THE CHEMICAL WORLD THIS WEEK t u r e of such organic compounds as plastics, synthetic fibers, and silicones; and chemistry of the life processes. The coke problems of t h e West's steel industry were discussed by W. G. Schulze of Kaiser Steel. Utah coal is the source of coke for the western steel, but its inferior chemical and physical qualities were realized early in the operations at F o n t a n a and started the coke plant on a research program that ended in the beneficiation of the coal with an 1 1 % mixture of lowvolatile Oklahoma coal and 1 5 % semicoke. At present, said Schulze, experiments are under way on t h e addition of certain petroleum products. Production a n d uses ol algin were disci issed by William H . McNeely of t h e Kelco Co. Isolated from kelp, t h e colloidal polysaccharide algin h a s over 100 uses in t h e food and pharmaceutical industries. These range from an ice cream stabilizer to a scale- and foam-reducing agent in boilers, according to Mr. McNeely.
Correction It has been belatedly called to our attention that in the report of the Pittsburgh Conference an Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, which a p peared in C&EN March 19 on pages 110204, w e made t h e statement, "x-ray a b sorption . . . w a s not represented at all at the recent meeting." Actually, a very excellent paper was presented by S. W . Levine and A. H. Okamoto u n d e r t h e title: "Determination of Tetraethyllead and Sulfur in Hydrocarbons by X-Ray Absorption. "
IlSjpjUStRY Sugar Creek Refinery Construction Under W a y Plans for expansion of refining capacity at the Sugar Creek, Mo., refinery of Standard Oil C o . ( I n d i a n a ) have been announced. Preliminary construction work has a h e a d b e e n started, but the major construction activity will come later this year and next. It is anticipated that the expansion will b e completed by t h e end of 1952, provided no delays are encountered in obtaining necessary construction materials. T h e expansion program will increase the Sugar Creek refinery's capacity for processing c r u d e oil from 38,000 to 68,000 barrels per day, according to M. G. Paulus, vice president in charge of manufacturing. T h e major unit to be installed is a large combination crude-running a n d coking unit, which will be located adjacent to the catalytic cracking and vapor recovery units installed at Sugar Creek in 1948. T h e capacity of a n u m b e r of existing auxiliary processing units will be increased and additional tankage will b e built. Steam and power generating equipment will also be a d d e d to serve t h e new facilities.
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"Selection of the Sugar Creek refinery for this exzpansion," said Dr. Paulus, "is b a s e d on its favorable strategic location and the p r e s e n t availability of catalytic cracking oapacity required for balanced operations at the higher throughput. Also, present p r o d u c t distribution facilities can be used a n d expanded to good advantage." In support of the Sugar Creek expansion, a ne>w building will be erected to serve the Lncreased needs of management, engineering, a n d research personnel. N e w shop facilities will also b e provided for use of the' mechanical division in maintaining the 1 new equipment.
A D M Opens Pilot Plant Election, of a new member to the board of directors and opening of a new pilot plant at Minneapolis were announced this m o n t h by Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. T h e n e w director is Grant Keehn, executive v i c e president of the First National Baotk of the City of New York. T h e n e w product development plant "will opera new markets for ADM's products and symbolizes the company's expanding chemical research activities" according t o T . L. Daniels, president. Daniels described t h e plant as the link between t l i e research laboratory and large scale production. N e w products created in ADM laboratories will be further d e veloped i n the development plant to d e termine tine most efficient means by which t h e y can be processed. T h e four-story plant will process oils a n d fatty acids. H e r e oils will be oxidized and modified u n d e r varying conditions of heat, vacuum, pressure, a n d chemical reaction. T h e pla.nt will be operated by the ADM research division h e a d e d b y S. O. Sorensen, vice president. James Konen, director of research, will b e in charge. He will be assisted by Newton D. Farel, formerly in charge of ADM's Los Angeles refinery. Daniels also announced the designation of t~%vo new divisions; the foundry products division h e a d e d by L. P. Robinson, vice president, and the chemical products division h e a d e d by Frank C. Haas, vice* president. Both are located at Cleveland.
Research Lab Construction Begun b y Gulf O i l G r o u n d was broken this month for a n e w chemical research laboratory at Gulf Oil Corr>.\s research center in Harmarville. Pa. T h e building and equipment will cost an estimated $1 million and, barring material hold-ups, it will be completed in about a year. Three sections of t h e laboratories' chemistry division, devoted to product d e velopment, analysis, and organic synthesis will occupy the new facilities. The quarters currently housing these activities will make available additional space
CHEMICAL
for t h e physics, materials a n d production chemistry, a n d engineering divisions. Although equipped for experimental chemistry, the n e w structure will be severely functional in design a n d furnishings. T h r e e stories high, with basement, it will be 169 feet long by 51 feet w i d e and will contain 33,000 square feet of gross floor area.
