World Wide Chemistry ^ H E manufacture of aniline dyes is now established on a fairly substantial scale, by at least five large factories including the Pet nitrogen works and the Usines chimiques Hungaria, present output being about 40,000 kg. a month. A start has been made also with diaro and sulfur dyes, and later on indantbrene will be included. Before the war there was some development of textile manufacture, the dyes for which had to be imported, to the extent of about 21,300,000 pg. (18,100,000 from I. G. Farbenindustrie and 3,100,000 from Switzerland). Switzerland now occupies first place. The cosmetic section is rapidly recovering and does not appear to lack raw materials: but it is otherwise with pharmaceuticals, where all the principal works suffered severe damage. The largest of these, Chinoin-Werke, had a prewar turnover of fr. s. 25,000,000, of which 2 5 % was export. During the war produc-
tion at one time increased by about 100^ and this firm's exports have almost wholly replaced those of Germany in the Balkans. But today sales are hardly 10% of prewar and output is only 50 to 60% that of 1938. Large stocks have accumulated. Also, there is some claim on the Chinoiu works by Yugoslavia in respect to reparations, or an eauivalent thereto. Generally one may say that the pharmaceutical interests are not lacking in essential raw material. In regard to the heavy chemical industry, this is largely in the hands of the Hungaria firm, despite the loss of the Phoenix works in Nagybanya which have been handed over to Romania. At first there was a shortage of certain raw materials and some war damage had been suffered. Reorganization of the departments concerned with production of copper sulfate, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfuric and hydrochloric acids has made good progress, with outputs rapidly approaching prewar. The Hungaria is largely a state enterprise, and together with others of like
y;^^lJ:JPT^
. m u t J j J W J T . i . i Ji:rvi ONE SQUARE FOOT
DEFLECTION
T h e locked in strength of TRI-LOK enables it to stand up u n d e r heavy loads — even on long spans. No rivets, bolts or welds are used in its construction, thus, the possibility of loose joints is eliminated. Write for Bulletin 1140.
DRAVO CORPORATION NATIONAL
DEPARTMENT
3 0 0 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh 2 2 , Pa. (Distributor 390
for THE
TRI-LOK
COMPANY) C H E M I C A L
nature, such as the chemical works of Fuzfo and the rayon works of Nyergesujfaly, is entering into international arrangements in which Russian and American capital is said to take part. If sufficient capital, up to about S3,000,000 is forthcoming, the Hungarian government hopes to supply large quantities of fertilizer to Holland and Belgium, and generally to hold a fairly dominating position in the markets of southern and central Europe [Industrie Chimi'jue, 209 (November 1946)]. Coal and Steel After some decline in the spring of 1946, coal output has lately increased and reached 500,000 tons per month. Production of iron and steel has likewise advanced ; the latter is now about 40,000 tons monthly or 74.2% of prewar, to which the state works of Mavag contribute 14,000 tons. Pig iron output in 1938 was 27,000 tons a month, and is now about 20,000 tons. Extraction of iron ore, however, is said to be no more than 2 5 % of prewar [Chimie eilnd., 432 (November 1946)]. W. G. CASS Princes Risborough,
England COME
of the leading
^chemical companies in their reports for 1945 or 1945-46 show large profits, nominally a t least, and substantial increases in capital: Algérienne de Products Chimiques, profit 7,200,000 francs, capital increase to 300,000,000; Usines Dior profit 1,700,000, with capital increase; Electro-Chimie et Acières d'Ugine, profit 20,500,000; Hydrocarbures de Saint-Denis, capital increase to 76,000,000 (doubled); Phosphates de Constantine, capital 202,500,000. Comptoir de 'Industrie du Sel, on the other hand, had a loss of 7,300,000. No agreement had been reached between France and Norway, at the time of report, as to allocation of shares in Norvégienne de l'Azote. T h e Pechelbronn firm made a profit of 12,300,000 with reserves at 187,000,000; and this company, with others, has sponsored formation of new concern, Société de Recherches Minières et Pétrolières Coloniales, with capital of 12,000,000. Phosphates et Chemins de Fer de Gafsa, profit 134,700,000; Phosphates Tunisiens 11,300,000; and Produits Azotés 5,200,000, apparently cancelled, however, by previous loss. According to comments in the French finance journals, the chemical industry is suffering from overcontrol in some directions, such as prices which do not balance increased costs ; also from lack of raw material transport, and fuel. For example, Kuhlraann's output in 1945 was less than half 1938, and they are short especially of fuel and Spanish pyrites, although order books are full to overflowing. Société des Matières Colorantes, etc., de St. Denis is rather more cheerful in regard to output. The Société des Usines Chimiques RhôneA N DE N G I N E E R I N G
