-Resources SUMMARY The chemical industries are the second broadest segment of the industrial spectrum of the South Atlantic States. Their rate of growth has been rapid and has exceeded the rapid rate of national growth. The area is a leader in industrial production of sulfuric acid, phosphates, nitrogen, alkalies and chlorine, textiles, synthetic fibers, pulp, cellulose, naval stores, and fats and oils. T h e Kanawha River and Upper Ohio River areas in West Virginia are among the chemical centers of the nation, as are also Baltimore and the Hillsborough-Polk County areas of Florida. The region contains the largest organic chemical plant, the largest sulfuric acid plants, the largest nitrogen units, and the largest phosphate plants of the nation, and these are only some among the “fists.”
REFERENCES (1) Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, Inc., Wilmington, Del., Directory of Manufacturers, State of Delaware, 1953.
(2) Faith, W. L., Keyes, D. B., and Clark, R. L., “Industrial Chemicals,” Wiley, N e v York, 1950. (3) Florida State Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville, Fla., Directory of Florida Industries 1951-1952.
-
(4) Freeport Sulfur Co., private communication, Feb. 1, 1954. (5) Georgia Department of Commerce, Atlanta, Ga., Directory of Georgia Manufacturers 1953, (1952). (6) McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, Directory of Chemicals and Producers, 1952. (7) Manufacturing Chemists’ Association, Washington, D. C., Chemical Industry Facts Book, 1953. (8) Maryland State Department of Labor and Industry, Baltimore, Md., Directory of Maryland Manufacturers, 1953. (9) North Carolina Department of Labor, North Carolina Directory of Manufacturing Firms, 1952 and suppl., 1954. (10) South Carolina Department of Labor, Eighteenth Annual Report, 1953. (11) Southern Association of Science and Industry, Atlanta, Ga., Southern Industrial Directory, 1953. (12) U. S. Bureau of the Census, Washington 25, D. C., Census of Population: 1950. (13) Virginia Company Records, George Thorpe to John Smyth of Nibley. Vol. 111, Doc. CLI, p. 417. (14) Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, Richmond, Va., Directory of Virginia Manufacturing and Mining, 1953. (15) Ware Brothers Co., Philadelphia, Pa., American Fertilizer Handbook, 1954. (16) West Virginia Department of Labor, Charleston, W. Va., Directory of West Virginia Business and Industry, 1953. RECEIVED for review September 13, 1954
ACCEPTED December 4,1964.
Textiles and the Chemical Industry ROBERT W. PHILIP CALLAWAY MILLS CO., LAGRANGE, GA.
T h e textile industry of the United States is concentrated along the Atlantic coast and in the South, especially in the South Atlantic States, where i t is the largest consumer of industrial chemicals. The bulk of the cotton industry and most of the rayon and nylon producers are already located in the South Atlantic States and an even greater concentration of the textile industry is expected in these eight states, for economists predict that the woolen industry will gradually move t o the South and that more and more finishing plants and mills handling synthetics and blends will be constructed i n this area. Originally most of the southern mills were cotton mills and little need was felt for the services of chemists. During the last 25 years, however, what might be called a chemical revolution has occurred in the textile industry, and chemicals are used today i n every stage of textile processing. The synthetic or chemical fibers as well as new dyes and new finishes have opened vast new textile markets for chemicals. The textile industry and the chemical industry are truly interdependent, and a n ever expanding future is foreseen for these industries in the South Atlantic States. March 1955
M
AN’S desire for beauty, comfort, and durability in
textiles has impelled his progress in the long trek from fig leaves and skins to the fabulous fabrics of today. Naturally occurring fibers have been used since ancient times t o make fabrics, and the primitive craftsman sought t o alter the appearance and character of his products by bleaching or coloring with extracts from various plants, insects, shellfish, and minerals. Progress was made during the years between Eve and Cleopatra, but even in Cleopatra’s day and for hundreds of years thereafter textile art was tedious and many of the operations were crude. The amount of chemicals used was negligible until the Industrial Revolution with its mechanical inventions brought about more rapid production of fabrics and necessitated a search for more rapid finishing and dyeing methods. I n 1785 ( 1 ) the use of chlorine in bleaching was discovered. I n 1850 (65) Mercer observed the effect of caustic and other chemicals on cotton. I n 1856 ( 9 d ) Perkin synthesized and produced commercially the first coal tar dye. I n 1891 (61) rayon was introduced commercially.
CHEMICAL REVOLUTION IN TEXTILE INDUSTRY Despite these major landmarks, however, the real chemical revolution in the textile industry did not occur until the 20th
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century, primarily in the second quarter of the 20th century
(44, 61, 60, 7 3 ) . At the beginning of World War I, for example, the finisher was usually confined to such chemical compounds as sulfonated oils or fats for softening; starches, dextrin, or gums to produce stiffness or increase fullness; talc, clay, or some mineral compound to give increased weight; and waxcs or metallic soaps t o make the fabric water repellent. The progiess in textile chemistry during the past 30 years has been phenomenal. I t s meteoric g r o r t h is clearly evidenced in the latest
DYEING ASSISTANTS
430
LUBRICANTS FOR TEXTILES
t
i "]I11
PRINTING ASSTS.
