Today's News
Evonik launches Innovation Factory
Chemicals company Evonik is realigning its strategic research unit. The Evonik Innovation Factory operates as an entrepreneurial development unit, accelerating the transition of technological breakthroughs into industrial applications. As the successor to Creavis, it has a clear mandate: innovation with speed, market focus, and application relevance.
Falken Tyres heads toward summer with three strong tire tests
Falken is kicking off the 2026 summer season with an impressive run of test successes. Three models – the ultra-high-performance Falken AZENIS FK520, the Falken ZIEX ZE320 all-round summer tire and the Falken e.ZIEX – have secured strong ratings in independent tests conducted by renowned specialist media and motoring clubs.
Lanxess raises prices for sulfur-based products
Specialty chemicals company LANXESS is raising the prices of its Advanced Industrial Intermediates business unit’s sulfur-based products by an average of 40 percent with immediate effect. The affected products include sulfuric acid, oleum and sodium bisulfite, among others.
Freudenberg reports slight decline for 2025
The company announced that sales totaled €11.9 billion, a modest decrease compared with the previous year. Currency effects and weaker demand in certain markets contributed to the decline, according to the company’s statement.
Aumovio prompts Laurent Fabre to chief commercial officer
aurent Fabre, currently Head of the Wheel Brake Solutions (WBS) segment within the Safety and Motion business area, will assume the newly created position of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at AUMOVIO starting April 1, 2026. In his new role, he will be responsible for sales across North America, Asia and Europe. Laurent Fabre will report directly to AUMOVIO CEO Philipp von Hirschheydt.
Cooper Tires unveils bold new brand look
For over 100 years, Cooper has earned the trust of drivers who demand more from their tires—and themselves. This heritage runs through the new identity, which pairs Cooper’s proven DNA with a modern aesthetic. The result is a look that signals strength, purpose, and confidence.
The new visual brand system includes updates to its brand marks, a refined color palette, and a more contemporary design language intended to help the brand cut through in crowded retail environments and digital marketplaces.
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
Wacker introduced new high-performance additives for composites at JEC
Wacker Chemie AG introduced new silicone-based additives and materials for composite applications at the JEC World 2026 trade show in Paris.
The company said the new products include two impact modifiers, GENIOPERL W37 and GENIOPERL W38, designed to improve the durability and mechanical performance of thermosetting resins used in composites.
Extrusion
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies unveils new extrusion process using molten salt
The specific properties of vulcanized materials make them essential for many areas of application. In industries such as aerospace, food and beverages and the energy sector, components must meet the highest standards of abrasion and chemical resistance, elasticity, and durability. Delivering top-quality solutions in these areas requires excellent materials expertise, and at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies this goes hand in hand with state-of-the-art production technologies: With LCM (Liquid Curing Method), the company is now commissioning an advanced vulcanizing extrusion line. This is a process in which the fluid used for vulcanization consists of molten salt, heated to around 200 degrees Celsius and filled with vulcanizing salt. The entire line operates in a closed loop, in which the salt is continuously recycled, fed back into the process and reused.
Silicone & Medical
Electrically conductive silicones for enclosure-level EMI shielding
By Dominic Testo, Specialty Silicone Products – Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a naturally occurring orhuman caused phenomenon that degrades or
Oil, Gas & Energy
Penn State researchers develop high temperature polymer capacitor
In the race to lighter, safer and more efficient electronics — from electric vehicles to transcontinental energy grids — one component literally holds the power: the polymer capacitor. Seen in such applications as medical defibrillators, polymer capacitors are responsible for quick bursts of energy and stabilizing power rather than holding large amounts of energy, as opposed to the slower, steadier energy of a battery. However, current state-of-the-art polymer capacitors cannot survive beyond 212 degrees Fahrenheit (F), which the air around a typical car engine can hit during summer months and an overworked data center can surpass on any given day.
Testing & Instruments
Wire cord measurement sensor for tire calenders
Wire cord measurement sensors provide a highly reliable, high-resolution method for evaluating the geometry of steel reinforced rubber sheets in real time.
Molding
Electrically conductive silicones for enclosure-level EMI shielding
By Dominic Testo, Specialty Silicone Products – Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a naturally occurring orhuman caused phenomenon that degrades or
Thermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes
Fraunhofer scientists develop safer method to produce polyurethane without toxic isocyanates
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (IAP) have developed a new method for producing polyurethane without the use of toxic isocyanates, a key ingredient traditionally required in the manufacture of the widely used polymer.
Latex and Natural Rubber
Sustainable materials for rubber and allied industries
Sustainability is no longer a new concept; it has become a global priority. While quality was the focus of the 1980s, globalization defined the 1990s, and the internet revolutionized the 2000s. The 2010s and after have been dominated by the idea of sustainability. Human survival depends on integrating sustainable practices into every aspect of life. The world is already witnessing alarming environmental changes: rising greenhouse gas emissions, depletion of non-renewable resources and widespread deforestation.
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