January 1, 1912.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



159 



CENSUS FIGURES OF THE RUBBER INDUSTRY. 



While a special bulletin affecting the rubber industry, as shown 

 by the census of 1909, has not yet been issued, the subjoined 

 preliminary details, specially furnished to The India Rubber 

 World by the Director of the Census, will be found of interest, 

 as demonstrating the expansion of that branch since 1904. 



One of the most salient points of this return is the increase of 

 capital as compared with 1904, of more than 60 per cent., while 

 the aggregate value of products has only advanced by about 27 

 per cent. While this result by itself implies a smaller return 

 upon capital invested, that fact is further illustrated by analyzing 

 the figures of "value added by manufacture" : 



1904. 1909. 



Cost of materials used $80,002,476 $122,745,102 



Value added by manufacture 75,012,915 74,649,536 



Total value of products $155,015,391 $197,394,638 



Thus an increase of about $42,000,000 in the total value of 

 products is more than offset by the higher amount of nearly 

 $43,000,000 paid for raw materials. Consequently, the rubber 

 industry in 1909 treated $123,000,000 worth of raw materials witTi 

 an increase of selling value through manufacture of a slightly 

 less amount than had accrued in 1904 upon $80,000,000 worth. 



That this increase of business has been accompanied by dimin- 

 ished profits may be further accentuated by a comparison of 

 general results for 1904 and 1909: 



1909. 1904. 



Cost of materials used $122,745,102 $80,002,476 



Salaries 7,840,700 4,538,912 



W^ages 25,136,976 20,084,166 



Miscellaneous expenses 16,360,993 11,303,336 



Principal elements of cost $172,083,771 $115,928,890 



Estimated difference 25,310,867 39,086,501 



Selling value of products $197,394,638 $155,015,391 



Capital 162,144,564 98,979,636 



While the above difference is not officially shown, it is an 

 obvious deduction from the preceding figures, and includes the 

 profit on the operations, as well as interest on capital, conducted 

 during the respective years. It is, in fact, the only source of such 

 profit. That this margin was in 1904 about $39,000,000 upon an 

 estimated cost of $116,000,000 (about 33 per cent.) and had fallen 

 in 1909 to $25,000,000 upon $172,000,000 (about 15 per cei*.), is 

 in harmony with the expense of the industry at large as to the 

 recent shrinkage of manufacturing profits. A falling off in 

 margin of $14,000,000 in conjunction with an increase of capital 

 by $64,000,000 shows that the rubber industry in 1909 was making 

 considerably less profit than was the case in 1904. 



Other interesting comparisons are deducible from the official 

 figures. In 1904 the proportion of cost of materials to value of 

 product was about 52 per cent., while in 1909 it had risen to 62 

 per cent. The average number of workers employed rose about 

 12 per cent., and their average earnings 25 per cent. In conjunc- 

 tion with the 27 per cent, increase of production, these figures 

 would indicate the greater productiveness of individual workers, 

 while the development of existing plants rather than the starting 

 of new ones is shown by the respective numbers of establishments 

 having been 265 for 1904 and only 267 for 1909. 



The detailed figures are as follows : 



THE RUBBER INDUSTRY — RUBBER BELTING AND HOSE, RUBBER BOOTS 



AND SHOES, AND RUBBER GOODS NOT ELSEWHERE SPECIFIED, 



COMBINED, 1909 AND 1904. 



Census. 



1909. 1904. 



Number of establishments 267 265 



Capital $162,144,564 $98,979,636 



Cost of materials used 122,745,102 80,002,476 



Salaries 7,840,700 4,538,912 



Wages 25,136,976 20,084,166 



Miscellaneous expenses 16,360,993 11,303,336 



Value of products 197,394,638 155,015,391 



Value added by manufacture (prod- 

 ucts, less cost of materials 74,649,536 75,012,915 



Employes : 

 Number of salaried officials and 



clerks 6,692 3,698 



Average number of wage-earners 



employed during the year 49,264 43,873 



Primary horsepower 122,436 86,808 



Separate figures of 1909 products are : 



Belting and hose, rubber $19,238,324 



Boots and shoes 49,720,557 



Rubber goods not elsewhere specified 128,435,747 



, . $197,394,628 



In the above statement is included the value of all products of 

 establishment reported as manufacturing rubber goods as their- 

 chief product. The classification of "rubber goods not elsewhere- 

 specified" includes the manufacture of rubber tires, elastic web- 

 bing, rubber clothing, mats, etc. 



With reference to the augmentation of 27 per cent, in value of" 

 products, it is of interest to note that while there has been am 

 increase of about 12^4 per cent, in the number of wage-earners, 

 and of 25 per cent, in their earnings, the number of salaried 

 officials and clerks has risen by more than 80 per cent., and their 

 total remuneration bj- nearly 75 per cent. 



In addition to the above named output, it has been possible 

 thus far to identify a certain amount of products, consisting in 

 part or wholly of rubber, manufactured by establishments engaged 

 in other branches of industry. The total value of such products 

 amounted to $1,059,361. Hence the production of rubber goods 

 seems to be practically confined to houses making a specialty of 

 that branch of manufacture. 



PROPOSED CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT RUBBER SPECIFICATIONS. 



The limitation imposed by official specifications of Fine Upriver 

 Para in the supply of rubber manufactures to the United States 

 government, has prevented the use for that purpose of other 

 standard descriptions. Fine Para now constitutes only 20 per cent, 

 of the world's supply, and in view of the prospective increase 

 in the yield of plantation rubber, will in a few years probably 

 represent only 10 per cent., which fact was brought before the 

 Washington authorities on December IS at a conference between 

 them and a committee representing the rubber manufacturers 

 interested. 



It is understood that among the practical steps to be taken are 

 an exchange of data and the formulation of recommendations, 

 to be submitted, with the approval of all manufacturers, to the 

 committee representing the government. A joint committee, 

 which will be fourteen in number, seven in each of the interests 

 represented, will carry out the plans outlined at the conference. 



