IR 
Range of 
French 
sroduction. 
The French 
market 
Production 
r08ts. 
Position 
of the 
industry, 
and solid tyres. Its manufactures are, however, very varied, 
including footwear, waterproofs, rubbered fabric for balloons and 
aircraft, hose, jointings, beltings and hygienic goods. 
The Dunlop Company employs some 38,000-3,500 workers and 
has branches in about 20 towns in France. It is organised on 
the most modern scale, and has been making great headway in the 
French market. It practically confines itself at present to motor 
and cycle tyres. In the latter branch it enjoys perhaps half of 
the trade of the seven million pedal cycles in France. In general, 
every seller of tyres in France stocks the Michelin pneumatic 
tyres and the Bergougnan solid tyres. Most of them stock the 
Dunlop pneumatic tyres. 
The India Rubber, Gutta-Percha and Telegraph Works Company 
is an English firm—the Silvertown Company—and produces all 
articles in rubber, ebonite and gutta-percha, 
The Goodrich Company, a branch of the American firm, owns 
powerfully equipped works at Colombes. 
Apart from these great firms there are several important com- 
panies which deal chiefly in rubber manufactures other than tyres. 
98. Production, in France, covers practically all rubber goods, 
with perhaps the exception of the sheeting known as English 
sheeting (feuille anglaise) and of vulcanised thread; and steps 
are being taken to introduce the proper methods of manufacturing 
these articles in France. 
99. The French industry has practically the complete control 
of the home market. Imports have remained stationary in face 
of a manifold increase in the utilisation of rubber manufactures, 
It is a highly protected market, only those manufactures like 
sheeting, threads, etc., which are considered as raw materials, 
seing subject to low import duties. The duty on pneumatic tyres 
'8 250 francs per 220 lbs., on solid tyres 200 franes and on each 
pair of rubber soled shoes, 2.20 francs. THe depreciated external 
value of the franc contributed greatly towards consolidating the 
gontrol of the home market by French manufacturers. 
100. Production costs in France appear to be considerably lower 
than in most of the competing countries, particularly the United 
Kingdom and the United States. It has been stated to us in 
evidence that wages in France are about 25s. to 30s. for a week 
of 52-56 hours. It is notable, however, that the wages in the 
Michelin factory at Clermont Ferrand are higher than in many other 
factories. For an analvsis of the export trade see Section XIII. 
XXI.—THE INDUSTRY IN GERMANY 
101. In 1929, the rubber industry in Germany absorbed 49,100 
tons of crude rubber, or 6.10 per cent. of the world output. Little 
is known of the general rubber industry in Germany and ne