrates 100 years.
Wacker, International Carbon Black Association lead way in carbon footprint data

1 month ago | rubbernews.com | Andrew Schunk

MUNICH—Determining a rubber product's carbon footprint from cradle-to-gate has been a holy grail of sorts for upstream raw material suppliers and their customers alike. Terms like carbon calculator, product carbon footprint and life cycle assessment are top-of-mind today for companies like Wacker Chemie A.G., as well as international non-profits like the International Carbon Black Association—which just released an industry average PCF for CB.
ContiTech invests $34 million belting expansion in Brazil

1 month ago | rubbernews.com | Andrew Schunk

PONTA GROSSA, Parana, Brazil—South America is a mecca for the mining industry, and ContiTech is capitalizing in Southern Brazil with a $34 million expansion at a heavy duty belting facility. The group sector of Continental A.G. officially opened the 75,000-sq.-ft. expansion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, branded ContiTech's "Total Conveyance Event," May 15. The two-day event welcomed approximately 100 guests, including customers, industry professionals and local leaders.
Wacker: 'In China, for China' with silicone capacity expansions

1 month ago | rubbernews.com | Andrew Schunk

ZHANGJIAGANG, China—Wacker Chemie A.G. and its growing silicones division are not shying away from China—or the entirety of the Asia-Pacific region, for that matter. In fact, the Munich-based chemical giant is embracing the largest economy in the world, commissioning a new, "low three-digit millions of dollar" expansion May 21 at the western port city of Zhangjiagang for production of silicone fluids, emulsions and elastomer gels.
Flexfab dedicated to innovative hose solutions

1 month ago | rubbernews.com | Andrew Schunk

TAMPA, Fla.—Flexfab L.L.C. is a hose engineering firm at its core, driven by a more than 60-year-old pledge to find timely solutions for customers in the industrial, aerospace and heavy duty truck markets. The 1,100-person company has grown from humble beginnings in Hastings, Mich., in 1961 to a global sales network today, with manufacturing and distribution locations in North America, Brazil, China, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Ino doubles lightweight belting capacity in Buffalo

1 month ago | rubbernews.com | Andrew Schunk

BUFFALO, N.Y.—Ino USA Inc. is more than doubling the space at its three-year-old lightweight belting distribution site, investing about $500,000 into equipment, stock and building upgrades. The expansion will add 13,000 square feet to the 10,000-sq.-ft. site at the eastern end of Lake Erie. Two employees will be added to the four that staff the operation.
Gates hoses can take the heat from AI, data center systems

1 month ago | rubbernews.com | Andrew Schunk

TAMPA, Fla.—The hose industry has reached the tipping point in data center applications, a major growth market that was top-of-mind at the distributor-oriented NAHAD April 13-15. Denver-based Gates Corp., whose fluid power segment accounts for approximately 38 percent ($1.3 billion) of Gates $3.4 billion, is ready for the cooling hose revolution.
KIH brings speed-to-market mentality to NAHAD, Salt Lake City

1 month ago | rubbernews.com | Andrew Schunk

TAMPA, Fla.—Disaster relief efforts demand speed-to-market, itself achieved through proximity to customers and well-crafted sales channels. Key Industrial Hose L.L.C. checks both boxes, shipping pre-made hose assemblies from its 150,000-sq.-ft. headquarters in Enterprise, Ala., to a major network of distributors who assist in both man-made and natural emergencies.
Denka suspends U.S. chloroprene production, considers sale of business

1 month ago | rubbernews.com | Andrew Schunk

LAPLACE, La.—Denka Co. Ltd. suspended production of chloroprene for synthetic rubber applications at Denka Performance Elastomer L.L.C., its U.S. subsidiary, citing a major loss of about $109 million (16.1 billion yen) for its fiscal year ending March 25. Tokyo-based Denka Co., which owns 70 percent of DPE in Louisiana, is the only U.S. producer of chloroprene, used to make neoprene.
Rubber product suppliers find space in aerospace

1 month ago | rubbernews.com | Andrew Schunk

Non-tire rubber products in aerospace comprise a small percentage—about $2 billion—of the nearly $400 billion global aerospace market. They are no less critical to passenger safety and comfort than the airframes from Boeing, avionics from Garmin or engines from Pratt and Whitney.