268 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[February 1, 1914. 



A GERMAN MANUFACTURER ON RUBBER CON- 

 SUMPTION. 



ONE of the most interesting features of the recent rubber 

 conference of the Colonial Economic Committee, held at 

 Berlin, was the address of Kommerzienrat L. Hoff on the devel- 

 opment of rubber consumption. While no ideas were advanced 

 by Herr HofF that have not been fairly well canvassed by Amer- 

 ican manufacturers, still his opinions are of interest, because 

 they sliow what German manufacturers are discussing ; and they 

 carry additional weight by reason of the fact that he is at the 

 head of the Harburg-V'ienna Rubber Co. and is also president 

 of the German Rubber Manufacturers' Association. 



He began by introducing a statistical table giving the com- 

 parison of the world's consumption and production of rubber. 

 with stocks on hand, for tlic years 1909-1912. These statistics 

 are as follows ; 



World's World's \yorld's 



Consumption. Production. Stocks. 

 Tons Tons Tons 



1909/10 76.026 76.553 6,998 



1910/11 74,082 79.305 12.563 



1911/12 99.564 93,669 10.181 



These figures show an increased consumption of about one- 

 third in 1911-12. as compared with 1910-11, thus justifying the 

 speaker's prediction made in 1911, that the rubber market would 

 be capable of absorbing the gradually increasing production. 

 In fact, consumption had more than kept pace with output. This 

 result had been achieved in spite of the over-production and 

 consequent depression in the American market for manufactured 

 rubber goods. 



KK(I..\IME;I1 KUr.BER. 



According to Herr lloflf's estimate the consumption of re- 

 claimed rubber is double that of the natural product. In other 

 words, if the annual consumption of crude rubber be taken as 

 100.000 tons, that of reclaimed rubber would represent 200.000 

 tons. Prices of the latter have not given way and those of scrap 

 only to a slight extent : the purchasing capacity of consumers 

 being thus indicated. The question arises, if the existing low 

 prices for rubber continue, whether it will pay to reclaim scrap 

 for present uses. New uses would, however, be probably found 

 for the product recovered from the scrap which would thus 

 accumulate. 



Rri'.nER WE.\RIXG .\PP.VREL. 



One of the most important outlets for rubber is in tlie manu- 

 facture of wearing apparel, and this branch, in Herr Hoff's opin- 

 ion, is susceptible of great development. Rubber wearing ap- 

 parel is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for the health of 

 every individual. As soon as it can lie produced at a sufficiently 

 low price, a largely increased demand is assured for it. 

 RUBBER FOOT\VE.\R. 



The use of rubber footwear, the speaker urged, could be 

 largely extended if the price were reduced to such an extent 

 as to render it an article which every one, rich or poor, would 

 be enabled to wear in the interest of personal health. 

 Rfr.BER HEELS -WD SOLES. 



It has been found that the enormous demand which has 

 grown up during late years for rubber heels is not due alone 

 to the intrinsic merits of the article, but also to the enormous 

 advance in the prices of leather. Should the latter condition 

 be maintained, there is little doubt that shoe manufacturers 

 will soon adopt rubber soles, which in durability will be found 

 to at least equal leather so!es. 



RUBBER SPO.VHES. 



.\nother staple article wliich. in consequence of the ad- 

 vanced price of the natural product, offers a wide field to 

 rublier. is the sponge. The <iuality of the natural article is 

 going down and it is being produced in constantly diminish- 



ing quantities, but is being fully replaced by the rubber 

 sponge. Besides its other advantages, the latter article is 

 easily sterilized, and can be delivered in any degree of hard- 

 ness or softness which may be desired, as well as in any sizes 

 that may be called for. It is of equal durability with natural 

 sponge and costs about the same price. If it were possible to 

 reduce the cost of rubber sponges, a notable increase might be 

 anticipated in their use. 



Sl'ORlINd C.OODS. 

 In Herr Hoflf's opinion rubber footballs, tennis balls and 

 golf balls could be sold on a much larger scale at the lower 

 prices which cheap rubber w-ould render possible. 



ri.ooRi.vcs. 

 :\u opportunity is afforded for cheap rubber in matting, 

 floor-covering and artificial leather, while rubber mosaic floor- 

 ing is in a position to compete with tiled flooring, particularly 

 if rul)ber prices keep low. 



PAVING. 

 Cheap rubber would be ideal for paving purposes, and would 

 afford an outlet for large quantities of waste rubber, besides 

 doing away with noise in locations where quiet is required. It 

 is, moreover, particularly beneficial to horses' hoofs. 



OUTDOOR OFFICL\LS' APPAREL. 

 In the course of the meeting a recommendation was adopt- 

 ed calling the attention of the German Imperial Government 

 to the advantages of waterproof clothing for soldiers, sailors, 

 gendarmes and other officials whose duties are likely to ex- 

 pose them to the weather. The recommendation included a 

 statement to the efifect that increased production had so reduced 

 the price of rubber that it is now available in the manufacture 

 of soldiers' cloaks, knapsack covers and certain parts of tents, 

 in competition with the materials hitherto emplov'ed for those 

 purposes. 



ELASTOZON. 



Advices from Lindstedl, Gardelegen, Germany, report the regis- 

 tration of the Elastozon Works. Ltd.. for the acquisition and ex- 

 ploitation of the patent and other rights of Herr Hans Knoll, 

 with respect to the rubber substitute "Elastozon.'' The capital 

 equals $9,000. 



REORGANIZATION OF A GERMAN RUBBER MANUFACTURING 

 COMPANY, 



The tirni of ^lartin Merkel, Hamliurg, has been reorganized 

 under the style of the Martin Merkel Asbestos & Rubber Manu- 

 facturing Co., Ltd., with a capital equaling $75,000. Its products 

 include steam packings, insulating materials and technical 

 lubricants. 



IMPROVEMENT IN RUBBER MATS. 



.■\n improvement in ruliljer mats is reported from Germany, in 

 the form of a mat composed of discs of rubber stamped out with a 

 die and connected by rods of galvanized iron wire. For the pur- 

 pose of strengthening the mat. discs of vulcan fiber are inserted 

 at intervals. This mat can be easily rolled up and transported whole. 

 Cleaning is efTected by a simple washing. The special construc- 

 tion of the mat reduces the wear to a minimum, so that it is 

 claimed to be indestructible. If so desired it can be finished ofT 

 with brass edges. It is made by Franz Kriiger, Kaiserstrasse 33. 

 Saarbrucken, Germany. 



RUBBER IN DOG KENNELS. 



Rubber has proved such a benefit to humanity that its adop- 

 tion for the comfort of animals is perhaps a natural conse- 

 quence. Hence there is possibly nothing unreasonable in the 

 advice of a German publication to rubber goods dealers to watch 

 the requirements of dog kennel proprietors. These requirements 

 include rubber sheeting and mats, as well as items connected with 

 drainage, not to mention rubber clothing for the dogs on rainy 

 davs. 



