HOW GERMANY CAPTURED FRENCH TRADE

Evening Star, Issue 16627, 9 January 1918, Page 8

HOW GERMANY CAPTURED FRENCH TRADE

* ■ Engineering' gives many examples of commercial conquest concerning the working of the French business of the firm Orenstein and. Koppel, Arthur Koppel, Berlin, which, in 1911 entered upon a 20 partnership with the Societe dec; Etablisseinents Decauville, and with other amalgamations in France, and was over the maarafactuxe of materials and machinery for the building and equipment of railways, especially field, industrial, and narrow-gauge railways, for bridges, waterworks, etc., and. after amalgamation with the firm of Arthur Koppel. also of large railways. During the last few years tho company have also taken up the manufacture of locomotives and goods waggons of ordinary gauge at their new locomotive factory at Drewitz. The capital of the company amounts to 36,000,000 marks. The entire market of the world being opened, excepting that of France, with their own industriail and commercial organisation, as well as that of the Decauville Company, they have not only got rid of a troublesome competitor in the foreign market, but can use their installations and their name, which is in good repute. In addition, the German firm's exclusioii from the French market is only apparent, foT the Decativillo Company are bound to order tho machinery and articles they do - not themselves manufacture, such as large locomotives, aerial tramway installations, etc., from Orenstein and Koppel. Finally, tho close reilation between the Decauville Company and tho French industrial banks has been an advantage . to tho German firm, because the latter, in countries where German capital, from political reasons, ig less interested, the bank connections of the French firm, with the use of their name, can be utilised. We ('Engineering') might pursue the subject ] much further, going into the sale of type- | writers, bicycles, . and many other small j machines. The moral is tlie same in all j cases. The Germans achieved success,, by j supplying good articles at reasonable j prices, and, above all, by takincr long | views jus to the capacity of the French markot. In many instances, they built works in France, and established" them- | selves .as French companies, bringing capital into the country and creating a demand I for labor. As long as competition is the j ruling factor in commercial life, such things i will happen, and no one can reasonably i objpr-t. What we have lacked in the past, | adds 'Engineering,' is a national or cotj porate consciousness which would .enable' ! ue to present a united front to commercial ; aggression, confident in the assurance that ; general prosperity must bring success to 1 tho individual. Our friends in France - have had the advantage of a. fertile soil | and a gonial climate, which together ! brought a steady flow of wealth, so that j manufacturers have not been so important ;to them as to us. Tho war. however, has I s'how'n them that a. country' dependent j upon foreign sources for man\- of the j necessaries of civilised life is m a dan- | gerons condition.