Rubber Industry

What's in each profile

This industry profile is based primarily on research conducted in 1998 and outlines sector trends based on qualitative information derived from secondary sources and interviews with major players in the industry. In addition, statistical data were updated in 2001 using the most recent information available. This industry profile is meant to enrich the understanding of human resource issues presently facing the sector.

This profile contains information from the 1996 census, as well as more recent data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey (LFS). Census data are classified based on the Standard Industrial Classification System (SIC) while LFS data are classified using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Because they are based on a sample, LFS data do not provide the same level of detail as available from the census. It is important to note that the rubber products industry contains many sub-industries that, for the purpose of this paper, are referred to as divisions

The Rubber Products industry is classified under the following categories:

SIC 15 – Rubber Products Industry
Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing tires and tubes; rubber hose and belting; mechanical rubber goods; weather stripping (rubber and plastic); Pressure sensitive tape; rubber boot and shoe findings; tire re-treading materials, etc.

NAICS 3262 – Rubber Product Manufacturing
This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in processing natural, synthetic or reclaimed rubber materials into intermediate or final products using such processes as vulcanising, cementing, moulding, extruding and lathe-cutting.

Concordance between the SIC and NAICS classification systems is not exact. SIC 15 includes the following NAICS codes:

• NAICS 313320 – Fabric coating (Fabric, Rubberising)
• NAICS 322220 – Paper bag and coated & treated paper manufacturing (Cellophane adhesive tape, Manufacturing)
• NAICS 332910 – Metal valve manufacturing (Hose and tube assemblies, Manufacturing)
• NAICS 339990 – All other miscellaneous manufacturing (Rubber gaskets and gasket material manufacturing)

Readers should also note that, due to the small sample size in some provinces, detailed LFS data by industry are not always available.

The rubber product manufacturing industry takes manufactured natural or synthetic rubber and transforms it into various belts, hoses, tires, tubes and other rubber products. “While industrial rubber products are used by virtually all industries, the dominant market is automotive (e.g., hoses, belts, gaskets, weatherstripping, glass encapsulation, air dams and deflectors, and door, window and closure seals). Other important markets include conveyor belts for mining and forestry operations, roll flooring, and consumer products.” (Industry Canada, Industrial rubber products, Web: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inrubber-caoutchouc.nsf/en/home)

“All natural rubber used in Canada is imported; it can be extracted from a variety of vegetation, but the most significant source is the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). Synthetic rubbers are produced chemically from petrochemical feedstock. Bayer (formerly Polysar) is the sole Canadian-based manufacturer of synthetic rubber. The principal synthetic rubbers include styrene-butadiene, butyl, nitrile, isoprene, chloroprene, urethane, polysulfide, silicone and ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM).” (Industry Canada, Industrial rubber products, Web: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inrubber-caoutchouc.nsf/en/home)

The industry has ready access to new raw material developments and generally uses modern equipment. While limited research and development are performed in Canada, technology is available to subsidiaries through the corporate network. Many smaller rubber product manufacturers rely entirely on raw material suppliers or intermediate compounders for technical assistance related to new product development. Manufacturers of speciality products must spend more than the industry average on research and development to retain the performance advantage that differentiates their products in the market.

The key factors influencing competitiveness in the industrial rubber products industry are scale of operation, relative level of technology, service to customers and proximity to markets.

In recent years, producers have faced significant increases in the price of raw materials, which have been passed through to consumers. Profit margins remain slim in an attempt to build customer loyalty.

The Canadian producers, with a small number of plants producing 30,000 tires per day, have become completely integrated into the North America market. As a result, the head offices of Canadian tire companies have been transferred to the United States.

“The industrial rubber products industry in Canada is composed of about 200 establishments, which employed 17,500 people and produced shipments worth $2.8 billion in 1998. Imports were valued at $1.9 billion in 1998, and accounted for 54% of the Canadian market. Eighty-six percent of imports came from the United States. The largest categories of imports were gaskets, washers, hoses, compounded rubber, plates, and belts.” (Industry Canada, Industrial rubber products, Web: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inrubber-caoutchouc.nsf/en/home)

“Exports were worth $1.2 billion in 1998, representing 42% of the value of shipments. Ninety-six percent of exports went to the United States. The principal exports were gaskets, washers, compounded rubber, weather-stripping, hoses, and belts - largely the same products that are imported in high volumes.” (Industry Canada, Industrial rubber products, Web: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inrubber-caoutchouc.nsf/en/home)

The higher freight costs for imports, as well as the logistical difficulty in providing service to customers over greater distances, generally favour Canadian manufacturers in the domestic market. However these same factors impede the development of export markets for Canadian producers. Future growth may be largely contingent on the establishment of subsidiary foreign manufacturing plants and distribution networks. Another approach may be for Canadian companies to enter into partnership agreements with local firms in other markets. This type of arrangement can lead to rationalised production and sharing of marketing, distribution and customer service costs.

