January 



1906.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER \A^ORLD 



135 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN AKRON. 



BY A RESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. 



TO THE Editor of The India Rubber Wori.ij : Not for 

 many years has there been such a general increase in 

 the minufacturing capacity of the rubber plants of Akron as 

 during the year jast closed. Scarcely a company but reports 

 additions to its factory, and increased capacity and improved 

 machinery. The remarkable demand for automobiles and the 

 fact that Akron is so Important a tire manufacturing center is 

 one explanation of the constant increase in business here. 

 Another is the great diversity of uses to which rubber is now 

 being put. This is really the dull season of the year, or rather 

 is preliminary to it, on account of the inventories that usually 

 are taken in January ; yet manufacturers are extremely busy. 



The principal increase in factory space in any one plant in 

 Akron was to the plant of The B. F. Goodrich Co., on ac- 

 count of the addition of a new department, for the manufac- 

 ture of rubber boots and shoes. This is a large 3^2 story brick 

 building, and is already filled with machinery and a working 

 force for the first year's output. The company have also made 

 other additions to the working capacity. The capital stock of 

 tne company was increased lately from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000. 



The Diamond Rubber Co. have grown steadily in business 

 and capacity, having built a large addition to the office, which 

 was finished and occupied in February ; a two story addition 

 40 X 60 feet to the laboratory ; a 50 X yo washing room at the 

 South Akron plant ; a two story addition 20 X '6 as a receiving 

 room ; an additional one story 120 X 60 on a former one story 

 building for general packing purposes. Besides, a large new 

 additional engine has been put in, which increases the engine 

 capacity to over 2000 HP. The company have also increased 

 their capital stock from $1,750,000 to $3,500,000. 



One of the newer companies which shows a large increase in 

 business is the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. This company 

 has increased its general facilities 200 per cent, and its milling 

 capacity 1 50 per cent. The fioor space has been trebled during 

 the year. The company at a special meeting of the genera! 

 stockholders on December 2 authorized an increase In capital 

 from $200,000 to §500,000, and on the same day the directors 

 took the necessary steps to carry out the Instructions. The in- 

 crease has been authorized by the state of West Virginia, under 

 whose laws the company is capitalized. The company has 

 added the past year a three story building with basement to 

 care for the Increase in the regular business and for the manu- 

 facture of the new mechanically fastened pneumatic tire which 

 the company is beginning to advertise. It also added a one 

 story addition 50X100 feet to provide for needed warehouse 

 room and for more milling capacity. New machinery, an 800 

 HP. engine for which an engine house was built, an electric light 

 plant, air compressors and other machinery have been installed. 



The new Swinehart Clincher Tire and Rubber Co. Is adding 

 an entirely new department by erecting a large one story build- 

 ing 20 X 170 feet for a reclaiming plant. The company has pur- 

 chased two acres of land from the American Cereal Co. at the 

 rear of the Swinehart plant, and within a month expects to be 

 able to occupy the addition. The walls will be temporary until 

 next spring, when concrete walls can be built, and the roof will 

 be permanent. Rubber will be reclaimed under a secret process 

 worked out by J. A. Swinehart under which heclaims to be able 

 to bring waste rubber nearer to the original state than by any 

 other method. The company has orders for its output from 

 local manufacturers. The demand for the solid rubber tires of 

 the company is the chief reason for the plant being trebled in 

 its capacity, which it will be in a few weeks. The solid tire de- 



partment will be doubled In capacity. The company will de- 

 vote considerable effort to a pneumatic tire, however. 



The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. added an engine room 

 90X40 feet, a power room 1 10X48 feet and a dry room 160X34 

 feet. The equipment has been increased by a 2000 HP. engine 

 and miscellaneous machinery, so that the power capacity has 

 been trebled. Automobile tires continue to be the main out- 

 put, with the company's pneumatic golf ball being one of its 

 best advertised new products. 



The Buckeye Rubber Co. added during the year a single 

 story vulcanizing room 42 X 70 feet, and put in equipment to 

 match. 



The Stein Double Cushion Tire Co. in East Akron is larger 

 at present by an additional vulcanizing room 60 X 40 feet, and a 

 new machine shop. The factory has doubled the capacity that 

 it had a year ago, and instead of being constantly behind in its 

 orders, the company is constantly up with its work. 



No new buildings were added to the big local plant of the 

 American Hard Rubber Co., but the departments were all 

 shifted about, and new machinery replaced the old. Three 

 new boilers were put in to replace the old. 



The Miller Rubber Manufacturing Co. has added new equip- 

 ment but no buildings. Like all the other plants it has been 

 busy constantly. 



The only change in Barberton, a suburb, was the practical 

 consolidation of the Alden Rubber Co. and the Pure Gum 

 Specialty Co., and the erection of a new plant of the Aladdin 

 Rubber Co., organized some months ago. This building is 

 120 X 60 feet, and is completed. The machinery is being in- 

 stalled, and the company expects to be reclaiming rubber early 

 in February, Boilers, engines and mill are being set up as 

 rapidly as possible. 



The Faultless Rubber Co. has made additions to its plant 

 here as well as In Ashland. At the latter place the capacity of 

 the plant was Increased by a two story structure 50 X 100 feet. 

 The addition to the .'\kron plant is four stories high, 45 X 25 

 feet. Both additions are for purely manufacturing purposes. 



The Motz Tire and Rubber Co. recently has established a 

 headquarters in a large manufacturing plant for assembling 

 purposes. 



The M. & M. Manufacturing Co. is commencing a more ac- 

 tive campaign than any yet carried on in the interest of its rub- 

 ber cement and acid solution, a preparation coming into con- 

 siderable opularity, especially for tire users. The company 

 has been In business on a partnership basis for two years, but 

 recently was incorporated, and is making preparations for an 

 extensive business. The company has a plant on Carroll street 

 35 X 200 feet long. F. C. Milhoff is the head and active man- 

 ager of the plant and company. Electric power, a new mixer 

 and equipment and additions costing about $8000 have re- 

 cently been added. The company manufactures the " M. & M. 

 Cement and Acid Cure Solution," a combination of cements 

 and acid cure solutions that it claims will produce the necessary 

 chemical action and give better results than a steam vulcanizer 

 and do it in from 3 to 5 minutes. 



Mr, A. H. Marks is expected home from England about Jan- 

 uary I. He has been in Liverpool where he went to attend the 

 annual meeting of the Northwestern Rubber Co., of which he 

 IS president, and arrange the business of the company for 

 another year. 



Charles B. Stacey, who resigned recently his position with 

 The B. F. Goodrich Co., with which he had been connected for 

 14 years, being latterly manager of the mechanical department, 

 and removed to Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he has pur- 

 chased a residence. 



