Friday, July 10, 2020 - Kelseyville, CA - CelebriDucks announces the release of its PVC free and latex free GoodDucks. They are considered to be the safest rubber ducks for babies to teethe on. Parents wanting to avoid baby teething toys with toxic chemicals often believe that they have found a safe alternative in natural latex rubber. This is surprisingly not the case, as latex allergies can occur with repeated exposure. Cleveland Clinic, Boston Children’s Hospital and The Mayo clinic state that, “Children are not born with latex allergies; they can develop as one is exposed to latex numerous times in items like diapers, bottles, nipples and pacifiers. A latex allergy can also become progressively worse, and children who become allergic to latex can more easily develop allergies to related things such as bananas, avocados, peaches, tomatoes, etc.”The CelebriDucks USA division is making their PVC free and latex free Good Duck teething toys 100 percent start to finish in America using the highest quality, third party tested, food and medical grade materials. The Good Duck won the Best Green Toy Award from Dr. Stevanne Auerbach, “Dr. Toy,” one of the leading authorities on children’s toys, who, while working in education for the federal government, approved the first grant for The Children’s Television Workshop’s “Sesame Street.” Craig Wolfe, CelebriDucks president, said, “Most people are unaware that the rubber duck was actually an original American invention before the whole industry moved overseas. We are proud to be the only company making rubber ducks here in the USA once again and giving parents confidence that US manufacturing means less worrying about safety issues. In fact, we are now exporting them worldwide, due to the demand for the safety that U.S. made products can provide.”

Friday, July 10, 2020 - Midland, MI - Dow introduced DowSil VE-8001 flexible silicone adhesive for flexible and foldable displays, smartphones, wearables, laptops, televisions and many other types of electronic devices. This two-part primerless silicone adhesive is applied directly to thin metal surfaces and forms an elastic layer, or inner hinge, that helps to protect the display from damage caused by folding and unfolding. DowSil VE-8001 flexible silicone adhesive is said to be easy to apply, features low temperature curing for reduced energy costs and provides durable mechanical properties. Its tensile strength and elongation also support designs with a small folding radius. “Manufacturers of flexible and foldable devices need an elastic adhesive that is easy to process, cures at low temperatures and can withstand repeated folding and unfolding,” said Jayden Cho, global marketing segment leader for Consumer Electronics at Dow. “This breakthrough Dow adhesive speeds production with primerless adhesion, cures efficiently with mild heat, and has the right modulus for an elastic layer within a foldable display. The new adhesive also supports the reliability of consumer devices by withstanding the demands of greater use.” DowSil VE-8001 flexible silicone adhesive can be applied with screen printing, roll-to-roll coating, automatic dispensing or injection molding. The adhesive’s viscosity makes it easy to apply to substrates such as the etched areas of thin stainless steel sheets used as frames underneath the display of foldable laptops. DowSil VE-8001 flexible silicone adhesive supports low temperature curing (80°C for one hour at 300 µm thickness), and higher heat can be applied for accelerated curing. With a working time of 12 hours at room temperature, the adhesive will not harden prematurely. Importantly, DowSil VE-8001 flexible silicone adhesive exhibits stable mechanical properties after both dynamic and static testing. Hardness, adhesive strength and tensile strength remain remarkably consistent over time, according to the company. The elongation is high (40 percent) and indicates the material’s ability to stretch significantly before breaking. DowSil VE-8001 flexible silicone adhesive’s tensile strength and appropriate elongation help to control the stress neutral line preventing damage to the display, especially in its folded area. Along with critical reliability, this adhesive provides shock resistance to help protect the display panel from drops or other impacts. DowSil VE-8001 flexible silicone adhesive is available worldwide through Dow’s extensive network of distribution partners.

Friday, July 10, 2020 - Findlay, OH - Cooper Tire & Rubber Company announced that Paula Whitesell will join the company as senior vice president and chief human resources officer (CHRO), effective July 27. Whitesell joins Cooper from Peapod Digital Labs (PDL) in Chicago, where she served as vice president, human resources, and was responsible for human resources, communications and customer care. PDL is a unit of Ahold Delhaize, an international leader in supermarkets and e-commerce. She progressed to this role after serving as vice president of human resources at Peapod, LLC, a leading online grocer. Prior to Peapod, Whitesell had an 18-year career with Whirlpool Corporation, where she most recently served as senior director, global human resources, a position she attained after progressing through a number of diverse leadership roles in human resources, and within the business, including finance, customer care and integrated supply chain, leading the trade customer support team. Her career has also included roles in Tier 1 automotive industry suppliers such as VDO-Siemens and Budd Thyssenkrupp Company. Whitesell holds a bachelor’s degree in public affairs with special studies in labor relations and a master of business administration degree (MBA), both from Indiana University. “There is nothing more critical to Cooper’s success than our people. We are excited to have such a talented HR executive join us as we continue to develop the organizational capabilities and company culture that will help Cooper deliver our strategic plan and help employees grow personally and professionally. Our company purpose states that everyone deserves to travel through life’s journeys with confidence, and this includes our teams, customers, consumers and all of our stakeholders. We look forward to Paula helping us live this purpose every day,” said Cooper's president and chief executive officer, Brad Hughes.

