Sources of Market Information on Rubber, Rubber Raw Materials, and

27 Sources of Market Information on Rubber, Rubber Raw Materials, and Rubber Products

Downloaded by NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV on May 9, 2015 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: January 1, 1968 | doi: 10.1021/ba-1968-0078.ch027

HARRY N. STEVENS International B. F. Goodrich, Akron, Ohio

Sources are given for the following: ber

production,

materials

prices,

for

synthetic

reclaimed

rubber

on current

reviewed.

End-use

in major consuming most complete rubbers

rubber,

on crude

statistics

synthetic

production,

prices,

rubber

and

trade;

trade.

The

of all types of rubber

and reference

rubber

pro-

rubber

products.

on the rubber industry

of of

Sources are

is

rubbers

is made to

recent U.S. studies on the amounts statistics

raw

butadiene,

data are given for all kinds countries,

rub-

on

including

prices, and synthetic

consumption

used in different

eral economic

for

and acrylonitrile,

rubber

literature

statistics

trade;

for making synthetic

styrene, isobutylene, duction,

and

the

various of

gen-

discussed.

M

arket research i n the rubber industry might appear relatively uncomplicated to the casual observer. Under the standard industrial classification system used by all U . S . Government agencies, rubber products constitute a major group about w h i c h statistics are collected and published. D a t a concerning value added by manufacture, employment, wages and salaries, corporate sales and income, and other basic economic information are readily available. Examination of the whole rubber industry, however, reveals that it is not the well-defined entity w h i c h these Statistics indicate. M a n y of the products of the rubber industry do not contain rubber or anything resembling rubber. The rubber industry competes directly w i t h many other industries such as the textile, chemical, fabricated metal products, and transportation equipment industries. Under these circumstances successful market research requires a breadth of knowledge w h i c h cannot be gained by studying rubber industry statistics alone. The rubber industry is, i n general, well documented, and there is a wealth of statistics relating to its operations. The statistics are often reprinted i n a number of sources w h i c h w i l l be mentioned as a convenience to those who may have only limited library facilities available. 480 In Literature of Chemical Technology; Smith, J.; Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.

27.


Crude

STEVENS

Market

Information

on

Rubber

481

Rubber

Production. The Rubber Statistical Bulletin publishes monthly figures on total w o r l d production of crude rubber and individual figures for the principal rubber-producing territories. Rubber Trends analyzes the raw statistics of the Rubber Statistical Bulletin i n informed depth. T h e Rubber Statistical News Sheet publishes statistics of natural rubber production by country. Crude rubber production statistics compiled by the International Rubber Study Group are reprinted i n Rubber World, Rubber Age, and Rubber News. Natural Rubber News publishes quarterly information compiled by the Rubber Research Institute of Malaya on the production of natural rubber by estate. " T h e Chemical Economics Handbook" contains historical and current statistics on natural rubber production w h i c h are updated regularly. Prices. D a i l y quotations of crude rubber prices on N e w York markets are contained i n the Wall Street Journal and i n the Journal of Commerce. Crude rubber prices i n the L o n d o n , N e w York, Singapore, Djakarta, and Colombo markets are covered monthly i n the Rubber Statistical Bulletin. A n n u a l average prices and monthly average prices ( N e w York) of N o . 1 RSS are reported i n Rubber Age. Trade. The Rubber Statistical Bulletin has the most complete statistics on international trade reporting monthly net exports of crude rubber from principal Asiatic and African countries and miscellaneous rubber-producing areas, imports of crude rubber into the U n i t e d States, U n i t e d K i n g d o m , and other countries, re-exports of crude rubber from the U n i t e d States and the U n i t e d K i n g d o m , and imports and re-exports of crude rubber latex. Current statistics on the U n i t e d States imports and re-exports of crude dry rubber and latex are published monthly by the Bureau of Census i n F T 1 1 0 and F T 4 1 0 . Rubber Age and Rubber World reprint detailed statistics of imports w i t h separate date on balata, jelutung, and gutta-percha derived from the Bureau of Census reports. " C h e m i c a l Economics Handbook" contains statistics on imports and exports i n less detail. R M A (Rubber Manufacturers Association) also reprints statistics on crude rubber and latex imports and re-exports. Current Industrial Reports contain statistics on the imports and re-exports of natural rubber for the two most recent months and for the corresponding months for the previous years. Synthetic

Rubber

R a w Materials. Production, sales, and value data on the principal synthetic rubber raw materials—butadiene, styrene, and acrylonitrile—are published by the U . S . Tariff Commission. Background information on all of these chemicals is contained i n "Industrial Chemicals" by F a i t h et al These chemicals are included i n the lists of current prices printed i n many different papers and magazines. "Directory of Chemical Producers" identifies producers, their plants, and i n some cases their capacities of monomers. T h e Oil, Paint and Drug Reporter reports rubber raw material prices and contains editorial matter of general interest i n the rubber field.