The textile industry is extensive and varied. The textile chemicals industry is likewise extensive and infinitely complex. We have therefore attempted t o select for this report only those. facts pertinent to the textile industry as a market for the chemical industry. It is also difficult t,o locate t,he exact st,atistics desired As one economist points out, while statistics for production of chemical raw materials are often broken dorm by geographical areas, data for consumpt'ion are rarely in this form (15, 41). Although the volume of business varies widely among t,he chemical producers, every chemical company has a st,alte in text,iles. The consumption of chemicals by the textile industry is not directly proportionate to the rise in the consumption of textile fibers, since present-day fabrics represent a much higher percentage use of chemicals than fabrics of 25 years ago. In the textile field, a series of chemical transformations has effected a cumulative increase in demand for chemicals. The chemical phase which began with the first synthetic dyes is about completed, with dye consumption leveling off t o ahout one pound per person per year (15). The phase that began with the introduction of rayon followed by other man-made fibers is still in progress with a steady increase in chemical eonsumption expected. One of the latest, phases, the application of chemicals to give desired characteristics to fibers and fabrics, is just beginning but is already consuming large quantities of cheniicals. Chemicals are used today ill every phase of textile processing PER GEM OF SALES
TEXTILE AUTOMOTiVE
Figure 1.
Textile chemical specialties ( 4 )
Number listed in 15 largest groups of 70 included in 1953 AATCC Technical Manual and Yearbook
CHEMICAL MANUFACTURE RUBBER FOOD 8 DRUGS EXPORT
edition of the Technical Manual and Tear Book of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists ( i ) , which lists 70 different types of textile auxiliaries; the alphabetical list of trade names in this field numbers 3335 (6). Figure I shows the 15 largest groups. The textile chemist must be familiar with a broad range of chemicals. Of the 7000 listed in the 1953-54 Green Book ( 7 2 ) , hundreds are used in sizable quantities by the textile industry (81, 89, 94). The importance of the textile market to the chemical industry is graphically illustrated in a chart from Du Pont ( 7 1 ) . This chart (Figure 2 ) shows percentage of sales to each of its 14 major consumer industries in 1950 with comparative figures for 1939 and 1947. The breakdonn indicates a decided trend t o the textile field. I n 1950 approximately 28% of Du Pont sales mere to the textile industry. The automotive industry was second TTith only about 9%. The next three-chemical manufacture, rubber, food and drugs-dropped to 7% each. The remaining nine industries each fell to 5% or less. This Du Pont percentage is generally true, for that same year tcxtiles topped the list of industries, accounting for $1.14 billion of the 85.2 billion total chemicals consumption in the United States (42, 58). Again in a 1953 analysis, textiles led the chemical hit parade (25). Listings of consumers of individual chemicals also show high dollarwise consumption by the textile industry ( 9 4 ) . For example, in 1950 textiles consumed an estimated 21% of the aliphatic (or petrochemical) chemicals ( 1 6 ) . I n fact today through chemistry's efforts to modify, improve, duplicate, or replace natural fibers, the textile industry has become the nation's number one consumer of industrial chemicals; the textile producing and processing industries actually consume 25% of all industrial chemicals sold (20, 48). The percentage would be even higher in the South Atlantic States where so much of the textile industry is concentrated.
438
CONSTRUCTION 8 MAINTENANCE PETROLEUM PRODUCTS 8 REFINING MINING HOUSE FURNISHINGS
8 APPLIANCES
IRON 01 STEEL AGRICULTURE PAPER 8 CONTAINERS SPORTiNG 8 M I L TARY POWDERS { I N C L EXPORT) OTHER INDUSTRIES
€igure 2.
Du Pont sales, 1950 (77)
from groxing or making the fiber to finishing the fabric. Use of chem&als begins with the growing of the fibers; the $10,000,000 bring spent annually for chemiral defoliants is estimated a t only 15% of the potential market (60). To reach the finished fabric stage, it has been estimated that each pound of fiber consumed requires about one pound of chemicals ( 7 8 ) . The present Cnited States consumption of fibrrs a t close to 7 billion pounds (88) indicates an equivalent annual consumption of chemicals.
