McLube Div., McGee Ind. and Kemi S.r.I. form jv.

The McLube Division of McGee Industries and Kemi S.r.I. Novara Italy have entered into a joint venture. Kemi S.r.l. will manufacture, supply, service and market Mc Lube's mold release, antistick coating, mandrel, rubber and specialty lubricant products throughout Europe. The McLube Division of McGee In dustries will manufacture, supply, service and market Kemi's mold release, antistick coatings, mandrel, rubber and specialty lubricant products in North America.

VMI, Epe, the Netherlands, and ART, Oldenzaal, the Netherlands, have joined forces in the development and manufacture of their products in bead making and bead apexing for the tire industry. The cooperation is sealed with VMI buying 49% of the ART shares. The bead making and apexing products of both VMI and ART will be sold under the brand name VMI-ART.

Prime Colorants, Franklin, TN, has selected NFM, Massillon, OH, to supply two new twin screw compounding systems for its color concentrate operation. NFM is the exclusive licensee of Toshiba Machine Japan for North America, South America and Europe.

Hankook Tire, Wayne, NJ, has reached an agreement to provide original equipment products to International Truck and Engine for use on the International 4000 and CF Series vehicles.

Standards Testing Laboratories, Massillon, OH, has provided tire test machinery for Toyo Tire & Rubber's new North American tire manufacturing plant in Bartow County, GA.

Hercules, Wilmington, DE, announced the commencement of operations of Hercules Tianpu Chemicals Ltd., a joint venture between Aqualon, a business unit of Hercules, and Luzhou North Chemical Industries Ltd. and Jiangsu Feixiang Chemical Ltd. The joint venture is said to be the leading producer of methylcellulose in China, and will have an initial combined capacity of 6,000 mt. A 12,000 mt MC facility under construction in Zhangjiagang is scheduled to start operations in the second half of 2006.