Reference by: http://www.rubberworld.com/RWmarket_report.asp?id=387

Spreading a solid rubber on a fabric requires it to be turned into a viscous solution. Solvents are added to the compound to create a dough which is then ‘spreadable’. The solvent is later driven off in an evaporation chamber leaving just the rubber coating behind. These substances should always be used in a responsible manner and strictly metered where possible. Calendered products by contrast use no solvents in the production process. They take the solvents out of the production cycle and the environment providing us with a more environmentally friendly option.Furthermore, doing something once is normally more efficient than doing it several times, the same applies here. Applying a thin gauge of calendered rubber can be done in a single run, the same weight applied via spreading can take 5 or more separate coats. Naturally the time taken to produce the product is significantly reduced and although machine running speeds and costs are not directly proportional the labour costs generally are. Shorter production times means lower overheads and a more cost effective product for the customer. Additionally there’s no need to purchase the large quantity of solvents.

White Cross Rubber Products Limited do not propose that calendaring is a true alternative to spreading all of the time, just some of the time. Our techniques and plant allow us to calender to super thin gauges, the region of 200 microns which brings the territory between calendering and spreading closer than many people thought. Treating fabrics correctly to ensure a tight bond needs to be carefully considered when calendaring straight to cloth, so it can be give and take. We spread and calender at WCRP so we have no hidden agenda, we’ll make the right recommendation for the requirement and have a wide range of flexible plant to produce it.
What we’d like to try and challenge is the entrenched notion that it has to be one route or the other. With the right advice and expertise customers of ‘spread’ products could have an alternative ‘calender’ option available to them without knowing it. It could save them time, money and provide a ‘greener’ product alternative. We’d hope they too might spread the word…calendering is a coating alternative and have the ‘proofing’ to back it up.

Reference by : http://www.white-cross-rubber-products.co.uk

For more than 30 years, mining companies and, more recently, oil and gas companies worldwide have relied on the high-quality and reliable protective pipeline coatings manufactured by Industrial Rubber Products (IRP), President Dan Burkes says. The Hibbing, Minn.-based company manufactures pipeline coatings made from polyurethane and rubber, and processes all raw materials in-house, providing added quality and cost control.

“Most of our competitors buy the polyurethane off the shelf,” Burkes says. “By processing these materials on our own, we’re able to aim the polyurethane at the event we’re trying to handle.

“For instance, we can develop formulas specifically for our customers in the oil sands, who need a product that can withstand heavy abrasion, corrosion and very high temperatures,” Burkes adds.

“We’re able to step into our lab and pinpoint our polyurethane toward the physical properties that are needed to handle these conditions.”

For example, competing polyurethane coatings purchased over-the-counter can only withstand temperatures up to 140 F, according to Burkes.

But, many customers in the oil sands require protective pipeline coatings that can handle 200 F or more, he notes.

Reference by:http://www.exploration-processing.com

Reference by: http://gasketstogoblog.com

Rubber gloves are expected to generate exports valued at about RM7.7bil this year.

“The outlook for rubber this year is expected to improve considerably especially with news of recovery in the global automotive sector coupled with the expected sterling performance of the rubber gloves sector,” Teo said at the MREPC’s 2010 Incentives launch by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok yesterday.

Export of rubber products is expected to have reached RM10.56bil in 2009, with rubber gloves likely to have exceeded RM7.1bil, constituting about 67% of the total export value.

“Export of rubber products last year is likely to be marginally short of the RM11.2bil achieved in 2008 given tight labour supply, increased cost of utilities, increasing competition from neighbouring countries and difficult market conditions in our local traditional markets,” said MREPC chairman Datuk Billy Abit Joo.

On MREPC 2010 Incentives, Billy said the new incentives were to improve on the incentives in 2009 which saw total disbursement of about RM1mil.

“The utilisation of 2009 incentives by local rubber product manufacturers was significantly better with 105 applications for incentives from 62 companies approved compared with 73 applications in 2008,” he added.

The new revised and improved incentives include a range of financial support for international trade exhibitions, product certification, laboratory accreditation, market research reports, website development and production of promotional materials.

Manufacturers of Standard Malaysian Glove (SMG) particularly, would be able to enjoy more incentives under MREPC’s SMG Blitz programme to carry out their marketing and promotional activities to ensure the world markets look at Malaysia as the first choice for quality rubber gloves.

Earlier in his speech, Dompok said local rubber manufacturers needed to ensure their products met all the stringent quality requirements given the increasing competition from other world player.

Reference By: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news

Reference By:http://www.restaurantnewsresource.com

‘Our world’, quite simply is rubber… in sheet-form: rubber sheet, reinforced rubber sheet, rubber coated fabrics and composite rubber sheets.  We specialise in them, we create them, we manufacture them, we are well-regarded for them and we’re constantly thinking of what our customers and we can achieve with them. We like to think that we’ve created a science and an art from our dedication to the genre.
Rubber ‘sheet-form’ products is the umbrella term which we’ve penned to hang our product types under, it allows us to effectively communicate our specialism and expertise. We believe passionately that the industries we serve need a centre of excellence for all rubber products in sheet –form as the learning’s we take from one type to another are invaluable in pushing sheet performance forwards. Customers know where to find a full range of rubber products in sheet-form and get the right advice when selecting them.

