The cork stopper industry had its permanent origin in Spain, in the
Province of Gerona, town of Llacostera, towards the latter part of 1750
and was contemporaneous with the inception of the glass bottle, although
corkwood was used many years before as a stopper for amphora, etc., as
noted in a previous chapter.
The trade flourished there until wars and schisms rent the country and
drove the industry to the mountains. There it slumbered and struggled
for many years until the peace was restored and the people assured that
the dangers were passed. Its revival was not very sudden, but slowly and
surely it grew, and won itself a place in the trade life of Spain and
finally became a necessity, so much so, that it began to attract
attention and other countries sought to secure the secret. About 1828
the French agents at Catalonia found enough information to warrant them
returning to France and there set up for themselves, the rivalry between
the two becoming very keen, causing much excitement among the Spanish
manufacturers; for up to that time they monopolized the trade and had a
nice time of it. This lasted until 1849, when the trade assumed such
proportions that both had all they could attend to and more. This
insured a steady increase of the trade, and before long it assumed
proportions that has surpassed the dreams of its founders. The industry
spread until the raw material began to show a shortage due to the heavy
demands made upon it. More frequent cuttings were compulsory to supply
the market, and in consequence the grade became poorer.
The realization of this caused the Spanish Government to step in and
protect the forests as a national necessity, and the result was the
passing of laws to govern the cutting of corkwood from the trees. But
the trade kept on growing in other countries and the raw stock was in
great demand.
The result of the heavy exportation of corkwood again caused some
notable alarm among the manufacturers and trades-workers in Spain and
Portugal, but principally in the former, as most of the largest factories
are located in its cities; so that the principal representatives of the
cork industry convened at Madrid in December of 1911, at which
convention resolutions were passed to urge upon the Government the
necessity of imposing an export tax or duty on corkwood ranging from
five to fifty gold pesetas ($.0965 to $9.65) per 100 kilos (220 pounds).
By so doing it was thought to remedy the shortage in the home market.
The competition between the foreign and Spanish buyers for the raw
corkwood output was largely in favor of the foreigner in 1911, owing to
the unprotective export duties, and the result has been that the once
flourishing national industry is now very badly handicapped for want of
working material.
So simultaneously with the tariff revision, which went into effect on
January 1, 1912, an endeavor was made to put in force the increase on
export corkwood, but owing to the efforts of the American cork
manufacturers, who have a great influence over the Spanish cork
industry, the proposed increase did not meet with the desired success.
In the attempt to restrict the importation of raw material the Spaniards
have failed, for its usefulness makes the demand too great and the
foreigners have invaded the Iberian Peninsula and are now buying up even
the raw stock on the trees. The corkwood markets are no longer confined
to two or three, but extend round the world, the principal ones being:
London, Paris, Rheims, Epernay, Maguncia, Dresden, New York, Pittsburgh,
San Francisco, Buenos Ayres, Calcutta, Sydney, Melbourne and Yeddo. So
it will be seen that a great demand is being made upon the forests,
which must be cultivated for increased growth and production or an early
investigation made for the growing of the trees in other countries.
Of course the industry remains very strong throughout Spain and
Portugal, and particularly in the Andalusia District of Spain, where the
manufacturing establishments play an important part in converting the
corkwood into useful articles of commerce. The Spanish yield of raw
material has remained slightly behind Portugal, but this does not affect
the former’s influence in the trade. (See Appendix.)
It is inevitable that the greatest bulk of the trade should center
around the countries in which the raw material is grown, for the
greatest advantage is thus gained by those, so fortunate in their
location.
But the spread of the corkwood’s fame has aroused others to action, and
it appears as though the monopoly will suffer because of that fame. The
demand grows daily, and the rapid growth of the American trade bids fair
to being a very close rival to the long-established European
manufactures at least.
The waste is rapidly assuming great importance and to this the newer
entrant in the business is turning all his energy. The doctrine of
conservation and utilization has been heeded by the corkwood industry
and the waste is no longer such, rather standing as a cork product
second only to the stopper, when the fact is considered that the grower
or farmer receives about $58 per ton for raw corkwood and the waste
sells from $22 to $32 per ton; its value is apparent.
A notable feature of the shipments from Spain is the waste and shavings,
which doubled from 1906 to 1910, viz.:
1906 — 14,624 tons
1907 — 17,557 “
1908 — 12,201 “
1909 — 20,198 “
1910 — 29,257 “
The uses to which corkwood may be put are unlimited, and as has been
seen the uses already known are sufficient, in themselves, to make it a
very important commodity. And yet when we speak of uses it is only those
that have developed by reason of the corkwood’s own peculiarity that
makes it the subject of discussion, and not the great number that it has
been adapted to, for perhaps its utility will have no end, and in my
estimation its particular qualities are but little appreciated. Of
course its application as a stopper is ideal for that purpose, but it
appears most certain that this wonderful growth is designed to be of
greater service to man than the mere function of filling the neck of a
bottle. Chemically, I think it has possibilities; the ancients found it
useful in Materia Medica, and there may still be a use in this line. At
any rate, it is the most wonderful bark of its kind, its service has
been a long one, and its benefits, even as a stopper, have been many. A
wonderful material truly, and of interest, so full that it seems I have
failed to do it justice in these few words presented in my endeavor to
describe the Quercus Suber of Linnæus.