Evening star., 1928-02-26
TIRE MAKERS SET
NEW MARK IN 1927
Production, Sales and Profits
Make Good Showing
for Year.

inss in 1926 and 6o.500.a 900 i'll 1925, ane
though below the 100000 mark an.
ticipatcd carly in the year. proved
satisfactory showing for the Industr,
in view of the absence from prooi:tio1
OF the largest small Car manufacturer
during the best part OF 1927.
A picture OF the growt.l OF the tire
business will be had when it is under.
stood that in 1921 the indastry'S oG.pu,
Of pneumatic tires totaled only 30
600 900. which figure vas jumped to
4l.1oo.0o0 in 1922. 10 45,o00.000 in 1928
and 81 l.5oo, 900 in 1924.
OF the 65.0oo.000 pneumatic tires
made last year. about SIS per cent were
of the balloon type. 43 per cent of the
regular cord type and about per cent
Of the old cross-woven fabric type
which percentages remain practically
the same when consideration Is given
to the type of tires sold during the year
by the manufacturer.
Sales Approximate Output.
For the first time in several years. tire
eales by manufacturers in 1927 approx
inated the number of tires ti.ey made.
In 1926 and 1925 sales each year tot2led
$4,000, 600 units, while production was
In each instance a million or more
units greater In 1924 sales of 55.000.-
600 exceeded production by more than
100000 units.
A reflection OF the tendency for truck
and motor bus manufacturers to equip
their vehicles with pneumatics IS pro-
vided in the decline of Solid-cuSllion
tire output to 100000 units Ill 1927. as
compared with 100000 in 1925. A re-
duction in the production Of inner tubes
also was effected last year, the total
output being estimated at II 900 600.
while in 1926 it was more than 16.-
100000.
II is not expected that the official
figures, when they are released. will
show that the value of tires. tubes and
tire sundries shipped in 1927 viii equal
that of the shipments in the previous
year, due, chiefly. to the record low
prices at which tires have oeen selling
FOR the past year In 1926, the statis-
tics compiled by the rubber association
showed that the wholesale value of
shipments made by the tire industry
totaled 1856. 795 600. and fQr the last
year it is estimated that the total will
be in the neighborhood of $500 ee0. 900.
unless the fourth-quarter saies show a
decided increase over those of the same
period IN 1926.
The sales value 0: automobile tires
and tire accessories shipments made
during the third quarter Of 1927 was
slightly less than sl3.011, 900 more than
the value OF shipments IN the previous
quarter. but considerably less than the
total for The same period III 1926. With
the exception of the first quarter. the
value OF tire shipments in each period
OF 1927 was below that OF the similar
period in 1926.
The tota! value: of tires and tire SUM-
dries shipped during the third quarter
vas s223.438.000. compared with s269.-
$4,000 in the third quarter of 1925.
These figures represent 81 per cent OF
the total for the entire industry. Dur
ing the first nine months OF 1927 tires
and tire sundries TO tn. value OF s623.-
035.000 were shipped. as against $685.
Cs6.000 In the first nine months Of~the
previous year. s-4.~s-~ 80
In the decline in the value CT ship
n1ents in the third quarter froin the
same period OF 1926 pneumatic t4einss
were most conspicuous. with falling
Of from s2InS67.000 in 1926 10 Sl17.-
250.000 In 1927 Eveyy classification OF
tire and tire sundr;es ~nowed a decline
in values as compared with the third
quarter OF 1925.
II any concern Is felt over the crude
rubber situation il was not precipitaIed
particularly through conditions existing
al the end Of September. when tire and
. rubber manufacturers. importers and
dealers had on hand total Of 90,S6I
long tons OF rubber, the largest inven-
tory since the middle OF 1925. This stock
compares with 64.6il long tons held al
the end of June and With S6.883 long
tons q, the factories and warehouses in
September o. 1925.
Imports Show Decline.
Stocks Of crude rubber reported sfioai
and destined for American ports or
September 30 amounted to 36,006 Ions
tons. compared with 4s,i69 long ton.
a. the end OF the second quarter anc
39.sI5 long tons al the end OF the third
quarter Of 1925. Crude rubber arrival
In the United States. according 10 Gov.
ernment figures, tot2led. during ihs
third quarter OF last year 3a73 Ions
tons. This compares with 1882 lon.
tons during the second quarter and lco..
573 long tons in the third quarter o.
1926.
Consumption Of crude rubber by tht
tire Industry during the third quartet
was also less than the second quartz,
as well as the third quarter OF 1925. Ir
the three months ending Septembe,
tire sun6rtes called for the use o. 69, ,3es
long tons. compared win S2.64e ions
tons IN the second quarter end T5i4.
long tons In the third quarter % 1926.
The rubber Industry, a. whole. like
wise consumed Jess -Eb0er in ihc ikirt
quarter than III the pye.lous three
months. as well as in the same periO<
of 1876 The respective tosals being a..
0f5 tom IN the third quarter O! 1927
Z1.3S3 tons in the second quarter ant
$3.50 tons in the third quarter II 1925
The manufacturers maoe money las
year due 10 the stable concition of III
crude rubber market. the r8r.e Of price
fos this essential raw material bein,
!yam a low 80 cents q pound In :;eptem
Der " nig: 81. cents a pound II
March. anc also because of the ec1no
mics effected IN merchandising meth
ods snc the adoption of machines a.
tsle manufacture of tires and iub"s
Few Ire dealers finished 1927 viii
pYof1ts tn l!ae with those t,Ofeo IN OH
es years. due " t1e extremely low price
Il which tires and tries have beer
SeIllng arld the feCTrtion in turi0ve
as result os the 2feat: mileage nov
returned by the average tire Deaie
Sales IN units we're greater. represfntjn;
about f5.1oDDD0 cssing3 IN 1927, a2a;ns
TF-'t9FpP tst s8&o EttG - 4. JV1,yJV ii
1925. EJt. as sfatec abgge, the retaile
had 10 work on q very slim n4afgir O
profit.
Tne tire Retailer ri u fad sever
roffchanciH)n" problem 80 nsndie II
connection with balloon tire sizes whicl
played part IN cutting down his prof
by adding " MS investment i'll siocks
f5If3ce Tie advent ol the balloon or low
pressure tire he" sizes nave ieen con
stantly making their aoDessan,e he
cause u the frequent changes read
by csr manufacturers IA he ori2ina
tire equipment on their pi1dticts.
~ The start nailoon tires 9ere mad
u 1T the 20, II and ~ inch d;smete
11nk and in Is different cross -sectio
EiMe Now these tires arc made ~
js 10. 70 II atld ~ inch d!aa,ster rim
sno IN 81 least 81 cross s-sections tor pas
Eenger cars and ~ different crosS~se4:
ta3ss f..x re E.f