In Literature of Chemical Technology; Smith, J.; Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.


482

LITERATURE

OF CHEMICAL

TECHNOLOGY

Production. F o r world figures on synthetic rubber production, Rubber Statistical Bulletin contains monthly statistics on the estimated production of synthetic rubber by country and type. Current Industrial Reports contains statistics on the production of S-type rubber by type, butyl, neoprene, N-type rubber, stereoelastomers, and other elastomers. Rubber Age reprints the statistics from the U . S . Department of Commerce, and Rubber News and Rubber World reprint those from the International Rubber Study Group. Annual Survey of Manufacturers publishes historical statistics on the production of synthetic rubber by type. T h e Attorney General's report also contains information on the production of S-type rubber, butyl rubber, and N-type rubber. "Directory of C h e m i c a l Producers" identifies producers, their plants, and i n some cases their capacities of synthetic rubbers. Prices. Rubber World reports bimonthly on the prices of many different grades of synthetic rubber. Rubber Age periodically publishes synthetic rubber prices. Prices of synthetic rubbers also appear in Rubber Journal each month. European Chemical News publishes weekly European synthetic rubber prices. Trade. The U . S . Tariff Commission Reports F T 1 1 0 and F T 4 1 0 contain monthly information on the imports and exports of various types of synthetic rubber. T h e information is also contained i n Current Industrial Reports and R M A reports. " C h e m i c a l Economics Handbook" also gives information on the imports and exports of synthetic rubber. Reclaimed

Rubber

Production. Rubber Statistical Bulletin contains statistics on world reclaimed rubber production by countries. Current Industrial Reports contains information on domestic production of reclaimed rubber which is also reported in Rubber World, Rubber Age and R M A reports. T h e " C h e m i c a l Economics Handbook" contains statistics on the production of reclaimed rubber, and the Attorney General's Report contains charts also. Prices. Reclaimed rubber prices i n the U n i t e d K i n g d o m and the U n i t e d States are reported i n Rubber Statistical Bulletin. More detailed information about reclaimed rubber prices by grades is published by Rubber Age. Trade. Exports and imports of reclaimed rubber by country are reported by Rubber Statistical Bulletin. U . S . imports and exports of reclaimed rubber are reported by the U . S . Tariff Commission i n Reports F T 1 1 0 and F T 4 1 0 . Current Industrial Reports gives these data i n convenient form, and the various reports by the U . S . Department of Commerce form the basis of reclaimed rubber trade data published by Rubber Age, Rubber World, and R M A . Stocks of

Rubber

Rubber Statistical Bulletin publishes information on stocks of crude rubber in producing and consuming areas, stocks of synthetic rubber i n the U n i t e d States, United K i n g d o m , Brazil, France, Canada, Germany, Japan, Australia, and India, and stocks of reclaimed rubber i n the U n i t e d States, U n i t e d K i n g dom, Germany, Australia, and Canada. (Less complete information is pub-


27.

STEVENS

Market

Information

on

Rubber

483

lished by Rubber World and Rubber Age. ) Current Industrial Reports contains detailed information on stocks of total synthetic rubber, S-type rubber, butyl, neoprene, N-type rubber, stereoelastomers, other elastomers, natural rubber, and reclaimed rubber. " C h e m i c a l Economics Handbook" contains graphs on government stocks and releases.


Rubber

Consumption

W o r l d consumption of natural, synthetic, and reclaimed rubber by various countries is reported by Rubber Statistical Bulletin. Current Industrial Reports has detailed information on the U . S . consumption of total synthetic rubber, S-type rubber, butyl, neoprene, N-type rubber, stereoelastomers, other elastomers, natural rubber, and reclaimed rubber. These two publications form the basis of the compilations by Rubber World, Rubber Age, and R M A . " C h e m i c a l Economics Handbook" also contains statistics on rubber consumption. Rubber Statistical Bulletin contains world wide end-use data on crude and synthetic rubber. Consumption by type and main products i n the U n i t e d K i n g d o m , Canada, France, and Japan is reported monthly. U . S . data are broken down only into tire and tire products and non-tire products segments. In the U n i t e d States, an important source of figures on domestic rubber products is the information supplied by the R M A . Shipments, production and inventories for passenger casings, truck and bus tires, inner tubes, tractor implement tires, and tread rubber are reported. M u c h of this information is reprinted by Rubber World and Rubber Age. Annual Survey of Manufacturers contains figures on domestic shipments of tires, inner tubes, footwear, reclaimed rubber, fabricated rubber products, belts and belting, hose and tubing, sponge and foam rubber goods, floor and w a l l covering, mechanical rubber goods, rubber heels and soles, and druggist and medical sundries. Economics,

