764 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



August 1, 1920. 



closed its Leverkusen rubber works and does not intend to con- 

 tinue the manufacture of synthetic rubber as part of its activi- 

 ties. The rapid rise in the cost of acetone and aluminum has 

 increased the cost of production as such a rate that today the 

 price of the synthetic rubber exxeeds that of the natural product. 

 The company discontinued manufacturing immediately after the 

 cessation of hostilities and the existing stocks of the material 

 were sold out. 



NOTES OF THE TRADE. 

 The depression in the German rubber goods market continues. 

 All branches of the industry are finding their market considerably 

 curtailed and evidence of overstocking in the retail market be- 

 gins to appear everywhere. The manufacturers of surgical rub- 

 ber goods who had been fairly busy during May and June now 

 begin to feel the slump, and complaints are heard about can- 

 cellation of orders. The cause of the present difficulty in the 

 surgical rubber industry differs somewhat from that in most other 

 branches of the rubber industry. The demand for surgical rubber 

 goods has naturally been very active immediately after the war 

 and the dealers in consequence have been in the habit of carrying 

 much larger stocks than would be necessary in normal times. 

 They find now that they cannot dispose of the expected quanti- 

 ties and naturally try to reduce their commitments. Surgical 

 rubber goods have been sold at rather excessive prices by the 

 dealers and there is no denj-ing that a certain amount of profiteer- 

 ing has taken place in this line. The trade associations have 

 realized this fact and while they have urged high prices during 

 the former shortage they are now recommending reductions 

 amounting to 33 and even 50 per cent. 



Another branch of t he industry is feeling the situation 

 very acutely — namely, the makers of sporting goods and toys. The 

 number of rubber toy manufacturers declined during the war 

 because no rubber was obtainable. Sporting goods still have 

 been made but in reduced quantities. When the war ended the 

 industry tried to pick up its old connections again and the results 

 of the first trading fairs seemed to be most promising. Large 

 orders were received from abroad and the aspect was pleasing 

 enough. The last weeks, however, have proved a decided dis- 

 appointment. The German rubber toy industry has gained its 

 influence by the high quantity of its production as well as 

 by the cheap price for which the goods have been sold. It ap- 

 pears now that the output of more recent times has not been 

 very .satisfactory and that, in consequence, orders have declined. 

 Also the price of the toys has reached a level which makes the 

 German industry less competitive than in the past. 



The Bureau for the Control of Foreign Trade in Rubber Ma- 

 terials and Rubber Goods (the Ausscnhandels Nebenstelle Kaut- 

 schuk) has now commenced operation. It is in charge of Walter 

 Lindemann, the manager of the central union of German rubber 

 goods manufacturers. The work of the Bureau will be guided 

 by the following principles : the import of raw rubber, gutta per- 

 cha, balata, and scrap rubber, is free from all restrictions and, 

 therefore, is not subject to the control of the Bureau. The im- 

 port of manufactures of rubber and goods for further use in man- 

 ufacturing is m principle prohibited. Exceptions will be made 

 in the case of such goods as are urgently required for the con- 

 tinuation of German economic life and cannot be manufactured 

 in Germany or cannot be had in a reasonable time. The im- 

 porter will have to prove the urgency of his request. The im- 

 port of reclaimed rubber is limited to 5,000 tons in all. The im- 

 port of factice is not permitted unless proof is provided that the 

 required quantities or quaUties cannot be had in Germany. 



The export of raw rubber, gutta percha, balata, and scrap, is 

 permitted. The export of manufactures of rubber is permitted as 

 long as the price is not below the domestic minimum prices. 

 The export of reclaimed rubber is permitted. The export of 

 factice is permitted with the exception of such qualities as are 



manufactured by the use of rape-seed oil. Exception can be made 

 under certain ':ircumstances. The exporter may bill his export 

 goods either in German or foreign money units. 



The Liga Gummiuvrke Heinrich Peter & Co., G. m. b. H., in 

 Frankfort-on-the-Main, has increased its capital to 3,000,000 

 marks. 



The Continental Caoutchouc und Guttapercha Compagnie in 

 Hanover has increased its capital from 15,000,000 to 34,500,000 

 marks. 



The Ungariichc Gummiwarcn Fabrik A. G. in Budapest, 

 Hungary, has increased its capital from 6,000,000 kronen to 10,- 

 000,000 kronen. 



FOREIGN NOTES. 



FRENCH Equatori.\l Africa exported 2,221,133 kilos of rub- 

 ber in 1919, as compared with 1,980,723 kilos in 1918 and 

 1,756,436 kilos in 1913, the year before the war. 



France's exports of rubber manufactures in 1919 amounted to 

 226,000,000 francs in value. The figures for previous years are: 

 1918 .... francs 96,000,000 1915 .... francs 80,000,000 



1917 .... francs 117,000,000 1914 .... francs 85,000,000 



1916 .... francs 108,000,000 1913 .... francs 100,000,000 



To the Alsace-Lorraine production much of the increment is due. 



Denmark imported in 1919 rubber of the value of 115,000,000 

 kroner. 



Holland in the first quarter of 1920 did a less satisfactory 

 business in rubber tires than in the year before, because ex- 

 portation was made more diflScult and the importation of foreign 

 tires was made easier. On the other hand, no complaint is to be 

 found as regards the manufactures of technical and sanitary rub- 

 ber goods other than dock and transportation strikes. Imports 

 of tires for the quarter amounted to 3,145,551 gulden and ex- 

 ports, to 147411 gulden. Imports of raw rubber amounted to 

 2,126,672 kilos, of which 2,022,578 came from the Dutch East 

 Indies and 19,940 kilos of balata from Curasao. Exports of rub- 

 ber amounted to 1,655,043 kilos, of which 1,085,983 kilos went to 

 the United States, and besides 20,393 kilos of balata were ex- 

 ported. 



A company has been registered in Bombay, India, as "The 

 Pioneer Rubber & Industrial Co., Ltd.," with a capital of £500,000 

 English, (50 lakhs of rupees), to reclaim waste rubber and 

 manufacture rubber goods, such as tires, tubes, surgical goods, 

 heels, waterproof clothing, and ebonite. Sir Fazulbhoy Cur- 

 rimbhoy is chairman of the board of directors, and Manu 

 Subedar & Co. are tlie managing agents. 



CORD TIRES TO BE MADE IN CUBA. 



The Cuban Tire & Rubber Co. (Com- 

 faiiia Cubana de Zunchos y Goma), 

 Havana, Cuba, said to be the pioneer 

 tire factory in Latin- America, was in- 

 corporated in August, 1916, with an au- 

 tliorized capital of $1,750,000 for the 

 manufacture of tires, tubes, and other 

 rubber goods. 



L'nder the eflScient guidance of Raul 

 Godoy, general manager, the company 

 has steadily progressed and is now leak- 

 ing 150 fabric tires, 500 tubes, some 

 heels, and mechanical goods for the 

 sugar centrals. Appreciating the neces- 

 sity of adding cord tires to the company's 

 products, Mr. Godoy recently spent six months in the United 

 States acquiring the necessary technical information and mechani- 

 cal equipment for making high-grade cord tires. 



Raul Godoy. 



