PolymerLatex appointed sales agent for Bayer.

CONTRACTS, LICENSES

Bayer's Rubber Group in Akron, OH, has appointed PolymerLatex as sales agent for its latex chemicals line of rubber chemicals. Under the agency agreement, PolymerLatex will represent Bayer's latex chemicals line in the North American market. PolymerLatex is the U.S. subsidiary of PolymerLatex GmbH, Germany, which is a 50/50 joint venture between Bayer AG and Degussa-Huls AG. PolymerLatex GmbH is a manufacturer of synthetic latex for paper, carpet and rubber applications.

Freudenberg-NOK, Plymouth, MI, has won three major total sealing contracts with North American manufacturers which will help the group's global automotive sales to grow beyond $4 billion this year, and will push the company's annual sales rate in the Americas over the $1 billion level, according to the company. Awarded by three different North American manufacturers, the total sealing contracts, which cover undisclosed future engine, transmission and steering system programs, bring to ten the number of total sealing packages either in development, in production or already released for production for this automotive sealing supplier.

A multi-year agreement gives the Italian company Tria S.p.A. exclusive distribution rights in Europe for the Scutter, produced by the Japanese company, Nissui Kako. The Scutter is a slow revolution granulator, placed under a protective patent by both Nissui and Tria, that uses new technology to recover injection feedheads in line in a closed circuit.

Entela, Grand Rapids, MI, has formed a strategic alliance with Envirotronics, also of Grand Rapids. Entela and Envirotronics will cooperate in the marketing of each other's test systems and will jointly participate in a series of accelerated test methods seminars across the country.

Fitz Chem, Elmhurst, IL, a midwest distributor/sales agent of raw materials to the rubber, plastics, paint, coatings, ink and adhesives industries, has been appointed as distributor for Milwhite's attapulgite clay and gel products in the territory of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, upper peninsula of Michigan and Minnesota. Milwhite's line of attapulgite products, manufactured in Attapulgus, GA, have a variety of industrial applications. The colloidal grades are thickening, gelling, stabilizing and thixotropic agents.