Makih I, 1914.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



325 



SILVER JUBILEE OF KOMMERZIENRAT LOUIS 



HOFF. 



J^f)MMFRZTl.NKAT LOUIS IIOFF, the well-known director 

 t;eii..-ral <>l the United I larburg-Vicnna Knbber Factories, 

 celebrated on January 15 the twenty-fifth year of his connection 

 with thai company. Ili.s commercial apprenticeship began in 

 I.%6 with the Hamburg import lirm of D. & L. Oppenheim, after 

 which he visited England, France and the United States.' b'ol- 



K0MMERZIENR.\T LoUIS HoFF. 



Inwing his return to Europe in liS70 be started business in Paris, 

 undertaking the agency of the above-named Harburg concern 

 for France, Spain and Portugal, and making in 1887 an extended 

 trip through North and South America. His success having 

 come to the notice of the board, he was called to Harburg in 

 January, 1889, as representative of the business director, Herr 

 Gerig. after whose death in 1891 he was entrusted with the com- 

 mercial management of the company in which he has been so 

 successful, particularly in the export trade. 



Herr HofF, being deeply interested in the whole German rubber 

 industry, was appointed chairman of the Central Committee of 

 German Rubber Factories, his success in the development and 

 strengthening of that committee being generally recognized. 



Among honors conferred upon Herr Hoff has been the Ger- 

 man Order of the Red Eagle, for the establisliinent of the Inter- 

 national Galalith Co., as well as the title of Royal Prussian 

 Counsellor of Cominerce. He is a member of the Harburg 

 Chamber of Commerce and upon the Committee of the United 

 German Cliambers of Commerce, as well as on the Railway 

 Council. 



For the last 10 years he has been a national adviser for the 

 development of import and export trade, having also taken an 

 active part in the administration of the various benevolent funds 

 connected with his company. 



On the occasion of the twenty-fiflb anniversary of Herr Hoff's 

 association with the United Harburg-V'ienna Rubber Factories 

 he received congratulations not only from all the rubber men 

 of Germany, but from friends situated in the four quarters of 

 the globe, all of whom felicitated him on the completion of a 

 quarter of a century of successful association with the great 

 coinpany that he directs and wished him still many years of 

 activity in the management of that company and in his eflforts 

 for the general welfare of the trade at large. 



THE GERMAN TIKE TRADE DURING 1918. 



While the German tire trade ft,r 1912 was by no means satis- 

 factory, that of 1913 failed to show the anticipated improvement. 

 In fact, under the pressure of foreign competition, a reduction in 

 prices became necessary in June, followed by a further one 

 later on. According to German opinion, the prices of automo- 

 bile tires are now so low that it is a matter of doubt whether 

 first-class qualities can be delivered on the present basis. The 

 small and medium-sized dealers are to a large extent eliminated 

 fn)m the German automobile tire business. Even in the large 

 cities, the business has got into the hands of a few large firms. 

 Bicycle tires were formerly a relatively profitable section of 

 the trade, as long as the large factories did not cut prices, but 

 when the recent fall in rubber commenced, some of them' an- 

 nounced reductions. Instead of improving their qualities, owing 

 to the lower prices of rubber, they commenced a general price 

 cutting, leading to a depreciation of the article. 



The opinion has been expressed that the rubber factories should 

 consult together as to how the present intolerable conditions can 

 be remedied, particularly as to advancing prices for automobile 

 tires; abolition of mileage guarantees; establishment of minimum 

 prices for bicycle tires, and sales of seconds. It is also pro- 

 posed to abolish the guarantees hitherto usual for bicycle tires, 

 those afforded by the law being regarded as sufficient. 



OPPOSITIOiV IN GERMANY TO RENTING OF MOTOR VEHICLES. 



in a letter to the "Radmarkt und -Motorfahrzeug," Herr VVitold 

 -Milz, president of the .-Mliance of German .-Xutomobile and 

 Bicycle Dealers, states that German dealers in those branches 

 are nuiking an organized opposition to the system of renting. 

 In one instance, 60 dealers in a South German city became, within 

 a few days, members of the above association, which has for 

 its object the abolition of that system. Various important com- 

 panies which some years ago were pushing this kind of business, 

 are now making united efforts to be free from it. In Bremen, 

 the dealers have decided to abandon the plan as hurtful to the 

 best interests of the trade. 



SPORTING GOODS IN THE GERMAN RUBBER INDUSTRY. 



\\ itilin the last few years there has been such a development 

 of athletic sport in Germany, with an accompanying demand for 

 the various appliances that go under the head of "sporting 

 goods" — including many rubber devices — that the German manu- 

 facturers have not been able fully to meet this demand. Con- 

 sequently the large English houses in that line have been pushing 

 trade with Gentian dealers, and have been doing quite a satis- 

 factory business. 



The German manufacturers in this line gradually obtained 

 recognition and. it is claimed, can today withstand any foreign 

 competition. Vet the idea prevails in Germany that foreign 

 sporting goods are preferable to doiuestic products. The Ger- 

 man manufacturers are therefore trying to disprove this 

 assertion. 



Balls (tennis, hockey, cricket and golf) are in good demand, 

 as well as football bladders. German balls have met with ap- 

 proval in foreign contests and tournaments, it being stated that 

 their merits are demonstrated by the important shipments made 

 to foreign countries. The most salable articles are those for 

 hockey (outdoor and indoor), light athletics and football. Ankle 

 supporters and protectors, gloves, knee protectors and other 

 appliances used by players are also in demand. 



In 1916 the Sixth International Olympiad will take place at 

 Berlin, in which pupils of schools and academies, as well as 

 army and navy officers and men, are invited to participate, and 

 in preparation for which annual contests will meanwhile take 

 place. There is no doubt that sport is making more and more 

 progress in all classes of the German population. 



