THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[February 1, 192U. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN OHIO. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



AKRON NOTES. 



THE B. V. Goodrich Co. and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber 

 Co. have taken out permits for additions to their plants 

 in .Akron to cost nearly $3,000,000. The permit issued to the 

 Goodrich company was for an $800,000 addition, which was fol- 

 lowed a few days later by another one calling for the expenditure 

 of $1,400,000. 



These permits, company officials state, do not represent the 

 actual expenditure for the buildings to be erected, since they are 

 based upon cost of construction to-day, and it is well known 

 that the cost of all building materials and labor will have ad- 

 vanced a great deal before the work is completed a year hence. 



The great question in the minds of the factory managers of 

 boih of these companies is where they can house the men to man 

 these plants. 



The Portage Rubber Co. recently decided to issue another 

 $1,000,000 worth of capital stock to stockholders. Persons hold- 

 ing five shares of common stock are privileged to purchase one 

 share of the new issue. The capitalization of the company is 

 not to be increased, only $2,500,000 worth of common and $1,300,- 

 000 of preferred stock having been issued of the original $10,- 

 000.000 authorized. The business of the company has doubled 

 during the past few months. 



-Akron's $1,000,000 automobile show, held in the largest garage 

 in the world, was a success. The attendance during the week 

 of the show was approximately 35,000. Plans are being made 

 for an even greater show next year. 



The Philadelphia Rubber Works Co., .Akron, has made ar- 

 rangements for the construction of a $17,000 addition to its 

 plant. Work will commence on the addition in the very near 

 future. -A building permit for the structure has been obtained 

 from the city building department. 



Promotions for several sales executives were among the New 

 Year changes in personnel announced by the Firestone Tire & 

 Rubber Co., Akron. 



E. W. BeSaw. who has been western sales manager for three 

 years, with headquarters in Akron, becomes the general sales 

 manager, succeeding A. G. Partridge, who was recently made 

 vice-president in charge of sales. 



F. K. Starbird, who has been a district sales manager, with 

 headquarters in Minneapolis, succeeds Mr. BeSaw as western 

 sales manager. 



L. G. Fairbank, who has been eastern sales manager, with 

 headquarters in Akron, becomes vice-president and general man- 

 ager of Firestone Steel Products Co. 



Paul P. Sheeks, graduate of South Dakota University, and an 

 all-around athlete, has been appointed coach and athletic director 

 of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Akron. 



At a special meeting of the stockholders of the Amazon Rub- 

 ber Co., Akron, steps were taken to increase the capitalization 

 of the company from $400,000 to $1,500,000. 



The Miller Rubber Co.. Akron, according to F. C. Millhoff, its 

 general sales manager, enjoyed during 1919 the biggest tire year 

 in its history, from the standpoint of production and sales, the 

 increase over the sales of the previous year amounting to ap- 

 proximately 50 per cent. 



The coal strike was met by The General Tire & Rubber Co., 

 .Akron, by the purchase of an option on a mine of 30 tons, daily 

 capacity for 30 days and asking for volunteers from the employes 

 of the company to mine the coal. Fifty men immediately re- 

 sponded, of whom eight were experienced miners. Trucks were 

 used by the company to carry the coal to the plant. 



The business of The General Tire & Rubber Co. amounted to 

 $5,000,000 during the past year, it was announced at the annual 

 meeting of the stockholders of the company recently. This 

 amount is 95 per cent greater than the business during tlie pre- 

 vious year. The officers of the company who served during the 

 past year were reelected. 



The new clubhouse of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., situ- 

 ated near the company plant, will be ready for occupancy about 

 February 1. An appropriate program for the opening is being 

 arranged by the company. The building is probably one of the 

 most pretentious ever erected for welfare work in this country. 

 It is seven stories high and will tower above the surrounding 

 Goodyear buildings. It will contain a gymnasium, a theatre to 

 accommodate 2,000 persons, a swimming pool, a reading room, 

 a library, music rooms, a cafeteria and a film manufacturing 

 department. 



One of the floors will be devoted to the Goodyear University, 

 which will be established in the near future. Plans for this edu- 

 cational institution have not yet been completed, but it is be- 

 lieved in well informed circles that instruction will be given 

 which will make it possible for an employe to obtain a degree 

 equivalent to that of doctor of philosophy in the ordinary uni- 

 versity. 



The H. B. Bixler Co., headed by H. B. Bixler, a consulting 

 engineer with offices in the Ohio Building, Akron, has announced 

 plans for a laboratory and manufacturing testing plant which 

 will sell its services to the smaller rubber companies in the 

 United States. Mr. Bixler's plans include a factory where rub- 

 ber goods will be manufactured on a small but absolutely com- 

 mercial scale. The plant which is to be built in Akron during 

 the first months of the new year will cost approximately $600,000. 

 .At the recent directors' meeting of The Williams Foundry & 

 Machine Co., Akron, F. E. Holcomb was reelected president 

 and general manager of the company. Mr. Holcomb was elected 

 president of the concern in 1918, succeeding J. K. Williams in 

 that office. He was formerly 

 manager of the Akron plant of 

 the Kelly-Springfield Tire Co. 



The other officers of the com- 

 pany are: S. E. Ziliox, vice- 

 president ; G. C. Dietz, treasurer, 

 and W. J. Slater, secretary and 

 assistant treasurer; directors, 

 Charles Herberich, Aaron Bur- 

 nett, and Charles Reymhann. 



The Williams Foundry & Ma- 

 fhine Co. manufactures tire re- 

 pair equipment in addition to 

 building machinery and appli- 

 ances for tire and rubber plants. 

 Its development has been steady 

 and consistent and the treas- 

 urer's report for the year just 

 ended states that the business 

 for the preceding fiscal year amounted to more than $2,000,000. 



The Portage Rubber Co., Akron and Barberton, Ohio, at the 

 annual meeting of its directors held on January 13, 1920, re- 

 elected the following officers : M. S. Long, president ; James 

 Christy, chairman of board of directors; J. W. Maguire, vice- 

 president and general manager. The newly elected officers are : 

 iH. M. Kerr, secretary; W. E. Wilson, treasurer; and R. J. Cole, 

 assistant treasurer. Mr. Kerr will also act as controller. 



Ground is being broken for a large addition to the Portage 

 Company's plant, to take care of increasing business, and it is 

 expected that the new addition will double the present capacity. 



F. E. HoLCOMi 



