BUSINESS
Stability is Keynote for 1 9 5 5 Gain in activity of 3 to 4 % is seen for business during 1955; competition for business may be intensified "PREDICTIONS
are
now
beginning
to
-^appear for business in 1955. There should be less uncertainty and more confidence in the economic outlook during the new year, and "stability" evidently is the keynote. Opinions on the future trend were voiced the other day by Henry Bund, executive editor for the Research In stitute of America, and by Bennett S. Chappie, Jr., assistant executive vicepresident, U. S. Steel Corp., during the annual meeting of the National Associa tion of Sheet Metal Distributors at At lantic City. Instead of a broad upsurge in busi ness for the year ahead w e may witness a net gain in activity during 1955 of not more than 3 or 4%, Bund stated. A rise of such dimensions in trade and industry should result, in any event, from normal population growth and in ventory correction. Competition for the consumer's business will be intensified, probably, and "soft goods" will have a number of good months. Durable goods, we learn, stand to do 5 to 10% better in dollar volume than the present year. Defense spending will be down another $2 billion, al though the drop will be offset to an extent by gains in state and local spend ing. Expenditures on new plants and equipment will probably dip not more than 6 to 10%, and construction will sag 4 to 5%. Chappie's view of the outlook was even more moderate. Next year, he thought, will be a period for over-all business at about the current level. Sales Gain Forecast. Confining pre dictions as to fourth quarter, Roy A. Foulke, vice president, Dun & Bradstreet, told mutual insurance companies that sales and profits should imporve over fourth quarter of 1953. "Any such improvement will continue in 1955." Foulke made more specific forecasts of improved sales for producers, whole salers, and retailers, with greater strength in nondurable goods lines. Slightly higher profits will acrue. Indi cated are lower inventories for manu facturers and retailers but slightly higher inventories for wholesalers. Chemical Employment. Number of ν kers employed in organic chemical industry last July showed very little change from previous month, while total employment in the inorganic branch registered a gain of about 700. 4250
Employment in inorganic chemicals has been rising since April, and may partly reflect the operation of n e w am monia facilities. Inorganic workers were 95,300 in July against 94,600 in June. Number employed in organic plants i n July was 297,500, compared
with 297,700 in June. T h e number is still some 13,700 under January of this >ear. Employment total for the large group, chemicals and allied products, reached the year's low point of 772,400 in July. However, the turning point took place in August when, according to preliminary figures, the number in creased to 774,600. This is the first gain in the large chemical group since Starch. By-product Coke. Coking opera tions dropped to the year's low in July at 4,591,000 tons. This figure for by product ovens compares with 4,609,000
CIEN CHARTS
P R O C E S S
I N D U S T R I E S
T R E N D S
EMPLOYMENT, Chemicals THOUSANDS OF WORKERS
1952
1953
1954
STEEL OPERATIONS
PHENOLIC PLASTICS (and Other Tar Acid Resins)
PER CHIT CAPACITY
PRODUCTION. MILLIONS OF POUNDS
lnft
—mMfc.
»
^ ^ \ »
AUG. 63
^*fe
JULY 23.1
m !
1 !
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
t 1 1 M 1 11 Μ Ι 1
20 M 1 1 1 1 M I I 1 1 I I I I I I 1 M I I I 1953
BY-PRODUCT COKE
RECLAIMED RUBBER
PRODUCTION. MILLIONS OF SHORT TONS
CONSUMPTION. THOUSANDS OF LONG TONS
CHEMICAL
AND
1954
ENGINEERING
NEWS
in June and with 6,340,000 for July last year, w h e n steel operations were at a comparatively high level. Steel production i n July was at something above 64% of capacity, and later this figure declined further. Currently, activity is picking u p at a number ol steel-making centers and the rate moved up to 7 1 % of capacity in the first week of October. Beehive coke ovens have been taken out of production at a somewhat faster rate than byproduct ovens this year. Phenolic Plastics. After recording slight improvement in May, production of phenolic materials fell off i n June and July. T h e output of molding materials fell from 14.5 million pounds in June to 8.6 million pounds i n July, while bonding and adhesive resins for laminating dropped more tîian a million pounds to 4.1 million pounds. Gains were scored in July for phenolic thermal insulation used in new construction, total for this group rising from about 3 million pounds to 3.3 million. Smaller output totals this year compared with 1953 reflect in no small measures t h e curtailment of military business. Reclaimed Rubber. Use of reclaim rubber during second quarter fell materially below totals for the same period in 1953, and the total for June was more than 2 0 0 0 tons under the amount consumed in this month a. year ago. Smaller totals probably will b e found for all types of rubber consumption during the ensuing months owing to labor difficulties in rubber manufacturing plants. These w e r e settled in September. U s e of crude, synthetic, and reclaim should expand as a result in the final quarter. Steel Operations. Operating rate in steel, a barometer of steel consumption as well as business generally, fell to a n average of 63% of capacity in August. Judging by weekly compilations of the American Iron and Steel Institute, the monthly average dipped further in September. However, as noted under "By-product Coke,*' operations have taken a turn for the better. August shipments of steel increased 191,000 tons to 4,681,000 tons, more being taken by the automobile, construction, aircraft, appliances, ordnance, and electrical equipment industries. Warehouses, which serve small businesses mainly, took less steel in August.
