September 1, 1912.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



591 



The Rubber Industry of Japan. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



THE OSAKA RUBBER INDUSTRY. 



IN addition to the Kakuichi Rubber Co., described in the 

 last letter, Osaka contains a number of other rubber 

 manufacturers; some of them combining a wholesale de- 

 partment with their manufacturing activity. 



Prominent among these are the Hirano Rubber Works, es- 

 tablished in .Mav. 1894; the date of its foundation rendering 

 this the oldest rubber concern in Osaka. It makes a varied 

 line of rubber manufactures, and covers an area of one acre, 

 of which the buildings occupy one-half. Its power plant in- 

 cludes one 25 horse-power boiler and one 30 horse-power en- 

 gine. The managing owner is M. Hirano, formerly a rubber 

 trader ; in which capacity he became acquainted through an 

 Indian friend, with an Englishman, a rubber manufacturer, 

 from whom he learned how to manufacture rubber goods. The 

 initial process then used by Japanese rubber manufacturing 

 companies, was that of drying rubber by heated sand. 



Next in seniority comes the Sumitomo Electric Wire & 

 Cable Works, which dates its manufacture of copper electric 

 wire from the year 1897, when its predecessor, the Sumitomo 

 Copper Works, bought out the Nippon Copper Manufacturing 

 Co., Limited, and started the manufacture of copper wire. 

 Owing to the development of the Japanese electrical industry, 

 the Sumitomo Copper Works in 1907 engaged an English ex- 

 pert, for the production of the various preparations intended 

 for the manufacture of insulated wire cables and paper cables. 

 In the following year the two concerns were separated ; their 

 titles being the Sumitomo Copper Works for the previous con- 

 cern, and the Sumitomo Electric Wire and Cable Works for 

 its offshoot. They still occupy the same location, but it is con- 

 templated in a few years to rebuild elsewhere the plant of the 

 younger concern. The owners are members of one of the 

 richest families in Japan. The testing apparatus of the wire 

 works is remarkably complete ; including the various instru- 

 ments required for chemical, mechanical and electrical tests. 

 The production now includes : 



1. Stranding wires; weatherproof wires; cotton and silk 

 braid. 



2. Copper, brass, aluminum, nickel and bronze wires. 



3. Paraffin wires ; cotton or silk cords. 



4. Rubber covered wires and cables. 



5. Lead-covered paper cables for telephones, electric light 

 and power ; rubber insulated lead-covered wires ; paper or rub- 

 ber insulated lead-covered cables. 



The Oishi Rubber Works were established in November, 

 1901, and employ 16 hands; having one 15 horse-power boiler, 

 and one 10 horse-power engine. A large part of the trade con- 

 sists in the distribution of the products of the Kakuichi Rubber 

 Co. of the same city, already referred to ; so that an extensive 

 variety of rubber goods is handled by this concern. 



In 1905, the limited partnership was formed, which operates 

 the Teikoku Rubber Works. This firm manufactures rubber 

 balls (of which it produced about 5,000 dozen in 1911) ; as well 

 as sockets for gas. Its capital is $10,000; its hands numbering 60. 



Among the installations of 1S07 was that of the Kansai Rubber 

 Works, manufacturing water bottles. It employs 20 hands, and 

 has a 5 horse-power engine. 



In the same year was started the Kaniwa Rubber Factory 

 (Oshima Shoten), making ebonite products, rubber tubes, etc. 

 Its engine and boiler are each 8 horse-power, and the staff num- 

 bers 25. 



The Nippon Electric Wire Manufacturing Co. was organized 



in 1907, as a limited partnership ; its principal manufactures be- 

 ing insulated wires and cords. Its capital is $50,000, of which 

 the sum of $35,000 has been paid in. Last year it paid a divi- 

 dend of 10 per cent. ; having a reserve fund of $2,300. 



Another Osaka concern is the Arenkenn Rubber Works, es- 

 tablished in November, 1910. It makes jinrikisha tires, tubings 

 and hose ; as well as "tabi" soles. The area of the plant is 1J4 

 acre, of which about one-half is occupied by buildings. It em- 

 ploys 16 hands, and has a 25 horse-power engine. 



The Lion Rubber Co., established April, 1911, manufactures 

 water bottles and air pillows; employing 15 male and 20 female 

 hands. Its boiler and engine are each of 8 horse-power. 



Another new installation of last year was the Asahi Rubber 

 Co., making water bottles and erasers. It employs 20 hands, 

 having one 15 horse-power boiler and one 12 horse-power en- 

 gine. 



The Oku Co., established in October, 1911, manufactures elec- 

 tric insulation supplies and air pillows. It has a 25 horse-power 

 engine, and employs 10 hands. 



In January, 1912, the Tiger Rubber Co. was established for 

 the manufacture of medical goods, insulating tape and ebonite. 

 Its staff includes 15 hands, and its mechanical equipment one 

 8 horse-power engine. 



Finally, the Osaka Rubber Works, likewise established in 

 January, 1912, for the manufacture of a general line of rubber 

 goods, seems to contemplate an extensive production ; its engine 

 being 40 horse-power. 



JAPANESE IMPORTS OF BICYCLE TIRES. 



It is estimated that there are in Japan about 500,000 bicycles. 

 About 30 per cent, of the tires for these is supplied by the Dunlop 

 Rubber Co. (Far East), Limited, which was established at Kobe 

 in 1908. British, American, German and other foreign rubber 

 companies supply about 40 per cent, Japanese companies fur- 

 nishing the remaining 30 per cent. 



The actual difference between the old and new Japanese duties 

 on bicycle tires is as follows : 



New duty per 100 lbs yen 114.00 = $56.44 



Old duty per 100 ibs 95.60= 47.33 



Difference per 100 lbs yen 18.40= $9.11 



A comparison of the Japanese bicycle tire imports during the 

 seven months of 1911, when the old tariff was in operation, and 

 those of the first five months under the new tariff', shows the 

 eft'ect of the last-named measure : 



JAPANESE BICYCLE TIRE IMPORTS FOR 1911. 



January to August to 



July December 



Old Tariff. New Tariff. Total. 



From Great Britain $347,629 $170,443 $518,072 



United States 7,025 8,305 15,330 



Germany 3,189 377 3.566 



France 1,049 26 1,075 



Italy 219 219 



$358,892 $179,370 $538,262 



Average per month $51,270 $35,874 



The average reduction was thus to the extent of one-third; 

 Great Britain, as the predominating source of supply, being, of 

 course, the chief sufferer. 



