The Swedish Institution of Rubber Technology is inviting you to its spring conference the 19th and 20th of May 2026. The conference will be held at Elmia in Jönköping, Sweden.
We will start with lunch at 12:00 on the 19th and the conference ends with lunch on the 20th.
Buy your ticket in the webshop. Contact SGF if you need to pay via invoice.
More info in SGF Invitation to spring conference 2026.pdf
PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release
21 January 2026
History
IOM3 Southern Africa has joined the International Rubber Conference Organisation (IRCO) as its first African member. The decision, approved at IRCO’s committee meeting in Bangkok December 2025, brings African representation to the global rubber industry body for the first time in its 60-year history.
This milestone expands IRCO’s global footprint and strengthens its commitment to supporting scientific and technical excellence in rubber and polymer industries worldwide.
IOM3 Southern Africa, an affiliated society of the UK-based Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, has been a cornerstone of the South African rubber and polymer community since its constitution was inaugurated in 1958. With more than 120 members across industry, academia, and research, the organisation plays a vital role in promoting technical knowledge, professional development, and innovation within the region’s elastomer sector.
Michael Clayton, Executive Chairman of IRCO, welcomed the new membership:
“IOM3 Southern Africa brings 67 years of experience in rubber and polymer science to IRCO. Prof Hlangothi and his team have built a strong technical organisation with genuine commitment to advancing the industry. As our gateway to African markets, they give us perspectives and reach we didn’t have before, and bringing an IRCO conference to Africa is now a real possibility.”
Professor Percy Hlangothi, Chair of IOM3 Southern Africa, commented:
”Joining IRCO marks an important moment for IOM3 Southern Africa and for the wider African rubber and polymer community. This membership provides our professionals, researchers, and students with a stronger international platform to share knowledge, contribute to global discussions, and showcase the innovation emerging from our region. We look forward to active participation in IRCO events and to building new partnerships across the world.”
What This Membership Means
IRCO coordinates major international rubber conferences, including the annual International Rubber Conference (IRC) and RubberCon series. These events bring together scientists, engineers, and industry specialists from around the world. IOM3
Southern Africa’s membership ensures that South Africa, and Africa more broadly, will now have a voice within this influential global network.
IOM3 Southern Africa
IOM3 Southern Africa is an independent, aQiliated society of IOM3 (UK), focused on the rubber and polymer industry. Established in 1958, the organisation operates through three regional branches and hosts a biennial National Rubber Conference. More information: https://www.iom3.co.za
IRCO
The International Rubber Conference Organisation (IRCO), established in 1966, is a global body that coordinates major international rubber conferences and promotes scientific and technical collaboration across the elastomer industry. More information: https://internationalrubberconference.org
Contacts
The Swedish Institution of Rubber Technology (SGF) organizes a rubber conference 19th to 20th of May 2026 at Elmia in Jönköping, Sweden. The conference is held in connection with the Elmia Polymer fair, which is 19-22 May.
The conference attracts rubber technicians, purchasers, and sales representatives from most Swedish and Scandinavian rubber companies, but also European companies are represented. We expect to have 100 participants from the rubber industry. Conference language is English.
As a speaker you are only paying your travel- and hotel expenses. No conference fee will be charged.
It is our pleasure to invite you as a speaker at our conference. Please send your abstract of maximum 250 words to . The deadline for submission is 1st of March 2026.
Speakers will be notified no later than April the 15th. For further information our webpage will be updated continuously. We hope you would appreciate this opportunity of presenting knowledge in the field of polymers and/or rubber technology to our technically skilled audience.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
The Swedish Institution of Rubber Technology / Sveriges Gummitekniska Förening
Här är höstens datum för gummiutbildningar hos Hagvikens läroverk.
SGF bildades 1950 och därmed fyller vi i år 75 år. Detta firade vi under RubberCon i Stockholm med tårta och ballonger.
TSGF är en tvåårig distansutbildning som ger breda och genomgripande gummitekniska kunskaper. Nytt för i år är att vi, med tanke på miljö och effektivitet, kommer varva digital distansutbildning med fyra fysiska seminarietillfällen jämnt fördelat över studietiden, istället för som tidigare 9 fysiska möten.
Vid de fysiska mötena anordnas studiebesök på olika gummi-relaterade tillverkningsenheter, runt om i södra Sverige. De digitala sammankomsterna, 4 timmar, en gång i månaden, innehåller föreläsningar som följs av studieuppgifter som deltagarna får lösa enskilt eller i grupp.
Den ettåriga utbildningen, UKG (Utökad kurs i gummiteknik) löper, så som tidigare, parallellt med TSGF under den första halvan av tiden.
En 4-dagars gummiteknisk grundkurs (ev. även en 2-dagars gummiteknisk grundkurs) kommer att anordnas i Värnamo under hösten.
Mvh /Inger Haag Olsson, AB Hagvikens Läroverk
Läroverket i Småland AB planerar att trycka en upplaga av Gummiteknologi – En introduktion, 300 sidor gummikunskap.
Det finns också möjlighet att trycka den engelska versionen Rubber Technology – An Introduction om det finns intresse.
Storleken på upplagan bestäms av hur stort intresset är, så om du behöver ett eller flera ex, skicka ett mail till Brittmari, eller till SGF, så vidarebefordrar vi.
Meddela senast 30 april.
Priset är 390 kr/st plus 6 % moms exkl frakt
Den 21-22 mars var det sex personer som skrev tentamen för TSGF (Tekniker Sveriges Gummitekniska Förening). Utbildning har skett hos Hagvikens Läroverk. Examensgruppen SGF har konstruerat uppgifterna och är nu upptagna med rättningen.
Vi hoppas alla lärt sig mycket och lyckas väl!
RubberCon 2025 will take place 9th to 11th of September 2025 in Stockholm, arranged by SGF in collaboration with NGTR and IRCO.
Vital info is collected in this document. Invitation to RubberCon 2025.
Nu är planeringen gjord och vecka 15 är planen för nystart av TSGF-kursen.
Grundkurs 2- och 4-dagar, är planerad till vecka 13.
Platsen är Gummifabriken Värnamo
Vänliga hälsningar från Inger, AB Hagvikens Läroverk