Relative Importance of the Industry in the Economy
In 2000, the rubber products industry accounted for 0.35% of Canada’s total GDP. In absolute numbers, this industry contributed $2.7 billion to a total national GDP of $786.9 billion. (Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM)

GDP Growth Since 1987
Figure 1 shows that the rubber products industry suffered a drop in GDP between 1988 and 1991, with annual GDP falling to a level less than that in 1987. After 1991 the rubber products industry GDP grew at an average annual rate of 6.6%. The rubber products industry GDP in 2000 had increased by 129.3% compared to 1987 levels. In 2000, national GDP was 38.2% higher than in 1987. This large growth in the industry during the 1990’s is a reflection of the strong performance of the automotive industry during that period (87% growth in GDP from 1990 to 1999). (Source: Industry Canada, Statistics Canada, CANSIM)

Number of Firms by Size
In 1999, 30% of rubber products industry firms employed between 1 and 4 employees compared to the national all industries average of 59% (Figure 2). Forty-nine% of rubber product industry firms had 5-49 employees compared to 36% for all industries. It is important to note that 20.5% of the firms in the rubber products industry employed 50 or more workers compared to the national all industries level of 4.5%. (Source: Statistics Canada, 1999 Business Register)

The manufacture of tires has made significant technical advances over the years. For example, different compounding techniques made possible the development of the all season radial tire. This, in turn, has reduced the number of brands and types of tires, enabling longer production runs.

Technology-driven product differentiation will remain a strong force in the tire division. An anticipated technological advance is the development of run-flat tires. The development of the first all-steel reinforced passenger tire to replace polyester and rayon tire cord was recently announced. This ultratensile steel is the world’s strongest tire reinforcement material and is expected to be used worldwide to produce conventional as well as run-flat tires.

The Canadian rubber products industry is characterised by very low research and development (R&D) expenditures. As a result, this industry is dependent upon external source for technical know-how and innovation.

Developments in thermoplastic elastomer technology offer the potential for significant improvements in productivity and product quality. Thermoplastic elastomers exhibit the elasticity associated with rubber but, under appropriate conditions, are permanently deformable like plastics. This characteristic permits the use of plastic-processing technology to produce elastomeric products, offering significant cost and efficiency advantages over traditional rubber-processing methods.

The use of thermoplastic elastomers is expected to grow much faster than the market for industrial rubber products overall. Applications for which thermoplastic elastomers are replacing thermoset rubbers include seals, gaskets, hoses, flexible tubing, coated fabrics, weather stripping, sheeting, conveyor belting, boots on steering columns and air ducts in automobiles.

Economic/Market
The domestic and international rubber tire and tube market has increasingly become a global one. This has led to a drive for greater efficiency and cost containment, which in turn has been responsible for greater integration of domestic producers with international markets.

Petrochemical feedstock price has a direct impact on the cost of rubber products manufacturing. Increasing energy costs result in significant pressure on profit margins.

On a global basis, the market is being continually rationalised and consolidated through mergers and acquisitions. In North America, the most lucrative tire market, the number of major tire producers has fallen from 11 in the 1950s to just three in the 1990s.

The rubber hose and belting division is subject to many of the same influences as the Tire and Tube division (although to a lesser degree). Globalisation has led to a drive for greater efficiency and cost containment. Accompanying this has been consolidation and integration of Canadian producers into a North American market.

The elimination of tariffs on rubber products under North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has shifted the Canadian rubber products industry from a domestic focus to a North American market orientation. The elimination of tariffs has forced the Canadian rubber products industry to become highly competitive.

The FTA and NAFTA provided a strong incentive for Canadian-owned companies to improve efficiency and competitiveness. This has been accomplished either through the establishment of commercial alliances with U.S. based firms, or through focussing production on a narrower product range aimed at the entire North American market.

Developments in the rubber hose and belting division are largely dictated by changes in the automotive industry. Over several decades, the number of belts and tubes in a typical vehicle engine has declined. At the same time, the remaining belts in the engine are more sophisticated, requiring changes in the manufacturing process.

Increasingly, multinational companies are rationalising their North American operations so plants manufacture greater volumes in a narrower range of products. Market rationalisation also means Canadian suppliers will focus on nearby Canadian and U.S. markets. The increased marketing and capital costs needed to improve competitiveness favour larger companies. The development of new partnerships and joint ventures with other companies may be essential for their continued participation in the marketplace.

