March 



■903] 



THE INDIA RUBBER V^ORLD 



209 



THE RUBBER TRADE A I' AKRON. 



BY A RESIDENT CORRESPONDENT. 



TO THE Editor of The Indi.^ Rubber World: The 

 tire situation is claiming unceasins;. vigilant, attention 

 these days, and for more than one reason. Principally because 

 the demand is great and every machine is busy — some ol them 

 24 hours a day, six days in the week — but also because the state 

 of ilie trade is one which must be watched keenly, are the 

 manufacturers keeping very wideawake. There is a great de- 

 mand for automobile tires. Makers of solid tires say they are 

 having all they can do. Makers of pneumatic tires are busy as 

 can be in these departments. Of the pneumatics, the detach- 

 able tire seems to be taking the lead this season, although for 

 other makes there are plenty of orders. Prices on automobile 

 tires are holding up to a fair level, but the manufacturers are 

 experiencing the same difficulty that bothered them in the bi- 

 cycle tire industry — an inquiry, approaching a demand, for a 

 cheaper tire than can be made with any sense of satisfaction as 

 to its being serviceable. 



Far more especially is this :true, however, of the vehicle or 

 carriage tire trade. The outcry for cheap tires which last year 

 became insistent is resulting, it is claimed, in the making and 

 marketing of tires without regard to their wearing qualities, by 

 some manufacturers, at least. Others declare they are hold- 

 ing up prices and quality and that their course will be the more 

 profitable in the long run. Still others take the cue that a 

 man who buys tires at 35 cents a pound gets his money's worth, 

 though he who buys at 50 cents a pound gets better value for 

 his expenditure — in short, makes a very much wiser invest- 

 ment — ^wiser for all concerned. 



There is no great division of opinion among manufacturers as 

 to the price at which a really serviceable tire can be marketed. 

 Quite invariably the figures they name are not higher than 50 

 cents nor lower than 40 cents per pound. However, it is re- 

 called that in the early days of the solid rubber vehicle tire an 

 article far inferior to that which sells at 50 cents to-day was 

 sold at a much higher figure. And there was no greater profit 

 in the tires, proportionately, either. It is conceded that the 

 time may come when a first class tire can be sold as low as 35 

 cents the pound or even lower, far cheaper than the prices which 

 must be had for such tires now. The manufacturers are doing 

 all within their power to hasten the day, but meanwhile there 

 is that " psychological point " at which price ends and quality 

 begins which must be ever taken intoconsideration by the con- 

 scientious maker, and which the consumers and the carriage 

 men seem as yet unable to arrive at. 



The bicycle tire trade is claiming its own share of attention. 

 While there continues to be a large call for cheap tires, the 

 bulk of this year's business will be not so much in that line as 

 was true of last season. While some of the first class tires are 

 being sold, too, the majority of orders are for the medium grades 

 — quality which runs from $2.50 to S350 per pair, manufactur- 

 ers' prices, or thereabout. One large concern expects to make 

 more bicycle tires this season than for three years past. Another 

 will make about the same number as last year which, on the 

 whole, was the best season since 1899- 1900, or possibly the year 

 before that. 



There is a growing demand for the heavier tires for motor 

 bicycles. These machines are now being put out at prices with- 

 in reach of many people, $125 and up, and indications point to 

 a good sale the coming season. Tires for these motor bicycles 

 are of necessity of good quality, and a sufficient demand will 

 open up a first class field — one in which quality is bound to 

 be paramount to price. However, if this demand does tiOt 



develop to a considerable extent for another year or two, the 

 majority of manufacturers will not worry about it, as they 

 have plenty of work for the present, without this. 



* • * 



The season of quiet in the crude rubber market will, if it 

 continues, result in the present prices of rubber products re- 

 maining quite generally stationary for some time ; that is, there 

 will not be another advance of prices in April, the possibility, or 

 even likelihood, of which was referred to in these columns last 

 month. If quotations on raw material do not change mater- 

 ially, manufacturers say, the present schedules of selling prices 

 will be found the basis of values for the entire year, perhaps. 

 The remark has been made that it is owing more to increases 

 in expenses in other directions than to the rise in crude rubber 

 that manufacturers have advanced their price lists. This, it is 

 declared very generally by them, is incorrect. Except for the 

 rise in crude rubber, their selling prices would not have been 

 changed. 



+ ♦ * 



The present season is one of great activity in the rubber 

 belting trade. The use of such belting is increasing, notwith- 

 standing the claims of leather belting salesmen to the contrary, 

 and the manufacturers say their leather making competitors 

 are the least of their troubles. Speaking of this subject, a lead- 

 ing manufacturer drew a moral from an editorial in The India 

 Rubber World for February under the caption, " The Capac- 

 ity of the Rubber Industry." Said he : " In the manufacture of 

 belting, as in other things, it is having the name and reputa- 

 tion and the goods to sustain these that count. While there is 

 an increasing demand for rubber belting, the same as there is 

 an increasing demand for automobile tires, it does not follow 

 that the field offers an especially inviting prospect for a large 

 investment of new capital— more inviting than another line of 

 activity. There is the same amount of room in almost any other 

 business for the right men and the right goods." 



* * * 



The demand for golf balls was probably never greater than 

 now. The decision of the professional golfers' association of 

 Great Britain to bar the rubber cored ball from their contests 

 seems rather to have helped than retarded the progress of such 

 balls into papular favor, by advertising them more extensively 

 than they have ever been hitherto. And the amateur golfers, 

 who, by the way, support and in a very great many instances 

 employ the professional golfers, are still using the rubber cored 

 ball and in the leading golf publications ridiculing the stand of 

 the professionals. Evidence of the increased demand for the 

 rubber cored ball is found in the fact that the Haskell Golf Ball 

 Co., who a year ago were far behind in their orders, though 

 making a little more than 100 dozen balls per day, are now still 

 behind, though they are producing, and shipping as fast as they 

 are manufactured, 1000 dozen per day. Thus far the company 

 have been unable to accumulate a surplus stock. Of course 

 such stocks are accumulating, but they are in the hands of the 

 jobbers and dealers, and the beginning of the season, as per- 

 tains to the country at large, will find the Haskell company still 

 working overtime on goods for immediate delivery. At least 

 such are the present indications. 



Some of the rubber manufacturers are so busy within other 

 departments that they are not pushing their golf ball business. 

 The Diamond Rubber Co., for instance, brought out the " King 

 William " ball last season, and marketed enough of them to be 

 convinced of their success. The rush in the other departments, 

 however, notably on tires, has kept the company from entering 

 the golf ball field this year, and the " King William " and its 

 companions of the Diamond company must lie by awhile. 



