RAC is now TRAC, Canadian association announces

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario (July 18, 2014) — The Rubber Association of Canada has officially changed its name to the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC)/L'Association canadienne du pneu et du caoutchouc, the association said.

TRAC announced the official name change July 18, almost exactly a month after the membership approved the change at the association's 94th annual General Meeting. Industry Canada approved the name change July 1, making it official, TRAC said.

At the same time, the association said it will transition to a new Web domain — www.tracanada.ca — in the coming weeks. Those who visit the current web address — www.rubberassociation.ca — will be rerouted to the new address once it becomes live, TRAC said.

Earlier this year, the association proposed adding “Tire” to its name to more accurately reflect its activities and membership, TRAC said in a news release.

“While the Rubber Association of Canada was established in 1920 as an association of rubber companies based in Canada, the work of the association and its membership no longer reflects this reality,” TRAC said.

Of the association's 25 member companies, only six now have rubber mixing facilities in Canada, according to TRAC. Of those six companies, three are domestic tire manufacturers, it said.

“Together, the domestic tire manufacturers and the offshore tire makers collectively contribute 95 percent of the dues of the association,” TRAC said.

In a canvass of membership earlier this year, 69 percent of association members supported the name change, TRAC said.

Along with the new name, TRAC has unveiled a new logo, changing its traditional rubber leaf inside a chemical beaker to a plain but abstractly drawn maple leaf.

“While chemical compounding still remains a very important part of our members' efforts, the focus of the association has moved away from manufacturing and is now more focused on communicating the benefits of our members' products to consumers,” the association said.