We’ll consider broadly each form in turn and look at their various synonyms dispelling the any of the confusing industry jargon.
‘Rubber sheet’ or ‘Rubber sheeting’ is the easiest starting point as it’s the product in its simplest form. Pure compounded rubber of any grade or type calendered to a consistent gauge of between 0.25mm and 6mm to widths of up 1.9m and for as long as you like it. Sometimes it is known by its processing name ‘calendered rubber sheet’ and can additionally be described by its finished process state of ‘cured rubber sheet’ (also vulcanised rubber sheet) or ‘uncured rubber sheet’ if the customer requires it such. Once manufactured, the product is wound round a core or a roll and people may refer to it as ‘rubber roll or rolls’.

From here it gets a little more technical as we introduce other materials into the ‘sheet-form’ product. In some applications the rubber sheet does not have all the physical properties necessary to operate in the service environment and so a fabric or alternative substrate (layer) needs to be inserted into the rubber to reinforce it. This gives rise to the names ‘reinforced rubber sheet’ and ‘insertion rubber sheet’. The reinforcement fabric or layer can be any type of fabric or a scrim or even a metal mesh. If one was to look closely at the product at a cut edge then you’d be able to see it sandwiched between two (or more) layers of rubber bonded together during the manufacturing process. Inflatable boat or RIB material is a good example of this type of rubber sheeting.

Next up we have ‘Rubber coated fabrics’ or ‘rubber coated textiles’ another product which has more than one constituent part but is produced from a different manufacturing process. A rubber solution is applied or spread onto the cloth in very thin and consistent layer or layers. Some people refer to ‘spread fabrics’ because of the process, some people call them ‘rubberised fabrics’ because of how they feel and others refer to the enhanced characteristics of the fabric achieves talking of ‘proofed fabrics’. For some, the process is very technical and they prefer to use the term ‘technical coated fabrics’. For us this is a useful descriptor as we can spread and calender a single fabric to produce a highly technical rubber sheet-form product.
Our last type of rubber ‘sheet-form’ product is one that you will have heard less about to date as it is an innovation that we pioneer here at WCRP. The composite rubber sheet (which you’ll be pleased to know doesn’t currently have any synonyms) is a composite material that is created via several production processes whereby several rubbers, fabrics and substrates are composed in various thicknesses and constructions. Typically a product will look a little like a liquorice allsort when viewed at a cut edge. These materials provide a wider range of performance characteristics derived from the composed materials. Different polymer surfaces are common.

So having coined the phrase rubber ‘sheet-form’ products, considered its validity and explained its origins and meaning, we can see that there are several variations and a complicated nomenclature. In summary  rubber ‘sheet-form’ products are rubber sheet, rubber sheeting, calendered rubber sheet, cured rubber sheet (vulcanised), uncured rubber sheet, semi-cured rubber sheet, rubber roll or rolls, reinforced rubber sheet, insertion rubber sheet, gasket sheet, rubber coated fabrics, rubber coated textiles, spread fabrics, rubberised fabrics, proofed fabrics, technical coated fabrics and finally our very own composite rubber sheet.
Now you can see why it’s beneficial to market ourselves and services under an umbrella, it also provides a safe haven for our customers to shelter.

Reference By:http://www.white-cross-rubber-products.co.uk/blog.asp

Mechanical rubber goods to benefit from rising motor vehicle production
Mechanical rubber goods, which includes body seals, vibration control products, wiper blades and a variety of miscellaneous goods such as bellows, bumpers, duct covers, mallets, pads, plates and trim, comprised the largest product segment in 2008. Suppliers of mechanical rubber products will benefit from continued gains in motor vehicle production through 2013, as these products are highly represented in this market. Industrial equipment to remain largest application Industrial equipment — which includes industrial machinery and equipment as well as off-road vehicles — will continue to comprise the largest end-use market in 2013. Demand in this market will benefit from rising demand for heavy industrial equipment such as construction and mining machinery.

China to account for over 40% of all new demand
China, which recently surpassed the US to become the largest national market for industrial rubber products, will account for over 40 percent of all additional demand through 2013. India will also record strong gains, and sales growth is expected to be healthy as well in a number of lower-volume markets, including Thailand and Indonesia. Advances will continue to be solid in Eastern Europe, reflecting the ongoing shift of durable goods manufacturing to that region, primarily from Western Europe.

Mature markets in developed regions to also see gains
Industrial rubber product demand in the US, Western Europe and Japan will rise as well. Advances will be spurred by largely favorable economic climates and higher per capita income, resulting in increased manufacturing activity and consumer spending for durable goods. Although representing mature markets, these areas — along with Australia and Canada — will remain the most intensive users of industrial rubber product products because of the advanced industrial and technological nature of their economies. The large numbers of industrial rubber product-containing equipment in use will also help bolster aftermarket industrial rubber product demand.