Hebei Shida Seal Group offers custom rubber molded corners to meet any customer’s specifications. Rubber Molded Corners can be fabricated into a variety of configurations through molding, hot splicing, or cold bonding. 
By Nick Green
CADILLAC — Michigan Rubber received a General Motors’ supplier award Wednesday for their high quality and standard of parts manufactured for the automotive company.
About 350 North American sites — a plant or operation where parts are produced — and 1,440 global sites receive the Supplier Quality Excellence Award each year.
Butch Bruce, Michigan Rubber general manager, said an on-going relationship with GM has helped keep employment numbers up, parts production high and kept the company striving to reach the next level of excellence.
“There is a high standard that GM sets,” Bruce said. “GM is creating new quality standards — we met those standards and maintained them for a year.”
Mark Vanderheyden, GM representative and award presenter, said that this is not an award that is given — it is earned.
“This award is given to the best of the best globally,” Vanderheyden said. “It is based on metrics, strictly objective and the strongest set of numbers win.”
Michigan Rubber is both a tier one and tier two supplier to GM, meaning they supply directly and indirectly via a third party.
Cindy Hamner, Michigan Rubber quality manager, worked tirelessly for this award and to achieve a Built in Quality Supplier accreditation, Bruce said.
“This award was a collaboration from everyone on the shop floor to senior staff,” Hamner said. “We worked and are working together to continuously improve our quality standards.”
A pre-audit for the BIQS accreditation was completed six months ago and Wednesday was the final audit carried out by GM.
Vanderheyden added that he always enjoyed visiting Cadillac and the plant. The continuous strive for excellence gets him excited for GM’s future and its suppliers, he said.
source: cadillacnews.com
The firm has established its second Brazilian subsidiary, GDBR Industria e Comercio de Componentes Quimicos e de Borracha Ltda., at the company’s premises in Sao Paulo. Combined with its existing presence, Pecval Industria Ltda., the company has local production for three of its four core product groups.
GDBR President Makoto Hirako said the firm invested about $3.5 million in GDBR, which opened in April and employs about 260. The 194,000-sq.-ft. building is located on a 2.37 million-sq.-ft. plot of land. The new facility is Toyoda Gosei’s 24th in the Americas region.
“The South American automotive market can be expected to grow in the long term,” Hirako said. “Until now, the main South American market has been compact cars, but they can be expected to shift from compact cars to midsize cars. We’re expecting future demand.”
GDBR will produce automotive sealing parts such as door weatherstrips; interior and exterior parts such as instrument panel components; and safety systems such as air bags. Hirako said the facility utilizes EPDM to produce the weatherstrips, along with thermoplastic polyolefin and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene to produce some of the other components.
“We look forward to growing in Brazil, especially Itapetininga, with increasing localization to serve the needs of the Brazilian automotive market with its long-term growth potential,” Toyoda Gosei Chairman Tadashi Arashima said at the opening ceremony.
In a separate move, Toyoda Gosei said it is investing an undisclosed amount in its Pecval subsidiary. Pecval employs about 150 and produces interior/-exterior plastic parts at its 118,400-sq.-ft. facility.
Hirako said that the firm is not worried about the Brazilian market, despite its recent downturn. It projects the Brazilian economy will improve in the mid to long term, and as it does the company expects the automotive market to transition from compact cars to mid-sized vehicles.
“Their present economy is slow,” he said. “But in the mid- to long-term viewpoint, Brazil has a lot of potential for operation growth, natural resources and industrial presence. But right now the economy is very slow.”
The firm has localized production for three of its four product groups—automotive sealing parts such as weatherstrips and glass runs; interior/exterior plastic parts such as instrument panel components; and air bags. The company’s functional components line, which includes plastic fuel filler pipes, does not have manufacturing in the region yet. He said if a customer requests this line in the future, the company will consider establishing production in the country.
