PRODUCTION OF TYRES

Chronicle (Levin), 1 April 1946, Page 2

PRODUCTION OF TYRES

-Press Association

COMMENCEMENT EXPECTED EARLY NEXT YEAR

By Telegraph—

. AULKLAiNiJ, iMai'Cll 25L AStatements on the production of tvres in New Zealand and on the difficulties^ ipA-olved in overcoining the world rubber shortage were given by two represeutatives of New Zealand rubber coneerns when Jthey arrived at Auckland on the Monterey. Returnthg fJroTu visits' to the United Btates and Britain to ol)tain equipment for his company's projected tyro factory at Ellerslie, Mr. G. C. W. Reid, managing-director of Reid (New Zealand) Rubber Mills, Ltd., said he felt the objective of beginning the mauufacture of tyres early next year would oe fullilled. Hr. Reid, who was absent from the Domiuion for five moaths, conferred with the B. F. Goodrich Rubber Co., Ltd., of Akrou, Ohio, on the purchase of equipment and then spent two montlis iu England, obtaining niajor machinery. He rcturned to the Domiuion by way of the United States. Apart from important machinery, much of the equipment for the project will be made in New Zealand. "From my observations, I feel conlid'eut we will be working on natural and not syntlietic rubber," said Mr. Reid. "I have t'ound in my investigations, particularly in America, that in_ heavy duty tyres, synthetic is not as satisfaotory as natural rubber. All British Eni pire manufacturers are now Idoking forward to a re.turn to noriual production in Malaya. " Bufficicnt cnide.aud synthetic rubber was available/-* to • take care of the world 's requiPeineuts, 7)'ut tlie preseiO production facilities were inadequate, said ALr. H. Miller, general nianager of the Firestone Ti're aird' Rubber Co. (New Zealaud) Ltd,, who has rcturned from a visit to the United States. He pointed out that there was a terrilic demand which had built up over the war years, and in spite of production facilitie.s created for military purposes, it woul.d not- be possible to satisfy the eivilian need for some time.