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Show OPERATIONS OF GERMAN TRUSTS The Steel Works Syndicate appear3 to remain a permanent German institution, insti-tution, and its benefits are generally . reeognlzed. Although It has deprived works of their individuality and independence, in-dependence, the k-vciing result and the lasting and uniform improvement ,nd stability in trade are so very beneficial that works have gladly given giv-en up a part of their Independence for other and greater advantages. The Pig Iron Syndicate has not met with tho same success, and the Lorraine-Luxemburg Syndicate has proved prov-ed a failure. The heavy metal plate manufacturers have formed a syndicate syndi-cate which appears to have Improved prices, The lighter metal plate manufacturers man-ufacturers are at present trying to form a syndicate. A price convention conven-tion has also been formed among wire manufacturers drawn wire and wire nail makers. The Pipe Syndicate has had many difficulties to contend with. A number num-ber of very ocrful works did not Join the syndicate and it has been obliged to fight for its very existenco against the large outstanding works The syndicate reduced its price by ?9.75 a ton for Westphalia and the Rhenish provinces and South Germany. Ger-many. Tills means a larger turnover without ot with very small profit. In this Pipe Syndicate there are subdivisions, subdi-visions, as, for Instance, the gas pipe, tjie boiler pipe, the caa iron pipe syndicates, all of which follow up their own special Interests. The Steel Cast Goods Sjndicate has been renewed both In this district and In Upper Silesia. The Rivet Syndicate Syndi-cate has been strengthened by a number of new powerful members. The International Sleeper Kartell has also been strengthened by the addition addi-tion of a number of Russian works. The syndicate movement has also spread to a number of other metal Industries. In-dustries. An International Zinc Furnace Fur-nace syndicate and an internal ional lead syndicate hav? been formed nnd at present an international copper syndicate is being formed. The timber Industry has two additional addi-tional syndicates, namely, the Northwest North-west German Planed Wood syndicate and the Rhenish-Westphalia Building Timber syndicate The match syndicate syndi-cate has been formed to safeguard the match trade, particularly necessary neces-sary at present, as the government has placed heavy taxes on matches. On the other hand, a number of syndicates syn-dicates have been dissolved, such as the cycle syndicate and brass syndicate syndi-cate and a number of cement syndicates. syndi-cates. Important amalgamations have taken ta-ken place during the last 12 months. Some, important shipping lines and some large banks have amalgamated. One of the most important of the year was tho amalgamation of a mining min-ing company and furnace owning concern con-cern with a shipping company. It is a noteworthy fact that nowadays the largest concerns owning coal mines. Iron ore fields, blast furnacea and steel works have been tho -fiost successful, suc-cessful, they depend less and loss o umarke-ts and do best when they produce their own raw material and manufacture everything themselves. Now the tendency is to go a step further and amalgamate with the shipping ship-ping companies on the Rhine in order or-der to be still better able to compete com-pete in the marketing of their lin-ished lin-ished articles. As a nile the larger the concern and the more many sided, the more satisfactory the dlvielend is' It is a fact that all the one sided concerns, con-cerns, whether Iron, steel manufacturers manufactur-ers or coal mine owners, do less well singly than when they combiue. Hence nowadays nearly all the iron and steel manufacturers own. their own coal and Iron ore fields. Formerly large works tried to increase their turnovers b.-onlarging b.-onlarging thei works, whereas now they try to Increase their profits 'by-producing 'by-producing their own raw material. In some branches of industry there still exists the tendency toward enlarging en-larging and expanding the works beyond be-yond reasonableness; there is a ease In question of a pipe making concern which has enlarged Its works to such an extent that it Is forced to find foreign for-eign markets for over CO per cent of its products Report of British Consul Con-sul at Dusseldorf. |