However, on May 16 the firm opened its previously announced Toyoda Gosei Irapuato Mexico S.A. de C.V.—located in Irapuato, Mexico, and fourth facility in the region. The addition gives Toyoda Gosei a manufacturing presence there for all four main product groups. The automotive supplier is one of numerous related firms announcing expansions in recent years, following many auto makers setting up new facilities in Mexico.
Irapuato represents a $53.2 million investment and will focus on the company’s interior/exterior business such as radiator grilles, console boxes and plastic parts in addition to its functional components business. Toyoda Gosei said production of plated products is scheduled to start in the summer of 2017. The firm projects $110 million in sales for fiscal 2020, and it employs about 135. The building is nearly 400,000 square feet, which rests on a 1.65 million-sq.-ft. plot of land.
Arashima said during the opening ceremony the company wants to grow together with its customers in Mexico and now can provide products from a location closer to its automotive business partners.
Toyoda Gosei operates two facilities in Matamoros City, Mexico—one for safety systems and the other for fuel components. The firm’s local automotive sealing facility is located in San Luis Potosi.
Headquartered in Kiysou, Japan, Toyoda Gosei produces rubber and plastic automotive parts with 100 plants and offices in 18 countries.
source: rubbernews.com
According to KraussMaffei, the transaction is subject to closing conditions including customary regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to accelerate the growth of the company considerably in light of potential business synergies. ChemChina together with GUOXIN International Investment Corporation and AGIC Capital will make this acquisition.
ChemChina is a strategic and long-term oriented investor “With ChemChina, we have found a strategic and long-term oriented investor who has been interested in our Company for many years,” said Frank Stieler, CEO of the KraussMaffei Group. The KraussMaffei Group will continue to operate in its current corporate structure.
“We are strengthening our company with one of the leading global engineering groups, encompassing a 178-year corporate history. In doing so, we expect that KraussMaffei Group will maintain its identity and independence,” said Jianxin Ren, Chairman of ChemChina.
“We are investing in the Company’s strong management team and its technological expertise, which we believe will benefit our Chinese subsidiaries and position the chemical machinery business of ChemChina, which build and sell equipment for the rubber and chemical industry, to become a pioneer in achieving the ‘Made in China 2025’ program which aims to enhance Chinese industry. The growth potential of the KraussMaffei Group is tremendous, especially through improved access to the Chinese market, which we can make possible. We expect trends in the automotive industry towards advanced manufacturing and lightweight components will provide a huge development opportunity for the high-end plastic injection moulding industry. Together, ChemChina and the KraussMaffei Group will be well positioned for future growth,” added Ren.
“Following Onex’s acquisition in late 2012 KraussMaffei Group has achieved strong growth and had a very successful year in 2015. As part of ChemChina, we expect to considerably accelerate our growth strategy, especially in China and Asia, and to further strengthen the Company in Germany and Europe,” emphasised Stieler.
In China, the Company is expected to benefit in particular from the trend towards higher quality and sustainability. KraussMaffei explains, the machines and systems of its three brands – KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal – are especially suited to meet more challenging customer requirements. As a result of the transaction, the KraussMaffei Group will be able to accelerate its planned expansion in China.
“Accelerated growth will have a sustained positive impact for the Company globally. Our Company has a strong foundation and we will continue to build on our strengths, and create new jobs around the world,” said Stieler. “Our brands, KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal, will always stand for highest quality and sustainability.”
The KraussMaffei Group’s headquarters will remain in Munich and the operating and corporate responsibility for the Company will stay in Europe. This applies in particular to production, technology, patents as well as research and development. The KraussMaffei Group says it will continue to operate as a German company with a Supervisory Board based on co-determination. All existing collective agreements and location-based commitments will remain unchanged.
