Yokohama cooperates with Bridgestone, Continental. (Contracts, Licenses).

Yokohama Rubber, Tokyo, Japan, agreed formally to participate in the cooperation between Continental AG and Bridgestone on runflat tire systems. Under terms of the agreement, Yokohama will participate in developing and promoting the Support Ring version of runflat technology for passenger cars and sport utility vehicles. Yokohama's participation will include adopting the common Support Ring symbol mark. That mark symbolizes the global technology standard for the Support Ring that the companies will aim to establish for runflat systems. Earlier last year, Continental and Bridgestone began sharing information with regard to runflat technologies that are compatible with conventional wheels. Continental and Bridgestone expect the broadened partnership to add momentum to their efforts toward establishing a global standard in runflat systems.

Degussa AG, Dusseldorf, Germany, will take over the sales of thermal carbon black N 990 from Degussa Engineered Carbons L.P. This joint venture of Degussa's American subsidiary and Engineered Carbons was established in April 2002.

Wabash MPI, Wabash, IN, announced the appointment of a new sales agency covering the Pacific northwest and western Canada. Wetz & Company, Philomath, OR, will represent Wabash MPI, handling sales responsibility for its line of hydraulic presses and injection molding machines.

Dow Automotive, Auburn Hills, MI, has been selected as a materials integrator and one of the key full service suppliers for Ford Motor's newest manufacturing site in Bahia, Brazil. Dow Automotive supplies plastic components for the new Ford Fiesta being produced at the site. This effort is supported by a new state-of-the-art production facility opened within the Ford site to provide ongoing technical development, research and development, manufacturing and production. The facility employs approximately 200. This is the first time that Dow Automotive has operated an independent plastic part manufacturing facility to support one of its customers.

Spartech, St. Louis, MO, has entered into an outsourcing agreement with Great Lakes Chemical, a supplier of polymer additives, for the manufacture of certain proprietary polymer stabilizer products. Spartech produces engineered thermoplastic materials, polymeric compounds and molded and profile products with 43 facilities located throughout North America and Europe and annual production capacity and sales of more than 1.2 billion pounds and $925 million, respectively.

United Forward Fluid Systems, a product division of United Forward, recently purchased two Davis-Standard elastomer systems to begin production of high tech, low permeation hose for the automotive, marine and heavy-duty commercial vehicle industries. The extrusion systems will be operated at United Forward's new 26,000 sq. ft. fuel hose manufacturing facility in Boynton Beach, FL.

Schuyler Rubber, Woodinville, WA, a manufacturer of laminated rubber marine fenders front recycled truck tires, is the newest partner in King County's LinkUp program. LinkUp was developed to encourage businesses to use more recycled materials in the products they make. Schuyler Rubber recycles up to 500 truck tires a day. The company re-uses 100% of the steel-belted tires that come into its facility and about 90% of the bias-ply tires. Unused tire scraps from the company's trimming operations are sent to another local manufacturer that produces crumb rubber used to make a variety of other products.

Freudeuberg-NOK is supplying an elastomeric sealing package to the Chrysler Group for the 8.3L V-10 engine used in 2003 Dodge Viper vehicle models. Freudenberg-NOK is also supplying a total sealing package to Ford Motor for the TorqShift five-speed automatic transmission which will be used on its 2003 F-Series Super Duty gas and diesel truck applications.

Degussa AG, Dusseldorf, Germany, and Celanese AG, Kronberg, Germany, have successfully completed their negotiations to establish a joint venture for propylene-based oxo chemicals in Europe. Both companies will hold a 50% share in the European joint venture. The joint venture will merge the commercial, technical and operational C3-oxo business activities of Celanese in Oberhausen, Germany, with those of Degussa's Oxeno subsidiary in Marl, Germany. Oxo chemicals are primarily used as chemical intermediates in solvents and plasticizers.

Through a collaboration between the University of Akron, OH, and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, researchers are beginning to explore the next generation of electronics, using materials to transmit data at the speed of light. The University of Akron's College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering and the AFRL have established a Collaborative Center in Polymer Photonics. Funding for the project, totaling $2.7 million over three years, comes from the AFRL, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and university matching funds.

Brant Technologies, Bensenville, IL, has been appointed a distributor of Lo-Vel and Hi-Sil brand silicas by PPG Industries, Pittsburgh, PA, for the coatings markets. Brant will distribute PPG's silicas in the upper midwest, including Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota and northern Indiana. Lo-Vel and Hi-Sil precipitated silicas are used as flatting agents and thickeners.