September i, 1910.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



435 



Some Rubber Interests in Europe. 



GERMANY'S RUBBER FOOTWEAR TRADE. 



THE annual report of the Harburg Chamber of Commerce 

 contains some remarks on the rubber shoe trade during 

 1909 that may be summarized as follows : 



"The rubber shoe business was quiet at the beginning of the 

 year. In 1908 snow did not fall until after Christmas, and deal- 

 ers consequently still had full stocks left on hand. In the fol- 

 lowing year, however, as there were very heavy snowstorms 

 in central and southern Germany during November, and a good 

 deal of snow subsequently in northern Germany, business became 

 considerably more effective, and the stocks left over from the 

 previous season were consequently completely sold out. 



"The entire German rubber shoe industry, however, is suffer- 

 ing to quite an extraordinary extent from foreign competition. 

 The importation of foreign made rubber shoes continues very 

 large, being four or five times larger than the German exports. 

 Most of the imports come from Russia and the United States, 

 both of which countries, favored by the low German import duty, 

 are shipping their large surplus output to the German market, 

 knowing its great power of consumption. 



"According to the tariff schedule, the German import duty on 

 rubber shoes is 100 marks per kilogram, but this figure has been 

 reduced to 80 marks for all the most favored nations, greatly 

 to the detriment of the German rubber shoe industry. Foreign 

 countries have made rubber shoes subject to a much higher im- 

 port duty, the same being, for instance — 



"In Russia, 220 marks per kilogram. 



"In the United States, 30 per cent, ad valorem, equal to about 

 180 marks. 



"In Sweden, 130 marks per 100 kilograms. 



"The result is that Germany is absolutely unable to export 

 rubber shoes to these countries, while the foreign manufacturers 

 are flooding our market with their products. 



"The total imports of foreign made rubber shoes into Ger- 

 many, during the first ten months of 1909, amounted in weight 

 as follows : 



From Russia kilos 287,600 



From the United States 115,800 



From Sweden 56,900 



From Great Britain 81,100 



Total 541,400 



[Equipment to 1,191,080 pounds.] 



PROFITS OF HUTCHINSON. 



The annual meeting of Etablissements : Hutchinson — Cie. 

 Nationale due Caoutchouc Souple was held in Paris, on June 

 20. The report showed profits of 1,017,344 francs 

 [=$193,295.36], against 1,333,080 francs for 1908, and 

 1-305,579 francs for the preceding year. The reduced earnings 

 were attributed to the high cost of raw material, which was 

 not offset by the advance made in the selling price of pro- 

 ducts. The dividends were 30 francs per preference share, 

 [the usual 10 per cent.], and 40 francs for the ordinary 

 shares, [12 per cent], against 50 francs last year. [See The 

 India Rubber World, September 1, 1909 — page 429.] 



GALALITH INDUSTRY IN GERMANY. 



The galalith industry in Germany showed an improvement dur- 

 ing 1909, after having suffered from unfavorable market condi- 

 tions in the preceding year. The factory at Harburg a/d Elbe 

 showed during last year an increased amount of sales and was 

 worked at full capacity. The last report of the Harburg Chamber 

 of Commerce states that the galalith industry would be capable of 

 still further development but for the high import duty in Ger- 

 many on casein. It was pointed out that articles of general 



consumption made from galalith must compete w : ith the products 

 of ivory nuts, horn, and the like. The crude materials for 

 these latter goods, however, can enter Germany without paying 

 an import duty. It is suggested in the Harburg report that 

 casein be placed on the free list, to which suggestion Gummi- 

 Zeitung adds that at least a drawback be provided for duties on 

 casein used in Germany in the manufacture of galalith. 



PROFITS OF THE RUSSIAN-AMERICAN RUBBER CO. 



The last report of the Russian-American India-Rubber Co. 

 "Treugolnik" (St. Petersburg) shows a record profit for the 

 fiscal year 1909. The figures in the following table relate to 

 values in rubles [1 ruble=5l.5 cents] : 



1907. 1908. 1909. 



Gross sales $36,252,040 $38,953,150 $61,035,574 



Net profits 4,016,443 5,845,999 7,868,701 



Rate of dividend 25% 30% 20% 



Amount of dividend. . 2,000,000 2,400,000 3,600,000 



The dividend rate for the last fiscal year, though the amount 

 disbursed was so large, was smaller than in preceding years, on 

 account of the increased capitalization from 8,000,000 rubles to 

 18.000,000 rubles. The reserve account is now nearly as large. 



BERGOUGNAN'S CAPITAL DOUBLED. 



The shareholders of Elablissements Bergougnan, large makers 

 of pneumatic tires at Clermont-Ferrand, have voted to double 

 the amount of their capital stock, the increase being from 

 6,500,000 francs to 13,000,000 francs [= $2,509,000]. A portion 

 of the increase is to enable the company to participate in rubber 

 planting. For the latter purpose the Societe du Caoutchouc de 

 l'lndo-Chine has been registered in Paris, with 1,500,000 francs 

 capital, and with Mons. R. Bergougnan on the board. 



ITALIAN IMPORTS OF TIRES. 



Within two years past the importation into Italy of tires for 

 automobiles and bicycles has increased at an important rate. 

 The figures below show the weights (in kilograms) of imports 

 from the various countries as reported officially: 



1908. 1909- 



From France 22,000 I73,8oo 



From Germanv 32,000 160,400 



From Great Britain 8.600 M/.ico 



From other countries 1,600 11,600 



Total 64,200 492,900 



THE NORTH BRITISH IN FRANCE. 



The North British Rubber Co., Limited (Edinburgh), have 

 been mentioned in these columns already [see The India Rub- 

 ber World, July 1, 1910— page 355] as having undertaken the 

 manufacture of their products in France. They have acquired 

 by purchase the factory of the Societe des Caoutchoucs, at Nos. 

 1-3 rue Henri Murger, Saint Denis, near Paris. 



SWEDEN. 



The Russian-American Rubber Co. "Treugolnik." St. Peters- 

 burg, report that their only selling place in Sweden ("Galoschbol- 

 aget," Stockholm) has ceased to exist. It has temporarily taken 

 the sale of its rubber shoes ( with the triangle mark") into its own 

 hands. The wholesale part of the business for Stockholm and 

 the surrounding territory is looked after by the firm of H. 

 Gullberg & Co. 



ITALY. 



The growth of the india-rubber industry in Italy indicated by 

 the constant increase of the importation of raw material. The 

 imports of crude rubber during 1008 amounted to 3.192.080 

 pounds, and in 1909 to 3.448,280 pounds. As recently as 1903 the 

 imports reached only 1.466,060 pounds. 



