Aprii. 1. 1912,] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



335 



The India-Rubber Trade in Great Britain. 



By Qui- Regular Correspondent. 



•inz COURSE 

 OF PRICES. 



UNDERSTAND that at the meeting of the India Rubber 

 Manufacturers' Association in January, some divergence of 

 opinion was expressed as to the policy of reducing the 

 price of rubber goods, owing to the fall of Para rubber to 4s. 4cl. 

 per pound. The advocates for no reduction were, however, in 

 a minority and were outvoted. Their 

 prediction, however, that the immediate 

 future would show a rise in raw rub- 

 ber values has proved quite correct, as 4s. 7d. to 4s. 8d. was the 

 February hgure. The prophecy of a rise rather than a fall in 

 February was based, I believe, on the somewhat freely expressed 

 opinion that London and Brazilian interests are acting in unison 

 to keep up the price, 5s. per pound being the figure aimed at. It 

 goes without saying that this concerted action is not altogether 

 to the liking of the manufacturers, who think that the general 

 situation in regard to supply and demand warrants a market 

 ciuotation of about 3s. 9d. per pound. 



Of course it is one of the most difficult things in the world 

 to foretell the course of the rubber market, and this is by far 

 the greatest source of the worry which the manufacturer e.xperi- 

 ences. Owing to the fact that many of our important firms are 

 private companies, whose accounts are not published, we shall 

 probably never know how many of the leaders of the industry 

 were con\inced that rubber was going to ISs. per pound, and con- 

 sequently bought ahead. Certain names are permanently men- 

 tioned in this connection, but I should not be justified in 

 recording them. The recent sales ahead of plantation rubber for 

 two years at figures showing a reduction on present prices may 

 be taken as indicating that no recurrence of the boom of two 

 years ago is anticipated, and anyhow the losses that those firms 

 which bought ahead at inflated prices have incurred will cer- 

 tainly act as a deterrent in the case of others, and therefore any 

 incipient boom will not get the necessary support for its de- 

 velopment. 



Thls show, promoted by the Society of Motor Manufacturers 

 and Traders, Limited, was held at the Rusholme Exhibition Hall, 

 Manchester, in February, and both in 

 point of the number of exhibitors and 

 the large attendance of visitors proved 

 in every way a great success. In fact it was the largest show 

 of the kind ever held outside London. Although automobiles 

 of every kind for pleasure touring and commercial purposes were 

 on view, perhaps the most noticeable feature was the low-priced 

 two seater for which a largely increased demand is anticipated 

 in the near future. This is the type of car for wdiich a recent 

 contributor to The Indi.\ Rubber World announced that there 

 was likely to be but little demand in Continental Europe. I can 

 quite understand this, because on the Continent generally there 

 is an absence of that large class of comparatively well-to-do 

 people with incomes ranging from ;£500 to £1000 per annum, 

 which is so characteristic of English middle-class life. Certainly 

 in recent years, and more especially in Germany, the growth of 

 industry, and its concomitant — the increase of national wealth — 

 is tending to the production of a well-to-do middle class, re- 

 sembling that of England ; and this tendency will doubtless lead 

 to an increased demand for lower-priced cars, such as are now 

 wanted in England. 



But to keep more particularly to the exhibits of the show, it 

 must be said that while old friends as regards tires were there 

 in force, there v/as little of real novelty which calls for special 

 mention. Of comparatively new tires mention may be made of 

 Almagam tires and Wood-Milne steel rubber tires. Quite a nov- 



NORTH OF ENGLAND 

 MOTOK SHOW. 



UNITY RUBBER 

 COMPAKY, LTD. 



elty was to be seen in the wheels shown l)y the Hawksley Pneu- 

 matic Wheel, Limited, of Manchester, and recently put on the 

 market after some years' experiment and trial. It consists of a 

 stamped steel plate with three or four- circular apertures, in each 

 f f which is titled a pneumatic cushion, composed of two outer 

 discs and an inner tube, the cushions being held in position by 

 two steel rims, one of which is detachable. I understand that 

 the pneumatic cushions referred to are supplied by the Palmer 

 Cord Tire Co., apparent!)' being made of the best quality red 

 rubber. Another novelty, also introducing rubbered cord, is tlie 

 ^Marshall Tire of London, this having a wrapping of cord im- 

 pregnated with rubber on its tread. .Among the new comers 

 at this show may be mentioned the Goodyear, representing the 

 great .\kron company. Most of the literature available to the 

 public was of the usual type, descriptive of the merits of the 

 particular exhibits, but special mention may be made of "A Book 

 for Drivers," containing instructions for fitting, detaching and 

 repairing tires, which was to be obtained for the asking at the 

 Michelin stand, and which is replete with useful information. 



This plant, which is situated at Pendleton, Manchester, ad- 

 joining the factory of Messrs. Mandleberg & Co, Limited, was 

 offered for sale by auction on March 5, 

 and was withdrawn, no offer above 

 £3.0(30 l)eing forthcoming — a figure 

 which the auctioneer said he could not take seriously. It was 

 announced that in the last four years £24,000 had been spent 

 on the works, which were electrically driven throughout, and 

 contained a complete range of the most modern machinery for 

 mechanical rubber manufacture. The present lease expires in 

 June this year, but an agreement has been made with Messrs. 

 Mandleberg to give a new lease for 14 years at a yearly rent 

 of i370 to any purchaser of the works, such lease to be deter- 

 minable at the end of 7 years if the purchaser so desires. Messrs. 

 Mandleberg are the principal- proprietors of the present Unity 

 company, but have decided not to go on with mechanical rub- 

 ber manufacture. Great preparations had been made for the 

 turning out of rubber heel pads, the moulds for this and for the 

 tire business having cost about i4.000. There was quite a large 

 gathering at the sale, and the fact that no genuine bid was made 

 for the machinery is rather surprising. It was announced that 

 the property would now be open to sale by private contract. 



An interesting discussion took place recently in the pages of 

 our London contemporary, as to whether it paid manufacturers 

 to reclaim their own scrap rubber, and 

 the views expressed were somewhat di- 

 vergent. A good deal of course depends 

 upon the amount and quality of the scrap availa'ble, and where 

 it might pay one manufacturer, in other cases a different result 

 might be experienced. This is leaving out of account altogether 

 the technical skill with which the reclaiming is carried out. Here 

 the ordinary works' manager may easily prove deficient, and the 

 professional reclaimers say that the strong point of the product, 

 as made at home, is that it does not have to be sold in the open 

 market against competitive brands. I am inclined to think that 

 there is something in this, especially as regards the higher- 

 priced brands now so commonly sold by reclaiming works since 

 the introduction of the alkali and analogous high-pressure proc- 

 esses. Where the reclaiming works will always have the ad- 

 vantage over the rubber factory is the better terms on which 

 it can purchase its large requirements of scrap in the market. 



A quite modern development in the reclaimed rubber trade, 

 and one which had its origin on the Continent, is the demand 



RECLAIMING 

 NOTES. 



