15 Aug 2025
.jpg)
Review of the key figures and data to emerge over the last seven days from leading players worldwide
PROJECTS
Reported in the last two weeks
|
Reported |
Company |
Project |
Location |
Capex |
Details |
|
12 Aug |
Apollo Tyres |
New tire testing facility |
Ivalo, Finland |
n/s |
Winter and all-season tires |
|
30 July |
Jiyuan Hongxin Rubber CMT |
Wet-mixed 'nano-rubber composite' line |
Wulongkou Jiyuan, China |
€6m |
10ktpa unit plus line for silica and other nanofillers |
|
28 July |
Quencheng Silicon Chemical |
100ktpa rice-husk silica |
Jiangsu Binhai, China |
Yuan900m |
Includes Yuan200m, 32ktpa thickening agent unit |
M&A, RESTRUCTURING
Denka Co. confirmed that its US chloroprene rubber unit, Denka Performance Elastomer LLC (DPE) in Louisiana remains under indefinite suspension and is being systematically dismantled. The Japanese group said it is “bringing down the manufacturing facilities and equipment into a safe status.”
Sumitomo Rubber Industries outlined plans to tackle the impact of US tariffs as well as new cost-cutting measures towards achieving savings of up to Yen30bn (€175m) over the next two years. SRI aims to partially absorb the impact of tariffs by price pass-through as well as a project to cut costs by Yen30bn by the end of 2027. Savings of Yen14.5bn are expected within its Tires Business – by reducing raw material costs, optimising factory operations & logistics and lowering manufacturing costs.
Celanese Corp. is closing its Vamac elastomer production plant in Sarnia, Ontario, as part of a wider cost-saving programme aimed at delivering up to $10m by 2026. All activities and capabilities from the site will be consolidated into the group’s existing manufacturing footprint. Celanese acquired the Vamac elastomers line as part of its $11bn acquisition of most of DuPont’s Mobility & Materials business in 2022.
Toyo Tire is increasing production at its plant in White, Georgia, to “fully utilise” its local US capacity, including for wide light truck radial (WLTR) tires. Toyo will meanwhile “shift production for non-US markets from the US plant to other facilities.”
BUSINESS
Financial results reported this week
|
Company |
Period |
Sales |
YoY change |
Earnings |
YoY change |
|
Hankook Tire division |
Q2/25 |
KRW2,511.4bn |
+8.4% |
KRW346.4bn |
-17.5% |
|
Semperit |
H1/25 |
€320m |
-7.4% |
€30.7m3 |
-35% |
|
Titan Int. |
H1/25 |
$950m |
-5.0% |
$157m6 |
-12% |
|
Akwel |
Q2/25 |
€255m |
-3.9% |
n/s |
n/s |
|
Akwel |
H1/25 |
€511m |
-3.4% |
n/s |
n/s |
|
Yokohama Rubber Co. |
H1/25 |
Yen579.2bn |
+10.3% |
Yen62.1bn4 |
+13.8% |
|
Bekaert Rubber Reinforcement |
H1/25 |
€848m |
-5.4% |
€115m***3 |
-10% |
|
Apollo Tyres |
fQ1/26 |
INR65.6bn |
+4.0% |
INR8.68bn1 |
-4.5% |
|
Orion Rubber Carbon Black |
Q2/25 |
$308.3m |
-1.0% |
$48.9m3 |
+3.8% |
|
Orion Rubber Carbon Black |
H1/25 |
$625.3m |
-2.8% |
$89.7m3 |
-14.2% |
|
Bridgestone (group) |
H1/25 |
Yen2,116.4bn |
-2.8% |
Yen164.5bn1 (non-adjusted) |
-41.3% |
|
JK Tyre |
fQ1/26 |
INR39.91bn |
+11% |
INR4.23bn1 |
-17% |
|
Synthomer |
H1/25 |
GBP925.3m |
-9.8% |
GBP77.8m3 |
+4.1% |
1(Segment) operating income; 2EBIT; 3EBITDA, 4Business profit; 5Net income; 6Gross profit
China has introduced antidumping duties on halogenated butyl rubber from Canada and Japan. Ministry of commerce Mofcom recommended duty rates of 26.2% for Arlanxeo Canada Ltd and 40.5% for other Canadian suppliers, effective 14 Aug. Japan Butyl Corp. has been given a duty rate of 13.8% while other Japanese suppliers will face a 30.1% rate.
