June 1, 1917.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



547 



AN ENTERPRISING SPANISH INDUSTRY. 



A N important concern m the Spanish rubber industry is that 

 ■** of Blasi, Sague & Pallas, of Barcelona, whose factory, 

 pictured here, gives employment to 300 hands in the manufacture 

 of a large variety of goods of hard and soft rubber. In fact, 

 this firm claims to be the first to manufacture hard rubber tubes 

 and syringes in Spain, all such goods having previously been 

 imported. 



This firm manufactures an extensive line of hard and soft 

 rubber surgical goods and druggists' sundries, making a widely 

 diversified line of molded goods, packing, hose, mats, tire treads, 



Factory of Blasi, Sague & Pai.las, Barcelona, Spain. 



solid tires and rubber heels, as well as specialties for sugar re- 

 fineries, breweries and hat factories, and hard rubber parts for 

 telephones and general electric use. 



The members of the firm are all practical men, well versed in 

 the manufacture of rubber goods. Mr. Blasi, who has charge of 

 the factory, was superintendent of a leading concern for 30 

 years, previous to his resigning to form this firm. Mr. Pallas 

 was a traveling salesman for the same house for 10 years. Mr. 

 Sague has charge of the finances of the concern. 



GERMAN RUBBER NOTES. 



RUBBER PROSPECTS AFTER THE WAR. 

 D EPRESENTATIVE rubber men of Germany are of the 

 ■* ^ opinion that England intends to make them pay the high- 

 est price for rubber and colonial products and are already trying 

 to advance prices. This is to be opposed by resuming the rubber 

 industries as far as is possible, combining for purchases and 

 buying elsewhere until British prices are reduced. 



They maintain that artificial raising of prices cannot be main- 

 tained in the rubber market, even when the demand is heavy, 

 because of the increasing output. By the time the war is over, 

 all plantations opened up before 1909 will put their full produc- 

 tion on the market. -Again, when rubber is high, manufac- 

 turers will cease using it for many purposes that were profitable 

 when rubber was cheaper, whereas cheap rubber increases the 

 number of modes of its application. If rubber sold at a price 

 between 36 and 42 cents per pound, many new industries now 

 unprofitable would come into existence. 



Synthetic rubber is not to be overlooked ; although little is 

 heard about it. Chemists are hard at work, and it may be said 

 that wonderful progress has been made in the chemical industry 

 in general. This industry, built up during 60 years of incessant 

 and systematic labor, cannot be wrecked through mere abrogation 

 of German patents. 



Many chemical ingredients can be prepared synthetically, 

 though there are some for which substitutes have not yet been 

 found, but other countries than England and her colonies pro- 



duce them. It is felt, however, that whatever British feeling 

 may be, the colonies will be unwilling to lose German custom 

 and will not refuse to deal on the same conditions as with other 

 nations. 



GERMAN RUBBER INDUSTRY PROFITS. 



From German sources it is learned that in spite of the war, 

 German rubber companies have made large profits during the 

 past year. The net profits of 19 representative firms for 1915-16 

 were 12,000,000 marks, against 10,000,000 marks the year before, 

 but how much of this resulted from the manufacture of goods 

 other than rubber is not stated. 



The Continental-Caoutchouc & Gutta Percha Co., Hanover, 

 reports gross profits of 9,451,397 marks for 1916, against 9,729,- 

 988 marks the year before ; net profits were 7,759,471 marks, 

 against 6,733,135 marks in 1915. .A. dividend of 30 per cent will 

 again be declared. The value of goods on hand is 6,153,000 

 marks (year before, 5,253,596 marks), and advance payments for 

 bought rubber amount to 816,021 marks, against 549,002 marks 

 for the previous year. 



The following figures for certain insulated wire and cable com- 

 panies may prove interesting : 



The Deutsche Kabelwerke A. G., Berlin-Lichtenberg, records 

 gross profits of 1,340,000 marks for 1916 as against 1,480,000 

 marks for 1915. Net profits are 620,000 marks as compared with 

 700,000 marks, and a dividend of 8 per cent will be paid. 



The Kabelwerke Duisberg, A. G., booked gross profits of 2,380,- 

 000 marks in 1916 and net profits of 1,480,000 marks. The year 

 before, gross and net profits amounted to 2,280.000 marks and 

 1,620,000 marks, respectively. The dividend is 25 per cent as 

 against 30 per cent the year before. 



Norddeutsche Kabelwerke, A. G., of Neu-Koln, Berlin, show 

 net profits of 220,000 marks as compared with 130,000 marks in 

 1915. This company intends to increase the share capital with 

 1,000,000 marks, in order to be able to execute larger government 

 orders. 



The feeling in Germany prevails that the German rubber in- 

 dustry has acquitted itself creditably of its difiicult task in the 

 past year and has seen to it that there was no shortage of 

 articles needed for the war. This year, too, it is expected that 

 military demands will be fully satisfied. 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING NIPPLES. 



When the government found that dealers were importing large 

 quantities of nipples from Holland and other neutral countries 

 and selling them at exorbitant prices, the stock was requistioned 

 and stored at a central depot in Berlin and made obtainable only 

 through chemists at the low price of 0.35 mark each. 



Whoever wants to buy one, must present the birth certificate 

 of the child for whom it is intended; if the child is under a year 

 old, the applicant is entitled to two nipples. When one is worn 

 out, a second may be bought on returning the old one. No nip- 

 ples are allowed for children over 12 months old. 



A GROUP TO ARRANGE RUBBER SUPPLY. 



The Association of Import Trade in Berlin has formed a 

 rubber group to handle the question of the supply of rubber. 

 Several of the largest rubber firms are represented on the com- 

 mittee. 



NON-ELASTIC TIRES NOW PERMISSIBLE. 

 It is understood that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has, after 

 long consideration, cancelled the introduction of the emplo3Tnent 

 of non-elastic tires for motor trucks and trailers. Consequently 

 there is an increased demand for second-hand trucks. But prac- 

 tically the only ones to be had are those with cardan drive, and 

 they, running on rubber tires, are considered a very poor in- 

 vestment in these days of German rubber famine. The cancel- 

 lation, therefore, does not appear to have greatly diminished the 

 difBcuIties of transportation, due largely to the lack of rubber. 