NEWS
Poulenc is short of metals, cement, and other materials and this with other things hampers seriously its attempts to regain and strengthen its position in world markets. Compagnie Alais-Froges et Camargue, under similar difficulties and lack of suitable labor, is trying t o develop new lines, such as light metals and artificial rubber (the latter at Salindres). Société des Engrais de Roubaix reports some improvement in the latter half of 1945, such as increased supplies of phosphate from North Africa, larger potash output, and, in 1946, better conditions as to coal, electricity, and transport. Their turnover for first half of 1946 was 170,000,000, as compared with 70,000,000 for 1945. Fuel Problem On the question of French fuel supplies, E. G. Voiret, director of the municipal laboratory, Lyons, continues his crusade in favor of more intensive utilization of large indigenous deposits of lignite, asphaltic rocks, and pyroschists, synthesis of methyl alcohol, and much greater use of gas producers (portable) burning solid fuel such as wood waste and farm waste, especially on farms or where speed and quick starting are not so important- H e enlarges on these suggestions in Chimie et Industrie for November 1946, pages 423-8, in continuation of previous articles in the same journal. By proper organization and use of these various resources, especially lignite and pyroschists with which France is particularly well endowed, she could be self-supporting in the matter of fuel and possibly have some for export, at least in the form of gas or electric power. Moreover, there should be substantial by-products, such as sulfur and nitrogenous fertilizers. Solid fuels for portable gas producers would include the lignitiferous deposits in the Landes district. The special case for methyl alcohol, since other synthetic fuels of the orthodox type are rejected (Bergius, Fischer, etc.), rests on t h e assumption that some of the other suggestions "being in the realm of hypothesis" it is necessary to have alternatives. These include methyl alcohol by synthesis and distillation of pyroschists.
Kola
Peninsula
I
W . G. CASS
isources
Among the deposits reported to have been developed in the Kola Peninsula of northwest Russia, subject in t h e past 25 years to more than 750 expeditions surveying its potentialities, are those of apatite, nepheline, titanite, copper, nickel, iron ore, rare elements, and aluminum ore. Areas to receive particular attention are those capable of providing sufficient raw materials to operate the projected metallurgical plant in the Leningrad area. Under construction is a new combine, the "Pechenganickel", based on t h e Petsamo (Pechenga) nickel deposits. It is expected that the region, with its principal city of Murmansk, will become one of the most important industrial areas in the USSRV O L U M E
2 5,
N O .
BEFORE EXPOSURE
AFTER 1 2 0 HOURS EXPOSURE
TThe iaks i n ball p o i n t pens were under fire. Banks, insurance companies, government agencies claimed that records made w i t h ball point pens were not perm a n e n t .. . faded after exposure to light. And so the Eversharp Company came t o the XJnited States Testing Company, I n c . for comparative tests on ball point a s well as ordinary p e n records. Script samples were prepared by means of a mechanical writing apparatus using many of the ball point pens as well as
standard pens with regular writing inks. Specimens were exposed in t h e FadeOmcter 120 hours. This series of scientific comparative tests proved conclusively that records made with the Eversharp Ball Point P e n were as fast to light as those made with, government standard writing inks. Demonstrating still another effective use of Testing: to counteract misrepresentation and damaging criticism.
/ / you are faced tvith a problem of proving quality, let us outline the proper Test. Write or phone, today! *T.M. Reg. U.S. Pat. OR.
«Μ13»β!Κδ^^ HOBOKEN, PHItÀOEtfHlÎ
