RMA will split into tyre, non-tyre activities

ERJ staff report (TB)

Washington DC -- The Elastomer Products Group (EPG) of the US-based Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) will become a separate organisation by Oct. 1 of this year.

Executives of EPG member companies will meet at Veyance Technologies Inc. headquarters in Fairlawn, Ohio, June 9 to discuss the group's reorganisation, direction and goals, according to a flyer issued by the RMA. Representatives of Indianapolis-based First Resource Inc., the EPG's prospective management firm, will co-ordinate the meeting and provide information there.

“The issue is that over time it's become more difficult to provide value to EPG members through an association based in Washington that is focused on tyre-related issues,” an RMA spokesman said. The new EPG will be headquartered in the Midwest, with prospective locations to be discussed at the June 9 meeting, he said.

As a separate group, the EPG will continue to focus on communication, member services, networking and technical support, according to the spokesman. However, it will be redirected to provide immediate service to small and medium-sized rubber product manufacturers and their suppliers while operating in a lower-cost environment, he said.

The EPG may still work together in the future with the RMA on areas of common interest, according to the spokesman. Also, EPG technical bulletins may still bear the RMA name until such time as they can be rebranded as EPG publications, he said.

RMA President Charles Cannon was in Europe and could not be reached for comment.

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)