German Rubber Industry Growth

The German Rubber Association W.d.K.

(Wirtschaftsverband der deutschen Kautschukindustrie) has announced that total sales of rubber goods increased 4.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2000. Sales of technical products rose 5.

8 % and tyre sales increased 3.3 %. However, the W.

d.K. continues to worry about increasing material costs (rubber, oil, carbon black).