CHART CREDITS: Chemical Employment—iJ. S. Department of Labor; By-product Coke—U. S . Bureau of Mines; PJtenolic Plastics—U. S. Tariff Commission; Reclaimed Rubber—Business and Defense Services Administration; Steel Operations—American Iron and Steel Institute. VOLUME
32, N O . 42 · ·
OCTOBER
k *" ' è î h o x y ^ e t > r j ^
iiiillilÉife w
1PIH§ KAY-FRIES SPECIFICATIONS . . . purity
φ 9 9 . 0 % minimum
specific g r a v i t y
.892-
color
M a x i m u m 15 Hazen Scale
Typical reactions of TRIETHYL
. 8 9 6 a t 2 0 ° / 2 0 ° C.
ORTHOFORMATE
HC(OR):? -h 3C.H.-.OH
HC(OC-jHr.):t -f- ROH
Triolkyl (Aralkyl) Orthoformate
Alcohol
RR'C(OC 2 H s ) 2 + HCOOC.H .
HC(OC_.H-).t - f RR'C = Ο
Acetal or Ketal
Carbonyl Compound
QH.-.OCH = C(CN);. - h 2C 2 H s OH
HC(OC,H,), - f CH 2 (CN)..
Ethoxy methylene Maiononîtrile
Malononitrile
HC(OCJHr,):: + CH :i CBrHCOOR-fH2^(CjH.-.0) u CHCH(CH: { )COOR-hC.H r ,OH-[-HBr Alpha-BromPropîonic Ester
HC(OC^H.-.).^ 4- C.;H.-,COCH, Acetophenone
T E C H N I C A L
Acetal of FormylPropionic Ester
&
C„H.-.COC;,HT + HCOOC-H.-. - f C-H : ,OH Phenyl Propyl
B U L L E T I N
A V A I L A B L E
American-British Chemical Supplies, Inc. Selling Agents For
^ ^ ^ KAY FUIES CHEMICALS, INC. »»•»—We»· H«»«r*M*» Ν »
18. 1 9 5 4
Î 8 0 M a d i s o n A v e n u e , N e w York 16, Ν . Υ.
«
MUrroy Hill 6 - 0 6 6 1
4251
CHEMICALS EXCHANGE EVERYTHING
BE SURE . . . selectively chelates metallic Ions . . . stays stable a t high temperatures T h e s e a r e some of t h e things Versene can d o in electroplating: 1. Complex metallic impurities in high speed or bright plating baths. 2. Suppress floe formation i n cleaning baths. 3. Improve cathodic alkaline cleaning baths. 4. Permit alkaline derusting baths without use of cyanides. 5. Extend length of time between dummying operations. Versene a n d t h e n e w chemistry of Chelation can solve many electroplating problems that are complicated by cation contamination. G u a r a n t e e d quality a n d uniformity of complexing p o w e r give y o u mole-for-mole control over cations in solution. Investigate now. W r i t e Dept. A for sample and Technical Bulletin N o . 2. Chemical Counsel Available. *Trade Mark Registered
VERSEXES ItflRNUTEl (Formerly Bertworth Chemical Co.) FRAMINGHAM. MASSACHUSETTS
i—RESEARCH CHEMICALS— Cyclo-octanone Cyclopropylcarboxylic Acid Ethyl alpha Bromoisobutyrate Methyl sec-Butylamine Ethyl beta Bro m ova 1erale Ethyl isoAmylacetoecetate List Available C J I D A Bi L A B O R A T O R I E S d H r l l l i 1 2 0 Piccadilly, Lynbrook, L. I., N . Y .
