June 1, I91Z] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



443 



CENTRAL UNION OF GERMAN RUBBER GOODS 

 FACTORIES. 



XVTHILE the annual report of the above body presented to 

 ' ' the general meeting of May 10 included a good deal of 



routine matter, various points of general interest were likewise 



treated 

 The Union is composed of 47 factories, the size of which is 



shown by the following figures : 



Employing 100 and less hands 7 



100-300 " 19 



300-500 " 9 



300-1,000 " 7 



Over 1,000 " 5 



47 



Prominence is given to the subject of exhibitions. Two con- 

 fidential reports were made to the Union on the London Rubber 

 Exhibition of 1911. The interest taken in the approaching New 

 York Rubber Exposition is shown by the reproduction of its 

 preliminary announcements, which had been received through 

 the Permanent Exhibition Commission for German Industry. 

 This fact signifies the official approval of the New York Expo- 

 sition by the German government. As the German Exhibition 

 Commission exercises close discrimination in such matters, its 

 approval is more than a mere formality, and indicates official 

 confidence in the exposition. 



Among the objects of the Union is the conservation of the 

 interests of German manufacturers as to customs duties. On 

 these lines, representations were made to the German govern- 

 ment as to the duty on wringer rolls, now paying the equivalent 

 cf 3 per cent, ad valorem, but of which it is sought to alter the 

 classification to a higher scale. 



With reference to the subject of the cost of Hevca rubber 

 in the Straits Settlements, reference is made to the following 

 opinion of Secretary Dernburg, of the Colonial Economical 

 Committee : 



"I consider fully grounded the statement that at a price 

 of 2 shillings a pound, Indian plantations would be making a 

 good profit; if not today, then in a short'-'time, when the larger 

 instead of the smaller part of the planted area will be available 

 for tapping." " 



Such are the principal features of the anttual report, which 

 give a general idea of the working of the Union during the 

 last business vear. 



GERMAN OFFICIAL VIEW OF THE HUBBEE MARKET. 



The official report of the German Colonial Rubber'" Bureau 

 for the first quarter of 1912, referring to the recent temiJorary 

 advance in prices, attributes same to the momentary shortness 

 in receipts, particularly of various second-grade qualities, to the 

 use of which manufacturers have now become accustomed. This 

 has been particularly the case during the last few months in 

 Guayule rubber, these conditions being considered likely to 

 continue for the present. 



On the other hand, the opinion is expressed that the Mexican 

 troubles will finally be settled, and that the accumulated rubber 

 will then lead to increased exports. Another factor in the 

 situation is the prospect of considerably increased European 

 imports of plantation rubber. As there is not more than a nor- 

 mal increase of consumption to be looked for, a considerable 

 augmentation of the visible supply is thought likely to occur by 

 the end of the year, w-hich would be bound to exercise a depres- 

 ing eflFect upon prices. 



The fact is commented upon that the Brazilian government 

 seems to have finally abandoned the idea of rubber valorization : 

 this resolution being characterized as in the interest of the 

 country itself. 



GUMMI-KAMM CO. CHANGES ITS NAME, 



The report lately presented by the board to the shareholders 

 of the "Hannoversche Gummi-Kamm Compagnie" contained the 

 following interesting announcement : 



"Our concern, founded in April, 1862, can now look back upon 

 an existence of fifty years, and we intend to commemorate this 

 jubilee with appropriate festivities. 



"Since its foundation the scope of our manufactures has been 

 extended to a number of articles other than rubber combs, and 

 we therefore consider a change should be made in our designa- 

 tion, which no longer corresponds with existing conditions. In 

 the name selected of the 'Excelsior Rubber Works of Hanover' 

 we think we have found a title which embraces all the articles 

 made by us. While we part with regret from the old designation, 

 we consider the change to be necessary and hope it will be 

 approved by the general meeting." 



Among other features of the report were the announcement of 

 a dividend of 25 per cent, and the statement that the business of 

 the company has increased 50 per cent, within the last two years. 

 This development has necessitated, besides other additions, the 

 erection of a new factory, which is expected to be in operation 

 about the middle of the current year. 



THE PROPOSED NEW GERMAN PATENT LAW. 



After years of preparation, the proposed revision of the Ger- 

 man Patent Law is approaching completion. Specially prominent 

 among the changes it would make is the right of employes to 

 participation in their inventions. By the present law, an in- 

 vention by an employe in the line of his work belongs ex- 

 clusively to the owner of the plant. Under the proposed new law 

 the interests of the employe are to be considered, he being 

 guaranteed a pecuniary share in his invention. 



GERMAN DUTY ON AMERICAN RUBBER ROLLS. 



In a communication to the German government quoted in the 

 annual report of the Union of German Rubber Goods Factories, 

 attention is called to the fact that in 1910, 506 tons of "machinery 

 for washing and chemical cleaning" were imported into Germany, 

 of which 421 tons came from the L^nited States. The duty at the 

 equivalent of 66 cents per 100 pounds only represented 3 per cent. 

 Under the provisions of the tariff another paragraph would 

 equally apply to these articles, with a duty of $6.60 per 100 

 pounds. As the official interpretation of the tariff' has hitherto 

 placed rubber rolls at the lower rate, it is sought by the German 

 manufacturers to obtain a reconsideration of the question. It is 

 stated that the proportion of rubber in the rolls is 75 per cent, of 

 their value or even more. 



USE OF RUBBER RESINS IN THE PAPER INDUSTRY. 



.\ communication to the "Papierfabrikant," a leading Ger- 

 man organ of the paper industry, states that although the 

 waste resins resulting from the deresination of Pontiniak are 

 completely unsaponifiable, they can be brought with rosin soap 

 to an emulsion, which can be employed in place of the free 

 rosin now used for sizing paper. A uniform compound is 

 found by melting SO parts Pontiniak waste resin, 5 parts of 

 Guayule waste resin and 50 parts of colophony (rosin), a hot 

 solution of 10 parts caustic potash and 50 parts of water, being 

 gradually stirred underneath. Such emulsions remain in that 

 condition even when much diluted, and can be completely 

 precipitated by alum. 



Waste rubber resins can also be brought to an emulsion with 

 other substances. For instance, a compound can be made of 

 two parts glue, one part starch, four parts jelutong waste resin 

 and ten parts of water. The pasty mass thus obtained is diluted 

 with water, as may l;e required. These emulsions containmg 

 unsaponifiable resins are said to possess marked light-resis- 

 ing qualities. 



