How it all started
The origin of today's TIMBERFARM Trading GmbH goes back almost 45 years. It all started with the activities of the Breidenstein family in the tire business. Within the family, there were early considerations to enter the rubber business after travels and contacts to Malaysia and Singapore, but this was not realized at first. After the foundation of TIMBERFARM GmbH and a renewed analysis of the market in June 2010 as well as the intensifying of existing and the gaining of new contacts, the topic "rubber" picked up pace again. In the following two years, it was not only found out, which conditions had to be created, how and where rubber plantations could best be operated and rubber trees planted, but also how the financial realization of this project could be implemented.
The rubber trade potential is great.
The global rubber trade turnover is close to 100 billion US dollars.
In the 2020-2025 business cycle, the annual GloReg trading volume is expected to increase to up to US$250 million. This corresponds to a 1 percent share of the primary market and 0.25 percent of global rubber trade. The share of raw rubber and other refined raw materials is expected to be around 250,000 metric tons per year.
TSR-rubber
The rubber standard traded on all major commodity markets and exchanges.
TSR products (TSR = Technical Specified Rubber) are standardized intermediate goods used primarily in the tire industry. Their production is technically straightforward and mainly mechanical.
Côte d’Ivoire / Ivory Coast
With almost one million tons per year, Côte d'Ivoire is the largest rubber producer in Africa.
TIMBERFARM has been active and present in Côte d'Ivoire for about two years. A large part of the rubber volumes traded by the GloReg division originates from here. In the first half of 2020, Côte d'Ivoire's rubber production will be lower than last year.
Outlook
In the trade, the motto is: finding a way to success under difficult conditions.
The fact is that although latex glove production has increased significantly, the decline in rubber consumption in the tire and automotive industries cannot be offset as a result of the global factory shutdowns (some of which lasted several weeks).