Production,

and

Consumption

Economic statistics on the rubber industry are published by U . S . Government sources. The Bureau of L a b o r Statistics publishes information on employment, payrolls, hours, earnings, labor, average wholesale prices, and production indices for the rubber industry. The Office of Business Economics publishes information on manufacturers' sales, inventories and orders, corporate income, dividends, and the tax situation for the rubber industry. M u c h of this information is reprinted i n Rubber World and Rubber Age. T h e Federal Reserve Bulletin contains wholesale price indices for crude rubber, tires, miscellaneous rubber products, and for total rubber and plastics products. Predicasts contains forecasts for consumption, production, exports, capacity, and shipments for various products. Forecasts are collected for total synthetic rubber, monomers for rubber, additives for rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, S B R rubber, S B R latex, butyl, neoprene, nitrile, stereo-regulated, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, urethane, E P R , E P T , and miscellaneous rubbers. Rubber products are also covered i n detail, as tires and tubes, footwear, etc. Chemical Market Abstracts also contains market information about rubbers, rubber raw materials, and rubber products.


484

LITERATURE

OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY

Although there is characteristic disagreement among market researchers as to what the future holds for the rubber industry, it is generally agreed that it is a dynamic and growing business. As such it offers a good opportunity for market researchers to interpret the prospects i n such a manner that their companies can capitalize fully on the expanding opportunities for profitable manufacturing operations open to the rubber industry. Acknowledgment


The assistance of Billie Reinhart i n revising and updating this manuscript is gratefully acknowledged.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Books "Chemical Economics Handbook," Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, Calif. "Directory of Chemical Producers," Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, Calif. Faith, W. L . , Keyes, D. B., Clark, R. L . , "Industrial Chemicals," 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1957. Periodicals Chemical Market Abstracts, Foster D. Snell., Inc., 29 West 15th St., New York, Ν. Y. 10011, monthly. European Chemical News, Heywood-Temple Industrial Publications, L t d . , Bowling Green Lane, London E C 1 , monthly. For the Press, Rubber Manufacturers Association. Journal of Commerce, Twin Coast Newspapers, Inc., New York. Natural Rubber News, Natural Rubber Bureau, 1108 Sixteenth S t , N . W , Washing ton, D. C. 20036. Oil, Paint and Drug Reporter, Schnell Publishing Co., 100 Church St., New York, Ν. Y. 10017, weekly. Predicasts, Economic Index & Surveys, Inc. Rubber Age, Palmerton Publishing Co., 101 West 31st St., New York, Ν. Y. 10001, monthly. Rubber News, Polymer Publications, 17G Cawasji Patel St., Fort, Bombay, India, monthly. Rubber Journal, McClaren Group, Davis House, 69-77 High St., Croyden Surrey, England, monthly. Rubber Statistical Bulletin, International Rubber Study Group, Brittenham House, 5 Lancaster P l . , London, England, monthly. Rubber Statistical News Sheet, International Rubber Study Group, monthly. Rubber Trends, The Economist Intelligence Unit L t d . Rubber World, Bill Brothers Publishing Co., 630 Third Ave., New York, Ν. Y. 10017, monthly. Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Co., Chicago, Ill., daily. U. S. Government

Publications

The following publications are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. 20402. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve: Federal Reserve Bulletin; Index of Industrial Production Business Indexes



27.

STEVENS

Market

Information

on

Rubber

485

Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census: Annual Survey of Manufacturers Current Industrial Reports (M30A) Business and Defense Services Administration, Chemical and Rubber Division: Chemical and Rubber Bimonthly Industry Report Office of Business Economics: Survey of Current Business "National Income"; Survey of Current Business (suppl.) Department of Justice: Reports of the Attorney General on Competition in the Synthetic Rubber Industry Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment and Earnings Monthly Labor Review Tariff Commission: Synthetic Organic Chemicals United States Exports of Domestic and Foreign Merchandise (FT410) United States Imports of Merchandise for Consumption (FT110) RECEIVED October 8, 1964. Presented on the symposium, "Literature of Rubber," sponsored by the Division of Chemical Literature and the Division of Rubber Chemistry at the 130th Meeting of the American Chemical Society at Atlantic City, Sept. 18-19, 1956. Published in limited edition by the Division of Rubber Chemistry and reprinted by permission of the Division. Updated 1968.


Sources of Market Information on Rubber, Rubber Raw Materials, and

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