At present, the Company has approximately 4,500 employees globally, of which 2,800 are based in Germany. The Company intends to increase its workforce in 2016, including in Germany. Works council and IG Metall welcome the change in ownership The employee representatives and IG Metall welcome the planned change in ownership. “We consider the transaction as a significant opportunity for the KraussMaffei Group and its employees. We are confident that through further growth the existing jobs in Germany and Europe will be secured and expanded,” commented Peter Krahl, Chairman of the Works Council of the KraussMaffei Group.
IG Metall is also supportive of the change in ownership. “This change comes at the right time for the Company and offers a good perspective for further growth,” said Horst Lischka, Company Representative of IG Metall responsible for Munich and member of the Chairman’s Committee of the Supervisory Board of the KraussMaffei Group. “I am pleased that the German principle of co-determination is also enjoying greater appreciation abroad as a foundation for sustainable corporate success,” he added.
KraussMaffei explains that ChinaChem operates internationally and has a global expansion strategy, having acquired or invested in companies in Italy, France, Norway, the UK and Singapore in the last few years with the most recent acquisition being the high-end tire manufacturer Pirelli. When it comes to equity investments, ChemChina focuses on exceptional management expertise as well as the quality and value of the acquired companies. Following Onex’s acquisition in 2012 KraussMaffei Group says it has demonstrated sustained improvement in its financial and operational performance. In 2014, the Company generated revenues of approximately €1.1 billion and is expected to achieve year-on-year revenue growth of approximately 10 percent for 2015.
“We thank Onex for constructively supporting our Company over the last three years, which has allowed us to achieve record performance in 2015 and has positioned the Company well for the future,” commented Stieler. “Over the past several years we’ve worked closely with KraussMaffei Group’s management team to improve the performance of the company, further strengthening its leadership position in the global plastic and rubber processing industries,” said David Mansell, a Managing Director of Onex. “We’d like to thank all of KraussMaffei Group’s employees and management for their dedication and hard work,” added Mansell.
Source: NetComposites
Compression molding is a process that involves taking a rubber compound or mixed raw material and creating “pre-forms” in the basic shape of the end product. The pre-forms provide a surplus of material to be placed in the cavity, thus ensuring a total cavity fill. Once in place, the mold is then closed, applying both heat and pressure to the pre-form and allowing it to fill the cavity. When the cavity is filled, excess pre-form material spills out into overflow grooves. Following this step the rubber is then demolded, usually by hand, leaving us with the molded rubber product.
Compression Molding Diagram
Compression molding is often chosen for medium hardness compounds in low volume production or in applications requiring particularly expensive materials. This process helps to minimize the amount of overflow, or flash created during the rubber molding process.
In creating compression molded rubber products, the pre-forms can be difficult to insert into more complex mold designs. Furthermore, the compression molding process does not lend itself well to the material flow requirement of harder rubber compounds.
Benefits of Compression Molding:
Compression molding can be a cost effective solution in situations where:
Applications of compression molding range from simple rubber grommets to complex air intake hoses, Hebei Shida Seal Group can offer a variety of other molded rubber products through compression molding.
This process is the most efficient way to mold rubber in most cases. Injection and injection-transfer molding start with more efficient material preparation. The material is mixed, typically in 500-pound batches, and then stripped immediately after being mixed, into continuous strips measuring approximately 1.25″ wide and 0.375″ thick. This strip is fed into a screw on the injection molding machines, which charges a barrel as needed with a pre-defined amount of material. When the mold is closed, the material in the barrel is injected into the mold cavities and cured.
Injection Molding Diagram
Advantages of injection molding:
Hebei Shida Seal Group is an ISO/TS 16949 accredited manufacturer of molded rubber products and extruded rubber products from Hebei, China. We are tier-2 supplier to Hyundai and Kia. Look no future than Hebei Shida Seal Group if you need molded rubber products of high quality!
Hutchinson S.A.’s Precision Sealing Systems unit is acquiring Danielson-based Delta Rubber Co., a manufacturer of high quality precision rubber components for the automotive, energy and industrial markets.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
PSS operates a manufacturing facility in Baja, Calif., along with offices in Houston and Auburn Hills, Mich. The firm said in a statement that Danielson-based Delta Rubber brings a great opportunity to develop and manufacture some components closer to customers.
