INDUSTRY QUAKER
W y a t t Turns to Plastics M e t a l fabricating firm launches production custom molded plastic and rubber items HOUSTON-Through a subsidiary, W y a t t ' s Plastics, W y a t t Metal & Boiler Works is slated to b e c o m e a b i g con tender for t h e plastic markets of t h e Southwest. Although t h e venture into plastics is less than six months old, p l a n t capacity is b e i n g increased a n d more w a r e h o u s e space is being a d d e d . W y a t t g o t i t s start in plastics last O c t o b e r by purchasing t h e plastic mold ing division of Wright Manufacturing, producers of floor rile. Part of t h e d e a l included Wright's know-how— plant manager Carl J. Eckenrod. T h e n e w firm is pushing custom molded plastics a n d r u b b e r products. It also offers engineering a n d technical assistance o n economical design a n d p r o d u c t feasibility. Customers have a choice: T h e y can supply their o w n molds or l e t W y a t t h a n d l e t h e design a n d fabrication job. General purpose phenolic m o l d e d p r o d u c t s a r e high on t h e list, b u t W y a t t is p r e p a r e d to tackle all other t h e r m o setting materials, including ureaforrnaldehyde resins, a n d m e l a m i n e res ins. I t s plant has 14 compression a n d
of
transfer molding presses, ranging from 20 to 3 0 0 tons, plus miscellaneous fabrication equipment. T w o of W y a t t ' s proprietary items axe football cleats a n d molded u r e a funnels in 8 oz. and 2 oz. sizes. Football clea-ts are molded from a synthetic rubber mix. Examples of t h e company's custom line a r e p u m p packing rings, electrical bus b a r supports, adapter sleeves for oil well perforating guns, and tachometer bases. Branching off into other fields, Wyatt custom fabri cates products from sheets of polyvinyl chloride a n d other thermoplastic mate rials for corrosion resistant applications. F A P r o d u c t Distributor. Wyatt is also playing t h e dual role of distributorfabricator of Bolta-Hartwell PVC t o serve industry in t h e area. T h e firm stocks P V C pipe, fittings, valves, rods, block stock, sheet, a n d blowers. I t s warehouse carries sheet from 1 / 3 2 t o 1-inch thick, i n sizes u p to 3 4 by 9 4 inches. Bar stock is available in LOfoot lengths, from 1/4 t o 2 inches in diameter. And t h e company handLes pipe from 1 / 4 t h r o u g h 6 inches in diam eter, schedule 40 a n d 80, including standard molded fittings and flanges. Before midyear, Wyatt plans -to double present plant size, boosting floor space from 60O0 t o 12,500 square feet, making it t h e largest custom molder o f thermosetting plastics in Houston.
On the Oil Front Companies accelerate to ex pand facilities; up expendi tures for improvements t o plants and equipment OONIE OF THE MAJOR OIL COMPAISES
Wyatt's Plastics already h a s a n u m b e r of local customers in H o u s t o n for i t s custom m o l d e d p r o d u c t s . Mission Manufacturing, a leading m a n u f a c t u r e r of fluid a n d slush p u m p parts, selected phenolic material for spacer rings b e cause of its compressive strength a n d corrosive resistance *
are intensifying their drives t o exparid facilities. They are also u p p i n g ex penditures for improvements and ex tensions t o p l a n t s a n d e q u i p m e n t . Here's what's Happening: • At Esso S t a n d a r d Oil. I n 19>6, Esso plans to s p e n d about $ 4 0 million for improvements a n d extensions tzo plant a n d e q u i p m e n t a t its Baton Rouge Refinery, according t o H . J. Voorhies, vice president a n d general manager a t Baton Rouge.
OATS'
FIR FUR Y I ALCOHOL __
as a resin
ingredient; Resins made from FA are chemically resistant to acids and alkalies as well as to solvents. FA also reacts with phenolic compounds, formaldehyde, melamine, and urea to form resins with modified properties.
as a wetting
and r e s c f / y e
agent
solvent:
In the manufacture of grinding wheels, FA wets the abrasive grain and is a solvent for
the phenolic resin binder. FA then reacts with the resin during the curing cycle, resulting in a tough bond with minimum production of volatiles
as a solvent for ^ resins and dyes: ^ Ftirfuryl alcohol is a solvent ." - for nitrocellulose, ethyl cellulose, ; and cellulose aceta^e;rvinyl "~^Τ^ coiatc,.. vinyl frutyral, arid ~ phetiolic resins.FA alsais a solvent foiidyes,;and is used, in.textile . -printing. Difficultly soluble dyes ,:"\A I y:?~s. . - -are dispersed with FA and '••• \ liiay-then be diluted with ~ - X j.
^ Ζ SPECTROPHOTOMETERS - RAMAN SPECTROGRAPH ELECTROMETERS 1J|^VIBRAÎIN& REEOMAMPUF1ERS · INFRARED^AWWÂyZER^^Μ}^ί!^]^\^^\^^ίΣ? APPLIED 3»HYSICS CORPORATION / 3 6 2 WEST COLORADO STREET /PASADENA 1 / CALIFORNIA
1852
C&EN
APRIL
16,
1956
• Du P o n t h a s m o v e d t h e w e s t e r n dis trict sales office of its kinetic c h e m i c a l s division to 5 3 3 C o w p e r St., P a l o Alto. Calif. It h a s b e e n i n M e n l o Park. • H a r v e y A l u m i n u m h a s m o v e d its B a y A r e a e n g i n e e r i n g offices to 2 0 2 0 Milvia St., B e r k e l e y , Calif. C o m p a n y ' s general offices a n d mill are in Tor rance, Calif. • Η. Κ. F e r g u s o n h a s e s t a b l i s h e d an e n g i n e e r i n g office i n F t . L a u d e r d a l e , Fla., t o h a n d l e its industrial d e s i g n work in t h e S o u t h . • F o o d M a c h i n e r y & C h e m i c a l ' s Fair field division, Baltimore, h a s o p e n e d an Atlanta office a n d w a r e h o u s e . It is l o c a t e d i n t h e C a n d l e r B u i l d i n g , 127 P e a c h t r e e St., N . E . , Atlanta 3, G a . • C a r l i s l e C h e m i c a l W o r k s has com p l e t e d a greatly e x p a n d e d r e s e a r c h and general offices b u i l d i n g a t its Reading, Pa., p l a n t . T h e s p a c e a d d e d is about 1 7 , 0 0 0 s q u a r e feet, b r i n g i n g t h e total to 2 4 , 8 0 0 s q u a r e feet. ^ G a r d n e r L a b o r a t o r y has just com p l e t e d a n e w b u i l d i n g near Washing ton ( R i v e r R o a d a n d L a n d y Lane, Bethesda, M d . ) . I n c l u d e d i n the b u i l d i n g is d e m o n s t r a t i o n s p a c e for p e r m a n e n t l y * s h o w i n g t h e company's instruments.
