240 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[May 



1901. 



GROWTH OF THE DIAMOND RUBBER CO. 



EXPORTS OF' AMERICAN RUBBER GOODS. 



THE management of the Diamond Rubber Co. (Akron, 

 Ohio), in reviewing the phenomenal growth ol their busi- 

 ness, do not hesitate to predict that if the same rate of growth 

 continues they will ere long operate the largest rubber plant in 

 the world. Nor is this an extravagant statement, when one 

 remembers that it is but three years since Messrs. Walter B. 

 Hardy, William B. Miller, and Arthur H. Marks, all experi- 

 enced rubber men, went out from the East and look active 

 management of the Diamond Rubber Co. as president, secre- 

 tary, vice president and superintendent respectively. At that 

 time the plant, although large, was only partially used in the 

 manufacture of a mixed line of mechanical rubber goods, drug- 

 gists' sundries, and tires. 



Immediately after the works were turned over to the new 

 managers extensive improvements were inaugurated in both 

 office and factory. New machinery was installed, additional 

 buildings erected, and a strong selling force organized. The 

 business at once expanded with remarkable rapidity, and to- 



THE total exports from the United States of goods classed 

 as "Manufactures of India-rubber" during the first 

 eight months of the fiscal year beginning July i, 1900, were : 



day, in spite of the three years of continued improvement and 

 added facilities, the plant is inadequate to the company's 

 needs. 



An illustration shows the factories as they appear to-day. 

 There are in the present property twenty-one acres, fourteen 

 of which are now covered with buildings. Another substantial 

 addition will be made at once, ground having been broken 

 April I for a factory building, 100X400 feet, five stories in 

 height, which, under the contract, is to be completed August 

 I. It is difficult to give an idea of the size of a business by the 

 mere quoting of figures, but manufacturers will appreciate the 

 present size of a plant which has an engine capacity of 3000 

 horse power, a boiler capacity of 4000 horse power, which oper- 

 ates some 60 mixing mills, 1 5 calenders, and employs some 1300 

 work people. 



The Continental Caoutchouc und Guttapercha Compagnie 

 (Hanover, Germany) have declared a dividend of 45 per cent, 

 on their business of last year. An addition of 3,000,000 marks 

 is to be made to their capital account, which, by their last re- 

 port, stood at 6,169,787 marks. 



(a) Not separately reported prior to July i, 1899. 



The number of pairs of rubber footwear exported was 1,268,- 



585, against 530,071 in the same months of the preceding year. 



At the same rate the exports of other rubber goods than 



belting, packing, and hose, and boots and shoes, will amount, 



this fiscal year, to $1,769,056. A rubber man whose opinion 



was asked as to the char- 

 acter of goods embraced in 

 this miscellaneous classi- 

 fication, said : "Rubber 

 clothing has always been 

 exported from this country 

 in good amounts. It goes 

 to Mexico, Central and 

 South America, Cuba, and 

 elsewhere, and is classed as 

 'rubber goods.' Then 

 there are druggists' sund- 

 ries, toys, rubber thread, 

 tires separate from bicycles 

 or carriages, and almost 

 everything else in rubber. 

 The amount may generally 

 be small in each case, but 

 the aggregate is becoming 

 larger every year. Hard 

 rubber must also be in- 

 cluded. One hard rubber 

 company here finds that it 

 pays to maintain a repre- 

 sentative in London, and 

 this means that they are exporting goods." 



Exports of reclaimed rubber during the same months were: 



1898-99. 1899-1900. igoo-oi. 



$213,469 $297,325 $299,575 



Imports of India-rubber and Guttapercha goods for the 

 same eight months have been : 



1898-99. 1899-1900. igoo-01. 



India-rubber goods $222,352 $369,455 $295,781 



Gutta percha goods 72,527 145.547 120,803 



Total Imports $294,879 



Reexports 10,054 



$515,002 

 12,376 



$416,584 

 14,666 



Net Iinports $284,825 $502,626 $401,918 



BOSTON RUBBER SHOE EXPORTS FOR FEBRUARY. 



Pairs. Value. Value, 1900. 



To England 24,498 



To Nova Scotia 1,428 



To Scotland 226 



To Denmark 659 



To Newfoundland 1 08 



To Miquelon 



Total 26,921 $11,048 $11,535 