“This acquisition will further strengthen Hutchinson’s position in North America, offering its customers technological expertise in products and materials combined with a wider local presence,” Philippe Oliver, executive vice president of PSS activity, said in a statement.
Delta Rubber employs 65 at its Danielson plant and has been owned by NN Inc.—a diversified industrial company—since 2001.
“Joining Hutchinson returns us to the rubber industry on a global basis and presents a multitude of opportunities for growth and development for the company and its employees,” Jim Meagher, general manager of Delta Rubber, said in a statement.
NN said in a press release that its divestiture of Delta is part of its strategy to further align its plastics business, along with its recent acquisition of Precision Engineered Products.
“As outlined in our strategic plan, we continue to focus on balancing our portfolio of businesses to create a world class diversified industrial (company),” Richard Holder, NN president and CEO, said in a statement. “The divestiture of Delta Rubber was the next step in that process, as it further aligns our existing plastics business with our recent acquisition of Precision Engineered Products.”
According to NN’s website, the firm operated one other facility within its Plastic & Rubber Components unit—Caprock Manufacturing, located in Lubbock, Texas.
That plant is listed under the Precision Plastic Components Group.
According to NN’s third quarter SEC filing, the company completed its acquisition of Caprock in May for about $9 million in cash.
The unit in 2014 reported sales of $33.4 million, which represented 7 percent of NN’s $488.6 million revenues for the year.
Net sales for the third quarter increased $1.6 million to $11 million with income increasing to $600,000 compared to $200,000 in 2014.
NN said it will integrate Precision Engineered Products Holdings Inc. into the remainder of its Plastic & Rubber Components unit starting in the fourth quarter and rename the unit.
The firm’s deal to acquire Precision Engineered Products was finalized at the end of October. Holder said in a release that the acquisition is the largest in the company’s 35-year history.
The executive described the acquisition of Precision Engineered Products as “a transformational milestone that expands our market segment reach, broadens our portfolio of products, services and solutions, as well as expands margins and strengthens our global geographic footprint.”
Precision Engineered Products serves the medical, electrical, transportation and aerospace markets.
NN manufactures and supplies high precision metal bearing components, industrial plastic and precision metal components to a variety of markets on a global basis.
Headquartered in Johnson City, Tenn., NN has 42 manufacturing plants in North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South America and China.
Hutchinson is a subsidiary of energy multinational Total S.A., based in Tour Total, France.
The unit manufactures vibration control systems, fluid management systems and sealing solution technologies with a focus on the aerospace, automotive and other industries.
Hutchinson generated $4.6 billion in 2014 revenues with more than 36,000 employees at 96 sites in 23 countries.
Henniges Automotive Holdings, Inc., a leading supplier of a line of highly engineered vehicle sealing systems for doors, windows, trunks, lift gates, sunroofs and hoods using both rubber and plastics and anti-vibration systems for the global automotive market, announced it has been acquired by AVIC Automotive Systems Holding Co., Ltd. (AVIC Auto), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (“AVIC”), which is also the professional platform for the development of automotive parts for the AVIC group. AVIC is a global Fortune 500 company (ranked 178 in 2014) and one of the largest state-owned enterprises in China, with its core business in the aviation industry.
As a progressively growing global supplier, Henniges Automotive designs, manufactures and sells dynamic sealing and anti-vibration solutions that keep vehicles quiet and dry for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide. Henniges recently has taken on various strategic growth moves to support customer programs in emerging markets around the world, and is in the process of expanding its global footprint with the addition of new facilities located in Mexico, China and Germany.
Douglas DelGrosso, president and CEO of Henniges Automotive, said: “We are encouraged about this acquisition by AVIC Auto, which will provide the capital and financial backing needed to sustain and grow our business, and ensure that the Henniges heritage, culture and name continue to thrive into the future. We are confident that AVIC Auto ownership will give Henniges Automotive further opportunities for continuous advancement in technology and solutions that drive positive results for our customers.”