roffîffî
mov*
TRADE-MARK
ÎN PIGMENTS AND EXTENDERS 1 0 8 shades and types of iron oxide p î g ments (synthetic and natural)—64 reds, 24 browns, Ί8 yellows, and 2 blacks Metallic browns, Venetian reds, ochers, umbers, and siennas 3 Chromium oxides and 2 hydrates m Cuprous oxide m Barytes, anhydrous calcium sulfate, pre cipitated calcium carbonate and whiting m For technical data address Dept. 4, C. K. Williams & Co. 7 Easton, Pa.
c•: ; κ ; ΑΛΜ 11i A M S & £ q: Edstph, Pd-^East St. Louis, HI, Emery ville, «Calif.
STRIP RADIOCHROMATOGRAMS AUTOMATICALLY SCANNED M o d e l C-100 " A C T Ï G R A P H " Strip Feeder —used with Geiger Counter» Count Rate Meter and Recorder for accurate location o f radiolabeled spots. Recorder Chart provides permanent record. Write for details today —CJi Chemical List also available.
Aliienyl Suwinie Aeid AntiyAnAes
here:
* * * * * * HYDROXYL AMINE NITRATE ( A p p r o x . 1 5 % aqueous soin)
SODIUM META PERIOPATE (Exceeds A O C S Spec. E A - 6 - 5 1 , for Glycerine determination)
4-PHENYLBENZOYL CHLORIDE (M.P.
• Corrosion Inhibitors • Intermediates for Vinyl Stabilizers
HUMPHREY-WILKINSON INCORPORATED N O R T H HAVEN,
CONN.
1 1 2 - 1 1 4 ° C)
SUCCINYL CHLORIDE (B.P.
= 9 7 - 1 0 0 ° C / 3 0 mm)
TEREPHTHYLALYL CHLORIDE (M.P.
= 82-83 ° Q
"VitaStain" (2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium Chloride)
"ZEREWITINOFF REAGENT" (1.0 N . soin M e M s l in purified butyl ether)
How can you use any of these?
ARARAHDÉ GttEraiCMSv INC: ^eOO^PEARfeSTREET · BOULDERiaCOtÔRADO? PRODUCERS " O F f fNÉ QRGANiÇ CHEMICALS ;
4252
Now available in semi-commercial quantities METALECTRO C O R P O R A T I O N Laurel, M a r y l a n d
227 W . Erie Street, Chicago 10, 10.
UNUSUALbut available
Methyl Hydrazine Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine and Their Sulphates
YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT of Chemicals for Sale a n d / o r W a n t e d c a n c a r r y YOUR MESSAGE to the readers of trie leading publication in the chemical process industries. Rates on request. CHEMICAL & ENGINEERING NEWS Advertising O f f i c e : 4 3 0 Park A v e n u e N e w York 2 2 , N . y .
WÊmMWèm . . . i s o n e of t h e s e v e n c o m m o n e s t d a n g e r s i g n a l s t h a t may m e a n c a n c e r . . . b u t s h o u l d always m e a n a v i s i t t o y o u r d o c t o r . T h e other sixdanger signals a r e —Any sore t h a t does n o t heal ... A l u m p or thickening in t h e breast or elsewhere...Unusual bleeding or discharge.. .Any c h a n g e in a w a r t o r m o l e . . . P e r s i s t e n t i n d i g e s t i o n o r difficulty in s w a l l o w i n g . . . A n y c h a n g e in n o r m a l bowel h a b i t s . F o r o t h e r facts a b o u t c a n c e r that m a y some d a y save your life, p h o n e t h e A m e r i c a n C a n c e r S o c i e t y office n e a r e s t y o u , o r w r i t e t o " C a n c e r " — i n c a r e of y o u r l o c a l P o s t Office. American
CHEMICAL
AND
Cancer
Society
ENGINEERING
*
NEWS
