Manufacturers within the industrial sector focus on the application of knowledge, have the ability to achieve global distribution and offer a package of products. Footwear tends to be manufactured in natural rubber producing countries . From the standpoint of natural rubber, an especially important sector is the manufacture of engineering components for use in sound and vibration control in structures, aircraft, rocket motors, locomotives, ships, docks, flood control barriers, etc. Furthermore, savings can be made through the bulk purchase of items like carbon black and accelerators for vulcanization. Within large corporations certain plants may specialize in supplying compounded rubber to factory units which lack such facilities, or minimize them.
End uses The major breakdown of end uses is illustrated in the figure.
There are many small manufacturers which purchase compounded rubber and supply moulded components to the automotive and other industries. In general, such companies lack strong marketing skills, although there are some exceptions where a small manufacturer may have established a niche for some consumer product, such as grooming devices for horses. The latex consuming industry is virtually separate from the remainder of the rubber consuming industry. In part it reflects a different market structure. This section describes those products which are manufactured mainly from natural rubber, or in blends of natural and synthetic rubber.