Regulatory
Environmental concerns over the proper disposal of scrap tires represent a continuing challenge to the industry. While tire producers have received most of the attention thus far, all rubber product manufacturers will ultimately face the problems of dealing with waste and discarded material. Rubber products are more difficult to recycle than plastics because they cannot be reprocessed by the simple application of heat and pressure. Recycling processes are based on mechanical desegregation of the article, separation, recovery of the rubber component and incorporation of the resultant “crumb” rubber into another manufacturing process.

Consequently, large-scale recycling of scrap tires is not a reality at present. Although the implementation of options such as landfill, export of ground or usable tires, and burning (tire-derived fuel) have been helpful, they have not made significant inroads in the nation’s vast supply of scrap tires. Currently, there is a program to administer the recycling of tires in every province except Newfoundland and Ontario.

Although the question of the disposal of tires is generally felt by the retail sector of the industry (which is not tied to a manufacturer), the issue of life cycle responsibility is receiving increased attention in all parts of the rubber sector.

Only a small number of applications have been developed to use recycled rubber, but many more will emerge as the costs of environmental compliance escalate. Some existing, limited uses of recycled rubber include rubberised asphalt, athletic flooring, and rubber mats and carpet underlay.

The increasing need for manufacturers to assume life-cycle responsibility for their products will provide further impetus for the advancement of thermoplastic elastomer technology because these materials can be recycled like plastics. This feature facilitates reprocessing of waste and discarded material, and opens up many more options for their reincorporation into other useful forms.

Social/Demographic
Consumers are seeking innovations in tires ranging from all season high-performance radials, to tires designed to avoid hydroplaning on wet roads.

Customer service has been recently recognised as a key factor in the industry. With a large number of players, firms have emphasised product design, delivery and service capabilities.

The industry generally employs production workers on three shifts per day for a six- or seven-day week. Maintenance is usually done on weekend shifts. Contract work is largely absent from this industry as work occurs at large complex facilities.

The largest single category of workers in this industry consists of semiskilled workers, who make up roughly 55% of its work force. Included in this group are rubber machine operators, labourers, material handlers, janitors, and shippers and receivers.

Most workers in these occupations work full time. Women account for a smaller proportion of the work force than in manufacturing as a whole. Workers under the age of 25 are most likely to be found in entry-level material handling jobs requiring physical strength. The proportion of young workers in the material handling occupations in this industry is similar to the all industry level.

Employment levels in material handling occupations fluctuate with the business cycle and are affected by long-term structural changes in the industry. Employment prospects in these occupations are likely to remain poor in the medium term as the industry pursues greater production efficiencies and introduces new machinery.

Greater automation and longer production runs in consolidated operations are expected to be the source of greater efficiencies. As the nature of production changes, certain skills are expected to be in demand across most occupations. With more automated machinery, worker requirements will be more focussed on a knowledge of computers and a need for programmers and computer technicians.

It is likely that prospects for the material handling jobs in this industry will be good in the foreseeable future. However, competition amongst candidates and employers will be strong, with educational requirements likely to rise for entry-level jobs because formal computer and high technology skills will increasingly be mandatory for all material handling positions. Increased opportunities may exist for new entrants with university education and an aptitude for the application of robotics and computerised equipment in processing.

Over the next few years, the level of employment in this industry is expected to grow due to an anticipated increase in capital investment in the form of new construction and plant expansions.

The rising demand for rubber products is likely to create opportunities for younger workers who have background in computer science, engineering, and sales and marketing. Because of the industries on-going automation and innovation, it offers employment opportunities for prospective workers with a working knowledge of advanced equipment and methods.

Relative Importance of Employment in Canada
In 2000, the rubber products industry employed 32,600 workers. This is equal to 0.2% of the 14.9 million workers employed in all industries in Canada. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Employment Growth Since 1987
From 1987 through 1989, employment in the rubber products industry grew at a slightly higher rate than the national average. In 1991, industry employment dropped below 1987 levels and remained there until 1999. Between 1999 and 2000, employment grew by 25% resulting in employment levels 11% higher than 1987. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Changes in Productivity

As illustrated in figure 4, since 1991 rubber products industry GDP has increased while employment has decreased, indicating gains in labour productivity. This increase in productivity is mainly due to rising automation, increased capital-labour ratios and the extension of production runs. All industries labour productivity also grew over the same time period however at a slower rate. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS & CANSIM)