Amyx Licensed to Make 1 Xylite Thermosetting Plastics T h e Amyx Mfg. Co., plastics and chemicals division, W e s t Plains, Mo., has b e e n licensed to manufacture the line of Xylite thermosetting plastic molding compounds developed by Paterson Plastics a n d C h e m ical Co. of Mobile, Ala. Amyx is n o w erecting a plant t o produce five tons p e r day of t h e finished material a n d expects to b e in production in September. At present, only the general purpose type, in black, will b e made. T h e Xylite compounds w e r e described in detail in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry ( p a g e 10 A, September 1949) during their developmental stages. Basically, they are m a d e of alkaline hydrolysis of sawdust followed by reaction with formaldehyde—ethylene dichloride—urea.
OAR Committee Meets T h e first meeting of the Chemistry Advisory C o m m i t t e e , Office of Air Research, U. S. Air Force, was held April 6 a n d 7 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, D a y ton, Ohio. T h e program of t h e meeting, conducted by Amos G. Horney, acting chief of t h e chemistry research group, was on U S A F research and OAR mission, and included discussions b y Wright-Patterson Air Force Base materials laboratory and power p l a n t laboratory personnel on air force research problems. T h e committee is composed of Paul J. Flory, chairman, Cornell University; A. H. Blatt, Q u e e n s College; Wallace R. Brode, National Bureau of Standards; Melvin Calvin, University of California; Paul C. Cross, University of Washington; Francis C. F r a r y , Alcoa; W . E. Hanford, M. W . Kellogg Co., a n d I. M. Kolthoff, University of Minnesota. T h e committee will act initially as a review agent for chemistry programs a n d assist in liaison between O A R a n d other research organizations. As the committee gains in knowledge of U S A F problems, it will increasingly take part in suggesting and guiding research, especially in neglected areas. T h e committee has a major responsibility in forecasting and delineating important long range studies. T h e next meeting of t h e committee is scheduled for June. T h e chemistry research group of O A R is c h a r g e d with the responsibility of planning and executing fundamental chemical research for the Air Force. At present this group is e n g a g e d in building a competent research staff a n d is supporting research
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THE C H E M I C A L WORLD THIS WEEK
research on such alkyd, and other cizers, tile resins, fertilizers, as well of new products.
by contract. Lloyd A. Wood, formerly as sistant professor at Cornell University; Ε mil Rutner, who has just completed his work for the doctorate at Cornell; and P. M. Williamson, formerly engaged in in dependent researches have recently joined the chemistry research group, OAR.
products as phenolic, resins, plastics, plastirubber chemicals, and as investigation of uses
Mead Corp. has announced plans to increase wood pulp production facilities at its Chillicothe, Ohio, plant by about 30%. The project will cost about $4.9 million. Certificates of necessity have been awarded by the Government. Com pletion is expected in 1952.
MEWS B R I E F S Chas. J. Riley & Sons. Chicago, an nounces extension of its surface con servation service to the East through Wil liam J. O'Brien of O'Brien Steam Specialty Co., Inc., 342 Ileflerman Bldg., Syracuse 21, Ν. Υ.
Luse-Sfevenson Co., Chicago, has been appointed distributor-applicator for Kaylo heat insulation by Owens-Illinois Glass Co. in the Chicago area. Chas. L. Huisking & Co., Inc., chemical importers and dealers, moved to 45 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn, Ν. Υ. on April 20.
Santa Anita Cos., Inc., has been formed as result of the merger of two southern California plastics firms: Juell Corp., producers of laminates, plastic lenses, and lens blanks, and Calresin Corp., which produces industrial coatings and elastomeric hot melt materials.
Harshaw Chemical Co. has moved its western sales and distribution office to 3237 South Garfield Ave., Los Angeles 22, Calif.
Noma Electric Corp. of New York City has purchased the outstanding stock of the Eagle Chemical Co., Inc., of Joliet, 111., producers of silica gel.
Blaw-Knox Co.'s chemical plants divi sion has received an order from A. E. Staley Mfg. Co. for a major portion of the extraction and flaking equipment to be used in modernizing Staley's soybean proc essing plant at Paynesville, Ohio. BlawKnox has also received a contract from Ciba States, Ltd., for erection of machinery and process piping for Ciba's dyestuffs plant being constructed at Toms River, N. J. %Proportioneers, lnc.%, has acquired Synchro-Master Co., formerly of Seneca Falls, X. Y., and will operate the business as its Synchro-Master division with sales and production facilities located in Provi dence, R. I.
