246 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[January 1, 1920. 



The Rubber Trade in Great Britain. 



■tr Rcsniar Corrcstondcn 



SPREADING ROOM VENTILATION. 



BENZOL roisoNiNC, which was referred to recently in this 

 correspondence, has now become of general interest to the 

 proofing trade, not that benzol is likely to be commonly 

 used, but because the Home Office Factory Department is con- 

 sidering whether the stringent rules as to ventilation are to be 

 applicable and compulsory in all cases where solvent naphtha is 

 used. If this comes to pass— and it seems quite likely— it 

 means a good deal of trouble and expense in a matter which 

 many proofers consider does not call for any alteration in 

 procedure. What may be necessary where poisonous dope is 

 used and where fatalities have occurred, is not wanted, they 

 say, in ordinary rubber proofing, the workmen engaged in which 

 can be shown by statistics to be healthy and long lived. Of 

 course, the ventilation in a good many old and cramped spread- 

 ing rooms might be improved with advantage, but a protest 

 is being raised against the proposed compulsory adoption of the 

 somewhat severe dope regulations. 



The scheme is that air previously warmed is to enter the roof 

 or ceiHng of the spreading room and be drawn out by a fan 

 near the floor, an arrangement which is intended to insure 

 that the operatives are always breathing air free from naphtha- 

 vapors. Some firms have already been put to considerable ex- 

 pense in arranging matters to meet the factory inspector's present 

 requirements, and others who are enlarging or moving to new 

 premises are in trepidation as to the alterations they may be 

 compelled to make in the near future if greater stringency 

 is decided upon by the powers that be. 



It seems to me that the time is not ripe for any general con- 

 demnation of solvent naphtha, though there is certainly room 

 for experimental work as to the effects of thorough ventila- 

 tion upon the health of the workmen — experimental work such 

 as has been carried out in the cases of benzol and dope. Sol- 

 vent naphtha is not a war-time novelty sprung upon the trade, 

 and the experience of those who have worked with it for half 

 a ccntur>' should not be lightly put aside by those in authority 

 who have only recently made its acquaintance. It seems likely 

 that one result of the new move will be an increased tendency 

 to consider the representation of the naphtha recovery engi- 

 neers who, generally speaking, have been preaching in the wild- 

 erness. 



With regard to the possible future use of benzol in rubber 

 works the matter of price will be an important factor. At 

 present this is controlled by the Benzol Manufacturers Asso- 

 ciation which is selling a heavy benzol for motor use at about 

 2 shillings per gallon. This price, however, is now about to come 

 up for consideration at the hands of the Central Profiteering 

 Committee in London and it is possible that some reduction 

 may be brought about. 



THE GREENGATE AND IRWEIX RUBBER CO., LIMITED. 



This company has been formed with a nominal capital of 

 iSOO.OOO to acquire the two private limited companies of I. 

 Frankenburg & Sons and the Irwell and Eastern Rubber Gd., 

 both of Salford, Manchester. Frankenburg's is the older com- 

 pany, its chief concern being with the proofing branch, though 

 the manufacture of insulated wire and canvas shoes were added 

 at later dates. The Irwell company, in which I. Frankenburg 

 was also largely interested financially, was concerned solely with 

 mechanical goods and the manufacture of balata belting. James 

 Tinto has been the leading spirit in this company since its 

 inception and now becomes chairman of the new company, the 



main reasons for the formation of which are the closing ot 

 various trusts held by the late Mr. Frankenburg and the de- 

 sire to raise additional capital. The land, buildings, plant, etc., 

 are valued at £240,000, independent of the stock in trade, book 

 debts, investments, cash in bank, etc. 



The new capital issue to the public is 250.000 7^ per cent 

 preference shares of £\ each, and despite the flood of new is- 

 sues at the time the prospectus was issued, the response seems 

 to have been most satisfactory. Commentators in the financial 

 columns of the press expressed the view that these shares were 

 a good investment for all classes, being well secured both as to 

 principal and interest. Among the directors of the new company 

 are Sydney Frankenburg, who has been in active service for the 

 duration of the war, and J. Gibson Tinto, son of the chairman. 

 FUSION OF RUBBER MANUFACTURERS AND GROWERS. 

 The Federated Rubber Growers & Manufacturers, Limited, is 

 the title of a new company formed by the combination of 

 Wood-Milne, Limited, of Leyland, George Spencer Moulton & 

 Co., Limited, Bradford on Avon, and the Pundul Estates, Limited. 

 The capital is il,250,000 in ordinary shares of £1. The directors 

 are Alexander Spencer, London, chairman ; Frank Turner, Roch- 

 dale, vice-chairman ; F. Spencer, Ashton Abbotts, Buckingham- 

 shire, and H. B. Potts, Rochdale. The rubber estate showed a 

 net profit of i4,000 for last year. A recent quotation for the 

 shares of the new company was 27s. 6d. 

 STANDARD TYRE AND RUBBER MANUFACTURERS, LIMITED. 

 This company has been formed with a share capital of £200,000 

 to take over from the Chemical Engineering Corporation, Lim- 

 ited, as a going concern, the Alperton Rubber Mills near 

 Wembley, Middlesex. The purchase consideration is £125,000, 

 and in order to provide sufficient capital £60,000 debentures have 

 been issued. The offer to the public was £100,000 ordinary 

 shares of £1 each. 



The works management is to be in the capable hands of Mr. 

 Hughes, formerly with the Dunlop company and more recently 

 with the Victor Tyre Company and the Almagam Works, of Har- 

 penden. Mr. Warwick, of th- latter company, who was also 

 connected with the Wembley Works when they were con- 

 trolled by the Chemical Engineering Corporation, Limited, has 

 now no interest in the new company. 

 FIRES. 

 In November a fire occurred at the works of G. W. Laughton 

 & Co., Limited, rubber manufacturers, of Craft street, Clayton, 

 Manchester. Another fire of a more serious nature was at the 

 Bank Bridge Works, Limited, near Manchester, the new plant 

 which was due to start work in a week's time and which had 

 cost £10,000 being very considerably affected. 

 TRADE NOTES. 

 The motor shows and the motorcycle and cycle shows in Lon- 

 don in November seem to have been successful from all points 

 of view, except for the difficulty experienced by visitors in se- 

 curing hotel accommodation. It will be some time before this 

 state of affairs rights itself, as we all hope it will some day, and 

 for this reason, if for no other, it will come as a relief to many 

 that H. G. Montgomery, upon whom the mantle of the late 

 Staines Manders has fallen, has decided to postpone the next 

 International Rubber Exhibition in London from 1920 to 1921. 



The descent of London financiers upon Lancaster for the pur- 

 post of buying up cotton mills has naturally caused a great stir, 

 and from the prices that have been paid to the fortunate hold- 