Provincial Distribution of Employment
As illustrated in figure 5, Ontario has the most workers in the rubber products industry (16,000), followed by Quebec (10,300), Nova Scotia (3,800), and finally Manitoba (500). (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Relative Importance of Employment in Each Province
For Ontario and Quebec, the top employers in absolute numbers, the industry’s shares of total employment were 0.27% and 0.30% respectively. Although Nova Scotia has lower employment in absolute numbers in the rubber products industry, the industry’s share of total employment is higher (0.91% of the total employment for the province). (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Unionisation
Thirty-nine% of the employees in the rubber products industry are unionised. This percentage is higher than the national average of 30%. There are 2 major unions associated with this sector:

• United Steel Workers of America (USWA)
• Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP)

There are 3 major associations representing employers in this industry, they are:

• Rubber Association of Canada (RAC)
• Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA)
• International Tire and Rubber Association Foundation (ITRA)

(Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Average Weekly Income
The average weekly income in the rubber products industry is $700.30, which is considerably higher than the national average of $614.90. It is interesting to note the difference in the weekly incomes of women and men. In this industry, women earn $585.70 or only 79% of the weekly income of men ($741.50). (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Income Distribution
Income distribution is considerably different in the rubber products industry compared to all industries (see Figure 6). In 1996, in this industry, about 35% of workers earned less than $29,000 per year, 60% earned between $30,000 and $59,000, and 5% had annual incomes exceeding $60,000. By comparison, all industry income distribution was more concentrated in the lower income brackets. (Source: Statistics Canada, Census 1996)

Average Actual Hours Worked
In 2000, members of the labour force whose main job is in the rubber products industry work an average of 37.2 hours per week, which is 2.7 hours more than the national average of 34.5 hours. It is interesting to note that males in the rubber products industry worked 0.5 hours less than the national average for males, compared to females who worked an average of 5.8 hours more than the national average. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Overtime Hours
The overtime worked by the workers in this industry add an extra 8.8 hours a week, which is similar to the national average of 9.0 hours. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Part-time Jobs
Part-time employment is rare in the Rubber Products industry, accounting for only 2.2% of the total employees, compared to the national level of 18.1%. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Involuntary Part-time Jobs
Data not available

Unemployment Rate
In 2000, the unemployment rate in the rubber products industry was 1.2%, which was less than half the national all industries average of 6.8%. High demand for rubber products, particularly in the automotive sector, is a major factor contributing to the low unemployment rate. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Period of Unemployment
Data not available.

Tenure
In 2000, on average, rubber products industry workers had been employed for of 10 years 7 months, compared to the national all industries average of 8 years. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Employment Permanence
Employment permanence is a measure of percentage of workers holding permanent status and includes both part-time and full-time workers. In 2000, nationally in all industries, 73.3% of employees had permanent status, compared to 94.5% in the rubber products industry. The employment permanence and unemployment data for the industry imply higher than average job stability in recent years. (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Type of Work
Data not available

Labour Turnover
Labour turnover measures percentage of workers who change jobs in a year. From 1989 to 1996 the labour turnover rate for the rubber products industry was lower than the average of all industries (see Figure 7). In 1996 the national average was 31.1% compared to the rubber products industry average of 24.1%. The highest (28.0%) labour turnover rate in this industry was in 1992, and the lowest (15.4%) were in 1989. (Source: HRDC)

Occupational Profile
Two major occupational groups dominate employment in the rubber products industry. The largest category is occupations unique to processing, manufacturing and utilities, which account for 58% of total employment. At 15%, the second largest category is occupations unique to trades, transport and equipment operators (see Figure 9). (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Reason for Termination of Employment
In 1996, 54% of job terminations in the rubber products industry were due to a shortage of work. This compares to a national average of only 46%. During the same period 13% of workers voluntarily quit their jobs compared to the national all industries average of 20%. The remaining 34% of job terminations were for other reasons (for example: death, sickness, and maternity leave). (Source: HRDC)

Previous Jobs
In 1996, the majority of workers beginning new jobs in the rubber products industry transferred from other jobs in the industry (48%). An additional 23% came from the primary, manufacturing and construction industries (see Figure 8). It is interesting to note that less than 2% of the workers transferred from another industry into the rubber products industry. (Source: HRDC)

Gender Distribution by Occupation
In 2000, 74% of the workers employed by the rubber products industry were male (see Figure 10), compared to the national all industry average of 54%. Business, finance and administrative occupations are the only occupations in the industry where the proportion of women outnumbers that of men (55% females vs. 45% males). (Source: Statistics Canada, LFS)

Age Distribution
Figure 11 illustrates that, in 1996, only 9% of workers in the rubber products industry were under the age of 25 compared to the national all industry average of 15%. The majority of workers in the rubber products industry (75.5%) were between the ages of 25 and 50, almost 10 percentage points lower than the all industry figure of 66%. (Source: Statistics Canada, Census 1996)

Increasingly, skills such as computers, communications, literacy and numeracy are becoming more important in the industry. Shippers and receivers require some specialised training to operate computerised inventory systems.