Friday, July 10, 2020 - Santa Ana, CA - Yokohama Tire’s new 115R all-season tire is now available in size 225/70R19.5. “The N-speed rated 115R is a tough, all-position tire built to provide class 4 and 5 vehicles with superior year-round traction and dependability to get the job done,” said Tom Clauer, Yokohama’s senior manager of commercial and OTR product planning. “It’s engineered with a heat-resistant compound for better fuel efficiency and longer lasting tread life.” Benefits of the 115R are said to include high-speed capabilities where durable casing construction is rated for speeds up to 87 mph; longer tread life, where Yokohama’s advanced heat-resistant tread compound increases tread life and optimizes fuel economy; additionally, middle wing blocks and tie-bar connectors control block movement to resist wear and reduce rolling resistance; all-season traction, where wide lateral grooves provide increased traction on wet or snow-covered roads, and deep serpentine grooves maintain aggressive traction throughout the life of the original tread; and sidewall protection, where durable construction helps defend against damage caused by curbing and scrubbing in typical urban operations.

Friday, July 10, 2020 - New York, NY - The global automotive flooring market is projected to reach $1.32 billion in 2027. The fast-growing automotive industry across the globe is expected to drive overall growth in the market. Additionally, the increasing customer preferences towards improved passenger comfort and vehicle aesthetics are expected to fuel market growth over the forecast period. Increasing the use of insulating mats and related items in passenger cars for carpet safety, comfort and aesthetics is expected to boost demand for the product soon. Over the forecast era, the growing importance of noise reduction and thermal insulation is also likely to have a positive effect on product demand. The aesthetically pleasing design and easy maintenance are features expected to drive the popularity of automotive flooring. The demand for flooring carpets in automobiles for floor protection is directly proportional to vehicle demand. Rising production of vehicles in Asia Pacific is expected to drive product demand, mainly due to the presence of developing countries. The global automotive flooring market is guided by players implementing strategies such as better growth plans, successful alliances, product releases, joint ventures, diverse branding, investments, mergers and acquisitions, and research and development. The pandemic COVID-19 is likely to interact in some degree with industry production. Significant players in the industry are uncertain of the market's prospects and continue to change their approaches to sustain this tough situation. The pandemic has had a serious impact on the automotive industry, and most large automakers have had to stop both production and other operations. The shortage of manpower in many parts of the world is attributed to frequent lockdowns. The foreign exchange, exports and imports is impacted by COVID-19 and the demand in the industry has subsequently decreased considerably. The key firms on the market seek to clear their stocks and concentrate on maintaining their cash flow. In the wake of this bleak pandemic, the sector will still have a chance to develop as consumers become more mindful of safety and health, concentrating on embracing environmentally sustainable and fuel-effective cars. The real discretionary income for consumers will potentially decline and suppliers are seeking to find creative ways to satisfy consumer demands at considerably reduced prices. Key participants include DuPont, Toyota Boshoku Corporation, The 3M Company, AGM Automotive LLC, Faurecia SA, Apache Mills, Inc., Derby Fabricating Solutions, LLC, HP Pelzer Automotive System Inc., Corry Rubber Corporation, Freudenberg Performance Materials, among others.

Friday, July 10, 2020 - Akron, OH - Rubber Molding Principles, written by Van Walworth. Date release: August 2013. ISBN: 978-616-90836-8-9, hardbound, 150 pages, publisher: TechnoBiz Communications Co., Ltd., book cost: $89.45 plus shipping and handling. Book contents: Chapter 1: Introduction to Rubber Molding; Chapter 2: Rubber Behavior in the Molds; Chapter 3: Rubber Molding Presses; Chapter 4: Compression Molding; Chapter 5: Transfer Molding; Chapter 6: Injection Molding; Chapter 7: Vacuum Molding; Chapter 8: Wasteless/Flashless Molding; Chapter 9: Basic Rubber Mold Design; Chapter 10: Process Troubleshooting; and Chapter 11: Molding Process Selection Guide. Visit Rubber World's book store to purchase at www.rubberworld.com