206 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[January 1, 1913. 



The Lancashire Motor Transport Co., Ltd., whose prospectus 

 appeared some months ago, and which was destined to revolution- 

 ize goods traffic between large Lan- 

 JOTTINGS. cashire towns, has come to an untimely- 



end, and is being wound up in bank- 

 ruptcy. Its career has been unsuccessful. 



Mr. Brown, late manager of the Droylsden factory of the 

 Gorton Rubber Co., Ltd., resigned that position in order to take 

 up the management of a new motor tire factory in Australia. 



The Werneth Rubber Co., of Gee Cross, Hyde, near Man- 

 chester, is making good progress under the management of Mr. 

 Saunders, a former manager of the Gorton Rubber Co. As re- 

 ported in these notes some time back, these works were put up 

 to auction, as Mr. Salmon, the proprietor, wished to retire from 

 business. As the reserve was not reached, the property was 

 withdrawn, but was subsequently sold privately. The head office 

 is at Burton-on-Trent. Recent developments in the business 

 include railway buffers and small motor tires. 



The Synthetic Products Co., Ltd., are at present engaged in 

 negotiating for a site for their works, in which the manufacture 

 of acetone will be carried on. As was stated in the prospectus, 

 the synthetic rubber manufacture will remain a matter for fu- 

 ture development. In connection with this I may mention that 

 Professor Perkin is billed to read a paper on synthetic rubber 

 before the Royal Society London, shortly. 



GERMAN EXPORTS OF ASBESTOS MANUFACTURES. 



AccoRDi.vc to official statistics, the t.ital value of German ex- 

 ports of asbestos manufactures equalled in 1910 $1,060,250, and 

 in 1911, $1,231,500. The latter figure included the following 

 items : 



Asbestos paint and colors, etc $ 3,250 



Asbestos paper and board 453,000 



Asbestos yarns and cords 107,500 



Asbestos fabrics, etc 174,500 



Asbestos and rubber fabrics 280.500 



Insulating materials 212,750 



Total $1,231,500 



American exports of asbestos manufactures, which appeared 

 in separate form for the first time, in the annual return to June 

 30 last, represented $520,894 for the fiscal year 1911-12. 



GERMAN RUBBER COMPANIES' DIVIDENDS 1910-1911. 



The dividends paid by 18 leading German rubber companies 

 for the business year of 1910-1911 were as follows: 



Per Cent. Per Cent. 



2 companies, between. .3 and 4 2 companies, between. 9 and 10 



2 " " ..4 and 5 1 " " ..10 and 12 



2 " " ..5 and 7 1 " " ..12 and IS 



S " " ..7 and 8 1 " " ..20 and 25 



1 " . " ..8 and 9 1" " ..25 and 30 



Eight companies worked at a loss. The results obtained 

 by the rubber industry, separately from those of the leather 

 branch, have this year formed a special feature of the returns. 



THE EUROPEAN RUBBER INDUSTRY AND THE BALKAN WAR. 



While European business in general with the Balkan states has 

 suffered from the consequences of the hostilities, the rubber in- 

 dustry has apparently gained by the complications. Several firms 

 are reputed to have had large orders from the Greek medical 

 authorities. The orders of the Turkish government have in- 

 cluded large quantities of hospital supplies and surgical appli- 

 ances, in which rubber has a prominent part. 



"It's an ill wind that blows nobody good." 



SILVER JUBILEE OF DIRECTOR HERBST. 



Herr Edgar Herbst, of the Austrian-American Rubber Manu- 

 facturing Co., Vienna, recently celebrated the twenty-fifth an- 

 niversary of his becoming director, with a seat at the board. 

 Born in 1855, he took up laboratory work in 1876 at Carlsruhe, 

 under Professor Engler. He then went to the Von Oehler 

 Chemical Factory at Offenbach. ' Through the publication by 

 him of a work on the "Chemistry of Rubber," he was invited to 

 Vienna to assume the post which he has now filled during 

 twenty-five years. He is a well-known authority on both the 

 theory and practice of rubber manufacture, having given special 

 attention to the synthesis of rubber. In addition he is known 

 as the editor of the "Rubber Industry Calendar and Annual." 



TIRE NOTES FROM FOREIGN LANDS. 



Portugal's imports of bicycles increased from $500,000 in 

 1910 to $650,000 in 1911. During the latter year 208 motor- 

 cycles, valued at $24,000, were likewise imported. 



A contract for 750 sets of taxi tires has been recently 

 closed by Backdahl & Co., Stockholm, with the United States 

 Tire Co. Experiments had led to the adoption in the 

 Scandinavian countries of American tires, notwithstanding 

 their cost being higher than that of the domestic product. 



Herr Wilhelm H. Bartels has resigned the management of 

 the firm of Alfred Teves, Frankfurt, to take up, among other 

 matters, the exclusive sale of the "Garuda" propeller for 

 aerial navigation, motor cars and steam vessels. 



Among notable English exhibits at the recent London 

 show were those of the Connolly and Avon tires. The former 

 concern was associated from the start with the development 

 of the rubber tire, to which their experience as wheel manu- 

 facturers also contributed, particularly in devising the most 

 durable and non-skidding patterns. 



Tlie Avon India Rubber Co., Ltd., has brought out a special 

 tire with an extra thickness of rubber on the surface of the 

 tread. 



Among the features of the recent London show, were the 

 pneumatic and solid tires of the Midland Rubber Co., Ltd., of 

 Birmingham. They made a special display of their "Ajax" 

 pneumatic tire, which carries with it a 3,000 mile minimum 

 guarantee. Solid rubber tires of this company's make carrying 

 a 10,000 mile guarantee have been supplied to the London Gen- 

 eral Omnibus Co. and the National Steam Car Co., besides other 

 public motor enterprises. 



NEW RUBBER WORKS IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 



According to English reports, a company is being formed called 

 the "Irish Rubber Co." to manufacture tires and other rubber 

 goods in Ireland. The influence of local directors is being exer- 

 cised to bring the factory to Dublin, but Wexford has also been 

 under consideration. The promoters are said to have obtained 

 the support of 500 cycle agents in Ireland. 



It is reported that a large Scottish rubber manufacturing firm 

 is about to establish at Newburgh, Scotland, a factory for ladies' 

 waterproof garments. 



CALMON AUSTRIAN WORKS INCORPORATED. 



The Calmon Asbestos and Rubber Works of Hirschstetten, 

 Austria, have been converted into a limited company; the busi- 

 ness managers being Imperial Councillor Hugo Goldschmidt and 

 Herr Marcel Herczeg, of Vienna. It is announced that the capital 

 of the comoany is the equivalent of $422,046. 



NOTHING NEW AT PARIS AERONAUTIC SHOW. 



At the recent Aeronautic Salon held in Paris there appeared to 

 to be nothing particularly new in the line of rubber manufacture. 

 There was a good display of pneumatic tires, shock absorbers and 

 rubberized fabrics, but practically nothing that was not shown at 

 the exhibition a year ago. 