SHARE PRICES
Leading tire manufacturers’ share-price trends
|
Company |
7-8 Aug |
14-15 Aug |
Change |
|
Bridgestone |
Yen6,256 |
Yen6,515 |
+4.1% |
|
Goodyear |
$10.12 |
$8.58 |
-15.2% |
|
Hankook |
KRW44,700 |
KRW39,750 |
-11.1% |
|
Michelin |
€31.13 |
€31.92 |
+2.5% |
|
Nokian Tyres |
€7.76 |
€7.87 |
+1.4% |
|
Pirelli |
€5.78 |
€5.86 |
+1.4 |
|
Sumitomo (SRI) |
Yen1,684 |
Yen1,700 |
+1.0% |
|
ZC Rubber |
CNY45.31 |
CNY44.64 |
-1.5% |
Leading rubber product manufacturers’ share-price trends
|
Company |
7-8 Aug |
14-15 Aug |
Change |
|
Avon Technologies |
£21.45 |
£20.85 |
-2.8% |
|
Cooper-Standard |
$24.68 |
$28.82 |
+16.8% |
|
Datwyler |
CHF140.40 |
CHF136.40 |
-2.9% |
|
Hexpol |
SEK83.40 |
SEK83.45 |
+0.1% |
|
Semperit |
€13.08 |
€12.94 |
-1.1% |
|
Trelleborg |
SEK351.40 |
SEK352.40 |
+0.3% |
MARKETS
USTMA: US tire industry 2025 unit volumes forecast
|
|
2025 (forecast) |
2024 |
f2025 vs ‘24 |
2019 |
f2025 vs ‘19 |
|
Passenger |
42.3m |
43.1m |
-2.0% |
46.3m |
-8.6% |
|
Light Truck |
6.6m |
6.7m |
-1.4% |
5.9m |
13.1% |
|
Truck |
5.2m |
5.7m |
-8.0% |
6.5m |
-20.0% |
|
Passenger |
224.2m |
221.6m |
1.2% |
222.6m |
0.7% |
|
Light Truck |
37.7m |
36.7m |
2.5% |
32.5m |
15.7% |
|
Truck |
24.3m |
23.4 |
3.7% |
18.9m |
28.2% |
|
Total Shipments |
340.2m |
337.3m |
0.9% |
332.7m |
2.3% |
MATERIALS
Natural rubber
Natural rubber futures last week recovered from a sharp decline at the end of July, “driven by bargain hunting and consumer bids at the lower end of the price range,” said Japan Exchange Group (JPX). Prices closed the first trading week of August higher across all major exchanges in light trading, though trading volumes “fell sharply” as uncertain market conditions kept many traders on the sidelines.
JPX: Selected rubber futures price trends on major trading exchanges
|
Exchange |
Commodity |
Delivery |
Week to 1/8/25 |
Week to 8/8/25 |
% Change |
|
Osaka |
RSS3 |
Jan‘26 |
314.8 (JPY) |
317.4 (JPY) |
+0.8% |
|
SHFE |
SCR/RSS |
Jan‘26 |
15,280 (CNY) |
15,500 (CNY) |
+1.4% |
|
INE |
TSR |
Jan‘26 |
12,385 (CNY) |
12,515 (CNY) |
+1.1% |
|
SICOM |
TSR20 |
Jan‘26 |
167.1 (US$c) |
171.4 (US$c) |
+2.6% |
|
SHFE |
BR |
Oct‘25 |
11,455 (CNY) |
11,485 (CNY) |
+0.3% |
(ERJ calculation for selected futures)
Subscribe for unlimited access. A subscription to European Rubber Journal includes:
Already a subscriber? Log in here