Different training methods are used to acquire the basic skills for different jobs. In semiskilled jobs, training is usually provided on the job and, with additional experience, workers are able to move up their career ladder.

For management and supervisory positions, workers acquire the essential skills of the job through a college or university course in a given field, such as business administration.

Education Level
In 1995, 64% of rubber products industry workers reported having a high school diploma or no diploma compared to the national level of 49%. In terms of university degrees, bachelor and higher, the industry level is 8%, less than half the national level of 18%. With respect to trade certification, 14% of rubber product industry employees were trade certified, compared to the national figure of only 12%. (Source: Statistics Canada, Census 1996)

Data for the next three indicators are not available for the rubber products industry:

• Incidence of training
• Job relevance of training
• Barriers to training

However, data for the combined rubber, plastics and leather industries are available (SIC 151-171) and are presented in the following section. The rubber products industry accounts for 23% employment in this larger group.

Incidence of Training
In 1997, the percentage of employees in the rubber/plastics/leather industry whom attend training courses is lower than the national level (27% vs. 39%). As well 16% of the employees in this industry attend training courses that are longer than 40 hours per year which is very close to the all industry level of 17%. In the rubber/plastics/leather industry, 19% of training is employer supported which is lower than the all industry average of 25%. (Source: Statistics Canada, AETS)

Job Relevance of Training
In 1997, in the rubber/plastics/leather industry 16% of employees took training courses related to their jobs compared to the national figure of 25%. This means that in this industry 11% of the employees are taking training courses outside of their field compared to a national average of 14%. (Source; Statistics Canada, AETS)

Barriers to Training
In 1997, 76% of employees in the rubber/plastics/leather industry did not take training because they were too busy at work or their employer did not provide support for training, which compares to the national average of 67% (see Figure 13). Forty-six% of employees in the rubber/plastics/leather industry did not take training because courses were not offered or offered at an inconvenient time, which compares to the national all industries average of 53%. Thirty four% of employees in the rubber/plastics/leather industry reported personal reasons as a barrier to training, while 26% cited funding/money issues. (Source; Statistics Canada, AETS)

In an effort to obtain greater production efficiencies, companies have moved to three shifts per day, seven days per week, with maintenance staff working a weekend shift.

Work arrangements such as self-employment, telework and part-time work are largely absent from this industry.

Working conditions in the rubber products industries plants have improved significantly over recent years. Factories are much cleaner and better organised, and are consequently safer to operate.

The rubber products industry is labour intensive, but the demand for automation is growing.

Organisational Design
The move of head offices to the United States has resulted in the elimination of many management tiers at Canadian plants. The increasing trend toward greater use of automated machinery and the continuance and extension of long production runs will continue to raise capital–labour ratios and increase labour productivity.

Automobile makers in North America are now committed to leading-edge technology. This has forced a number of belt and hose manufacturers for whom the automotive sector is critical, to adopt modern methods such as statistical process control and just-in-time delivery systems.

Increased use of thermoplastic elastomers and plastic-processing technology will make the industry less labour intensive and more productive.

Recruitment
Jobs are generally regarded as well paid and vacancy postings attract large numbers of applicants. The critical issue is not a perceived shortage of applicants to the industry; rather it is that these prospective workers are well qualified. There is a need to attract people with literacy, numeracy and computer skills that can be augmented with more specific in-house training.

Training and development
The rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) has developed a four-course worker-training program, which is available on CD-ROM. This training course, designed for the industry workers, is aimed at increasing productivity, competitiveness and reducing injuries.

Rewards and retention
Pay and working conditions are attractive and encourage an adequate flow of applicants to the industry.

The industry offers career opportunities, especially for skilled technical staff. However promotion opportunities for production workers are limited.

Health and safety is an important issue within this industry. Training and educational programs address this issue. In the year 2000, sixty-three tire and rubber manufacturing facilities in North America received special Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA)’s awards for their dramatic improvements in workers health and safety programs.

Unions
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) - http://www.cep.ca/ 

United Steelworkers of America (USWA) - http://www.uswa.ca/ 

Associations
International Tire & Rubber Association, inc. (ITRA) - http://www.itra.com/ 

Rubber Association of Canada (RAC)

Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) - http://www.rma.org/ 

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Rubber Manufacturers Association (U.S.) Web site http://www.rma.org 

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