Great Lakes Carbon Corp. has started construction on 40 new coke ovens at the Merchant Coke Plant in St. Louis to in crease plant capacity- by 7 5 % .
B. F. Goodrich Co.'s research center has started constmction on additional fa cilities. The new construction will be ready for occupancy in October 1951.
Fitzgibbons Boiler Co., Inc., announces the appointment of Clifford B. Ives Co. as sales representative for thoir plate products division in the Philadelphia area.
Nevada Scheelite Co. is being trans ferred by sale; of stock to Kennametal, Inc., producers of hard carbide metals with metallurgical works and tool making shops at Latrobe, Pa.
Lotte Chemical & Dye Corp.. Paterson, \ T . J., purchased Lotte Chemical Co., Inc., on May 1 and has assumed its ac counts receivable and payable as well as its contractural obligations, according to an announcement from Paul L. Miller, president of Lotte Chemical & Dye. Morningstar, Nichoi, Inc., of New York
City is celebrating its one hundredth an niversary- this year and is planning a series of events to mark the anniversary.
Eidon micj. Co., Los Angeles, Calif., has received a contract from the San Francisco Chemical Procurement District for 130,000 plastic riot-type tear gas grenades. The company normally makes plastic boxes and cases for cosmetic firms.
Sharp & Dohme, Inc. has begun con struction of a branch warehouse in the Fairfax district of Kansas City, Kan. Com pletion is scheduled for October. Tracerlab, Inc., has leased the sixth floor at 286 Congress St., Chicago, 111., primarily for electronic instrument as sembly. Space made available at the con cern's headquarters, 130 High St., by the shifting of instrument assembly is being used for the expansion of sales and engi neering activities.
Oregon Pulp and Paper Co. has broken ground for a $750,000 improvement pro gram at its Salem, Ore., plant. The new improvements are calculated to effect a saving of 20 to 25% in raw wood. The Barrett Division. Allied Chemical & Dye Corp. is erecting an addition to its research laboratory building at 1 River Road, Edgewater, N. J , and a new ap plications research building on the same property. The H. K. Ferguson Co. is the contractor. The new facilities will accom modate Barrett's expanded applications V O L U M E
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Chromatone Corp. has just been estab lished for the manufacture and marketing of chromatone ready-mixed silver, gold, and bronze finishes and decorator synthetic enamels. The corporation has head quarters at 1527 Grande Vista Ave., Los .
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Angeles, Calif., with a branch factory and warehouse at 9Γ70 Olive St. Rd., St. Louis 5, Mo. Bowser Technical Refrigeration, a di vision of Bowser, Inc., announces the ap pointment of Pacific Refrigeration Co., 3206 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Angeles, as sales agents and field engineers for Bow ser's complete line of testing, processing, and storage equipment. Also announced is the appointment of Concor Interna tional Corp., Passaic, N. J., as exclusive export representatives. Fischer & Porter Co. announces that its next instrumentation course will he held at the Hatboro, Pa., plant, May 7 through 11, 1951. This course will cover manufacture, calibration, installation, op eration, and maintenance of primary and secondary process control instruments. Users of the company's line of Flowrator instruments will find the course particu larly valuable. Further details can be obtained by writing to Fischer & Porter Co., East County Line Rd., Hatboro, Pa. Pennsylvania Salt Mfg. Co. has formed a new sales department, the industrial chemicals department, combining the former heavy chemicals and special chemi cals departments. It will be headed by Albert H. Clem, formerly assistant to the vice president in charge of sales. Monsanto Chemical Co. has created two new sections in the development de partment of its organic chemicals division at St. Louis. J. Kenneth Craver has been appointed manager of the resin materials and functional fluids section, and Roland S. Shumard has been appointed manager of the fine chemicals section. Texas Eastern Transmission Corp. has
awarded Williams Brothers—Davis Co. a contract for construction of 163.6 miles of 30-inch pipeline from Kosciusko, Miss., to the Tennessee River. Minneapolis-Honeywell
Regulator
Co.
announces completion of an arrangement to perform consulting services to the atomic power division of Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, Pa. Under the agreement, Honeywell engineers will act as consultants in valve problems arising in the Westinghouse program. Excel Smelting Corp. is expanding its Memphis, Tenn., facilities to increase production to 400 to 500 tons of aluminum alloy ingot per mouth. This will b e a 1007c increase in production and the company states that it will soon be in a position to serve as a "clearing house*' for nearly all scrap aluminum originating in the Midsouth and coastal areas. This plant, the only one of its kind in Tennes see, has been producing specification alloy ingot from processed scrap aluminum since February 1950 and serves as a source for aluminum hardeners and flux as well. 2155
