Rhein Chemie to boost rubber product prices

Chardon, Ohio - Rhein Chemie Corp. will increase prices across all rubber division product lines effective July 1 or as existing contracts allow.

The hikes vary and are dependent on the product lines, said Michael Marasch, vice president of sales and marketing for the subsidiary of Lanxess Corp.

While raw material hikes do factor into the increases, they are not the main driver, he said. As part of the firm's strategy, he said, it continues to reposition itself and invest in technology and the development of expertise. That requires extensive investments in innovation and applications technology, he said.

"We have seen segments of our business rapidly becoming more commodity in nature with cost being the focal point," Marasch said. "The current pricing structure for these segments, especially considering the impact of raw material trends, does not support innovation and applications technology."

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)