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XXX.—TENDENCIES IN THE RUBBER INDUSTRY. 
189. The expansion in the production of rubber and in its use 
during the present century has been such as frequently to belie 
both pessimistic and optimistic forecasts. The rubber industry 
depends, as to 80 per cent. of its output, on tyres, which find 
their market in the motor and cycle industry. The prosperity or 
reverse of the motor industry therefore dominates the whole of the 
rubber manufacturing industry, for not only have variations in 
the fortunes of the motor industry a direct effect on the demand 
for rubber, but they cause obvious indirect repercussions upon the 
remaining rubber industries by their effect on the price of the 
raw product. The demand for rubber in the motor industry may 
also be affected by changes in the manufacture of tyres. The 
chance always exists of the discovery of some process which will 
render possible the manufacture of a tyre of equally long life and 
containing less rubber. Apart from that possibility, the rate of 
absorption of rubber is at present set by the pace at which motor 
transport is adopted throughout the world, and in this the degree 
to which different countries are approaching ‘‘ saturation point ™ 
for motor cars is an important factor. 
140. The production of rubber in the East has, however, 
developed more rapidly than the demand for rubber in the motor 
industry. There has therefore been an increasing margin demand- 
ing an outlet for other purposes. In 1928 some 140,000 tons of 
crude rubber were used in industry in the world for purposes other 
than the manufacture of tyres. This quantity exceeded by 40 per 
cent. the total world production of rubber in 1913—only 15 years 
earlier. In spite of this remarkable fact, the rate of absorption 
of rubber into industries other than tyres has not kept pace with 
the increase of supply and has therefore, from the point of view 
of producers, appeared disappointingly slow. The Rubber 
Growers’ Association have, from time to time, striven to find new 
ases, as for instance in flooring and roadways, which, if adopted, 
would absorb large quantities of rubber. 
141. There is no doubt that the use of rubber will extend. Extension 
I'ts qualities for absorbing shocks, for reducing vibration, for insula- of the use 
tion, for resisting surface abrasion, will result in its wider use in of rubber. 
connection with running machinery, electricity, lining for ball 
mills, conveyors, and the lining of containers in chemical works: 
During the rapid growth of the last 30 years wide fluctuations in 
the prices both of the raw material and of the finished products 
have occurred. Centralised schemes for. controlling production of 
rubber have been organised, but have successively broken down, yet 
there can be no doubt that greater stability in price and greater 
regularity in offerings would be in the interest both of the producer 
and of the user. The latest scheme, put forward in November, 
1929, by the Rubber Growers’ Association aimed at reducing the 
The motor 
industry. 
Need for 
new uses 
for rubber.