Natural rubber has a future after all

Journal Article · Mon Apr 24 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Fortune; (United States)

OSTI ID:6513844

Griffin, D

Not long ago many experts believed that synthetic rubber would soon add another chapter to an ongoing story of modern technology--the displacement of a once-important natural substance by more reliable synthetics. Synthetic rubber has some major advantages over natural rubber, such as superior resistance to chemicals. The price of natural rubber has been more volatile than that of synthetic. Supplies of natural rubber have been uncertain, depending on the vagaries of weather and of fragile governments in faraway places. Far from being displaced by synthetic, natural rubber is holding on to an important and possibly permanent share of the world rubber market--which amounted to something like $11 billion in 1977. Natural rubber isn't expected to increase its share against synthetic, which accounts for two-thirds of the total market. Natural's share may even decline a bit in coming years. But total demand for rubber is expected to rise steadily, and government bodies, consumers, and producers all agree that natural can expect rising demand into the 1990's. A doubling of consumption by early in that decade appears possible. Natural rubber has characteristics that simplify the manufacture of radial tires and improve the quality of the tires also. (MCW)

• OSTI ID: 6513844
• Journal Information: Fortune; (United States), Journal Name: Fortune; (United States) Vol. 97:8; ISSN FORTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290400* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Energy Resources
553000 -- Agriculture & Food Technology
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
BRAZIL
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DEMAND FACTORS
ECONOMIC ELASTICITY
ECONOMICS
ELASTOMERS
EVALUATION
GROWTH
INVESTMENT
LATIN AMERICA
MARKET
NATURAL RUBBER
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PLANTS
POLYMERS
PRODUCTION
RUBBER TREES
RUBBERS
SOUTH AMERICA
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION
TIRES
TREES
USA