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The slump in 1921 reduced the total value of rubber goods exports 
to some £6,300,000 but since then it has more than doubled, 
heing £14.392.000 in 1928 and £15,445.,000 in 1929. 
XX.—THE INDUSTRY IN FRANCE. 
96. As we have shewn in Section XI France is one of the 
principal consumers of rubber in the world The number of 
registered motor vehicles increased from 231,000 in 1920 to about 
300.000 in 1927. The number of pedal cycles in France is nearly 
seven millicns. Rubber manufacturers in France, in 1929, absorbed 
31,800 tons or 7.67 per cent. of the world supply. During the 
War, French manufacturers greatly increased their equipment 
and power of production to meet the needs of national defence, 
and the rubber industry, notwithstanding the development of the 
export trade and of the home consumption, since the War, has 
orobably not yet attained its full output capacity. It is impossible 
to measure the productive capacity of the industry, owing to the 
great variety of its products ande the absence of any Census of 
Production. . Between 50 and 60 thousand wage earners are 
employed in the industry. In 1926, exports of rubber manu- 
factured goods, in weight, were 4.5 times those of 1913, while 
imports had hardly increased. 
97. The principal firms engaged in the rubber manufacturing 
industry in France are :(— 
Société Michelin et Cie at Clermont Ferrand, founded in 1832. 
Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., at Montlucon. 
Bergougnan. 
Etablissements Hutchinson. 
India Rubber, Gutta-Percha and Telegraph Works Co., Litd., 
Société Francaise, B. F. Goodrich Co. 
The annual volume of business done by the Michelin Company 
is estimated at £7,400,000, about 50 per cent. of which is said 
to represent exports. With capital of 150 million francs, and 
employing over 10,000 workers, the firm is said to have an output 
capacity of 12,000 tyres a day. The firm also supplies the wheels. 
[t has contracts with the large motor manufacturers like Citroén, 
Renault and Peugeot, under which it supplies both wheels and 
tyres for 70 or 80 per cent. of the output of these firms. In addi- 
tion to advertising its products directly, the Michelin Company 
teeps itself before the public by the publication of road guides 
and the establishment of information bureaux. Michelin 
orincipally supplies pneumatic tyres—covers and tubes. 
The Bergougnan firm, another large concern, specialises chiefly 
in solid tyres. 
In spite of the name, the Hutchinson firm is entirely French. 
It employs over 6,000 people and has a large trade in cycle tyres 
Position 
of the 
industry. 
Principal 
Arms.