This is one of the largest acquisitions by a Chinese company of a U.S.-based automotive manufacturing company in history; AVIC Auto also purchased Michigan-based Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd. in 2011. Henniges Automotive will benefit from AVIC Auto’s reputation as a technology and innovation leader, as well as its best-in-class solutions that result in value for customers. Additionally, as customers continue to turn to resources across the globe, this new acquisition will enhance Henniges Automotive’s worldwide capabilities and expand the Chinese market.
“This acquisition represents a long-term, strategic investment by AVIC Auto to sustain and grow the Henniges business, while keeping the successful leadership, culture, benefits and contracts associated with the company intact,” said Daen Lu, chairman of Henniges Automotive. “We are excited about this acquisition, and look forward to the addition of their significant expertise and the benefits it will bring to both of our companies.”
Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CPS), the parent company of Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc. (“Cooper Standard”), yesterday unveiled two new facilities in China. The Company unveiled its second Kunshan facility, a manufacturing and test center, dedicated to fluid transfer and fuel and brake delivery systems. Later this week, the company will host an opening ceremony at its new facility in Shenyang, which will produce sealing systems.
“As Cooper Standard continues to grow in China and across the Asia Pacific region, these new facilities will further strengthen our market positions and enable us to better serve our customers,” said Jeffrey Edwards, chairman and CEO, Cooper Standard. “The further localization and expansion of our test capabilities is part of our long-term commitment to the Chinese Market and is also essential to our profitable growth strategy.”
The plant openings are the latest additions to Cooper Standard’s strategic growth in China through acquisitions, joint venture partnerships and organic growth in recent years.
Expanding the fluid transfer and fuel and brake delivery systems operation to its second Kunshan location, a growing satellite city of Shanghai, reinforces the Company’s ability to serve the area where there is a concentration of automotive customers. This expansion further builds on the Company’s commitment to the region following the opening of its Asia Pacific Technical Center in Shanghai last year to provide full support to customers.
The Shenyang sealing facility, based in the industrial heartland of Northeast China, further solidifies the Company’s leading position as the largest sealing manufacturer in the Chinese market. Earlier this year, Cooper Standard acquired majority ownership of its joint venture with Chinese domestic supplier, Huayu Automotive Systems Co. Ltd.
The Kunshan and Shenyang locations cover 25,060 square meters and 8,721 square meters respectively, producing innovative products utilizing the Cooper Standard Operating System, providing consistent manufacturing processes globally. Not only will the new facilities improve volume and product mix for Cooper Standard, but they are also expected to add over 500 employees to its skilled Chinese workforce, including 20 engineers to fully support the development of global platforms designed in Asia.
Cooper Standard has steadily built up local capacity since entering the Chinese market in 2003. With these two new facilities, the Company operates 11 manufacturing and technical facilities with 5,200 employees in the country, all adjacent to major OEM operations.
About Cooper Standard
Cooper Standard, headquartered in Novi, Mich., is a leading global supplier of systems and components for the automotive industry. Products include sealing, fuel and brake delivery, fluid transfer and anti-vibration systems. Cooper Standard employs more than 27,000 people globally and operates in 20 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.cooperstandard.com.
ISO/TS 16949 was jointly developed by The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) members and submitted to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for approval and publication. The document is a common automotive quality system requirement based on ISO 9001, and customer specific requirements from the automotive sector. ISO/TS 16949 emphasizes the development of a process oriented quality management system that provides for:
The goal is to meet customer requirements efficiently and effectively.
Quality Management System of Hebei Shida Seal Group is certified by NQA and applicable to the design and manufacturing of rubber weatherstrips and molded rubber products for the automotive industry.
Current Certificate: 19 June, 2015
Certificate Expiry: 18 June, 2018