by Synthetic Productions

Rubber Planters Menaced by Synthetic Productions

THE outlook for rubber-growers is not good. Despite international organisa tion, there is much over-production, and the market rates are consistently depress ed. Meanwhile, the use of synthetic rub ber is increasing very rapidly. Fortu nately, this development does not greatly affect the Pacific Territories —in only one of them, Papua, is rubber grown in large quantities.

The following paragraphs have appeared in various journals: The last month of the first year of the export regulation scheme for rubber finds the position less favourable for the grower than it was a year ago, says a London trade report. Producing costs in the countries of production have increased by over 100 per cent., owing to the necessary reduction in outputs, and now show hardly any margin of profit on production with the selling price below 6d. A year ago the spot quotation was 7d, and estates were on full production. The percentage of the exportable maximum will be fur ther reduced by 5 per cent, to 65 per cent, of standard production, from July 1, and will remain in force to the end of the year unless again revised by the International Rubber Committee.

Methyl Rubber

In the course of an article on synthetic rubber in Germany the “Übersee Post” says: ‘‘Synthetic rubber was first employ ed on a large scale during the war. What was known as ‘methyl rubber’ was pro duced by the German chemists, more par ticularly as a substitute for vulcanite.

The industry was closed down after the war because the substitute could not com pete with the natural product either in quality or price. In the meantime, Ger man chemists have achieved remarkable progress in this direction. The experi ments made with motor car tyres of syn thetic rubber are stated to have been satis factory. The question of wholesale pro duction is largely influenced by considera tion of cost. As long as it was necessary to employ carbide of calcium as the base of the new product, the price for the first materials was sometimes as much as 50 per cent, higher than that of the natural rubber. On the other hand, it is quite possible that butadiene will be obtained as a by-product in the hydrogenation of coal at a price which will make the manu facture of synthetic rubber a practical proposition.

From Limestone And Coal

A report from an official Soviet source recently received in London states that the construction of a large artificial rubber manufacturing plant in Erivan, Armenia, is nearing completion. The product known as Sovpren will be produced from lime stone and coal by means of a new process discovered about two years ago. The chief advantages of the new method, as compared with the production of synthetic rubber from alcohol, are the low cost of the finished product, and the elimination of the necessity of high pressure and high temperatures in the manufacturing pro cess. The new rubber is reported to have excellent wearing qualities, can be worked easily, and is practically free from deter ioration as a result of ageing. In addi tion to its acid-resisting quality it is also insoluble in petrol. Besides synthetic rubber, the plant will manufacture as by products lacquers, paints, and various materials used in building.

Threat To British Industry

Mr O. A Mendelsohn, Public Analyst of Victoria, who reached Sydney recently from San Francisco, said that synthetic rubber was being increasingly used in the United States. The substance had been taken up by the Du Pont group, and was used for all small articles for which rub ber hitherto had been required. In time it would be used for motor tyres. The effect on British rubber supplies would become serious, as the synthetic material was being manufactured in the United States.

Russia’S Rubber

The value of Soviet Russia’s purchases of rubber in Great Britain during April last amounted only to £1001. compared wuh £117,141 in the corresponding month a year ago. This sharp fall in the Soviet’s foreign purchases of a raw material es sential to the implementing of the second Five-Year-Plan is accounted for by the rapid increase in internal sources of pro duction As long ago as 1932 it was an nounced that a rubber productive Plant called Tau-sagis had been discovered It flourished in a temperate climate at alti tudes between 3000 and 4000 feetroots weighed between 2lb. and 4lb., and gave a 40 per cent, lactic yield, from which about 15 per cent, of pure rubber could be obtained. Beyond this source of supply, there is the development of syn thetic methods of manufacture to be taken into account.—S.M. Herald.