TEXTILE CHEMICAL USES Textilc chemists made their first major advances in bleaching, mercerizing, and dyeing. In olden times bleaching was accomplished by the action of sunlight and atmospheric oxygen. Today, some 170 years after the introduction of chlorine bleaching, tons of bleaches are used every year. The cotton industry is the largest consumer, for a emaller percentage of woolen or man-made fibers is bleached. I t is therefore obvious that a decline in the use of cotton textiles means a declining marlrrt for bleaches. The most used cellulosic fiber bleach is hydrogen peroxide, which accounts for of the cotton bleaching and
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Vol. 47, No. 3
Resources 60 to 70% of viscose rayon bleaching (66, 3 4 ) . One Table I. Principal Commercially Produced Noncellulosic Man-Made Fibers (70, 72,48) market analyst estimates that Estimated Capacity 45,000,000 pounds of 35oJ, Production 1953 f1945), Product and Producers Raw Materials Thous. Ib. PriceAb. hydrogen peroxide pours into T lous. lb. Acrilan bleaching annually (34). AnChemstrand Corp. Acrylonitrile and vinyl derivatives 5,000 $1.40 30,000 other estimate states that for Dacron e v e r y p o u n d of c o t t o n E. I. duPont de Nemours & Co. Ethylene glycol and terephthalic 8.000 1.60-2.35 35,000 acid or methyl terephthalate bleached, 0.012 pound of 100Dyne1 Carbide & Carbon Chemicals Acrylonitrile and vinyl chloride volume hydrogen peroxide and 5.000 1.28 75,000 Div., Union Carbide & Carbon 0.005 pound of sodium silicate Corp. are required (52). Other celluGlass Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp. Silica sand, limestone, soda ash, 48,000 0.44-2.31 75,000 losic textiles are whitened with G+a Fibers, Inc. and other mineral ingredients Libby-Owens-Ford Glass Co. sodium or calcium hypochlorite Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co. and liquid chlorine. I n bleachPerault Bros. Ferro Corp. ing acetate rayon approxiGustin-Bacon Co. U. S. Glass Fiber Co. mately equal use is made of sodium hypochlorite and hyHexamethylenediamine and adipic 48,000 1.50-2.70 225,000 drogen peroxide. For nylon acid and other noncellulosic manmade fibers, peracetic acid and s o d i u m c h l o r i t e share the Arlon market. E. I. duPont de Nemours & Co. Acrylonitrile 20,000 1.50-2.35 38,500 A large segment of textile Polyethylene Firestone Plastics Co. Ethylene 20,500 0.70-0.88 42,000 chemical consumption lies in National Plastic Products Co. Reeves Bros. the field of dyes and dyeSaran stuffs (95). A s p r e v i o u s l y Firestone Plastics Co. Vinylidene chloride (from chlorine 18,000 0.80-1.20 35,000 pointed out, coloring agents National Plastic Product8 Co, and ethylene) and vinyl chloride Saran Yarns Co. were confined t o n a t u r a l Southern Lus Trus C o r n Dawbar Bros. sources until the year 1856, Bolta Products Div., General Tire which marked the birth of the and Rubber Co. era of synthetic dyes. It might Vicara Virginia-Carolina Chemical Corp. Zein (corn protein) 1.00-1.10 21,000 * well be called a “purple-letter” year by the chemical industry, for it was aniline purple that W. H. Perkin of England disand to minimize static electrical effects with the hydrophobic. covered by accident in an attempt to prepare quinine from aniline. Enormous quantities are used in many phases of textile procOther synthetic dyes followed and whereas before 1856 the number essing. Chemicals make possible a high quality water supply of dyes known probably did not exceed 100, a recent count indicates by providing additives to avoid problems due to turbidity, that a t least 2000 (92) dyes, lakes, and toners are now used for color, hardness, curd formation, corrosion, and iron deposition, coloring textiles. At 1950 prices the sale of dyes in this country which cause staining, dull cloth production, lower cloth strength, grew from 86,000,000 pounds at $87,000,000 in 1925 t o 202,000,and other defects. Widely used for this purpose are organic 000 pounds a t $204,000,000 in 1950 (40). Foreign competition sequestering compounds, glassy phosphates, and quaternary has been a cause of some concern to U. S. producers (68). Howamine and alkyl sulfonated detergents. Some indication of the ever, one economist predicts groq th to 260,000,000 pounds a t water requirements in the textile industry can be seen by the $260,000,000 in 1962 and a rise to 400,000,000 pounds a t $400,fact that in order to mercerize 1000 pounds of cotton fabric, 000,000 in 1975. The rate of growth from 1935 t o 1950 was 30,000 gallons of water is required and in order to vat dye this 3% per year (40). same amount, 19,000 additional gallons is needed (86). The vast bulk of the national output of dyes goes into textile Mercerization is another basic cotton textile process that proproducts. Slightly more than 85% of these dyes fall into four vides a large chemical market as quantities of sodium hydroxide chemical classes-azo, sulfur, indigoid and thioindigoid, and are used for this purpose, each pound of cotton mercerized reanthraquinone vat. Probably half of all dyed and printed cotton goods and two thirds of viscose rayon goods are colored quiring approximately 0.25 pound of caustic soda (66). A 21 to 23% solution (34)is used to mercerize cotton yarn, sewing thread, by direct dyes, most of which are in the azo class. Direct dyes or piece goods under tension-a process dating back to John have declined very slightly-from 22% of the coal tar dye market during the 19’44-50 period to a little less than 20%. The azo Mercer’s work in 1850. Mercerization of broadcloths, gabardines, twills, sateens, and other fabrics makes big business for chemical class (including chrome, direct, and acid) represents a the chemical suppliers, and, as with bleaching, the chemical larger portion of dye output-about 36%. Increasing in popumarket fluctuates with the market for cotton textiles. larity are the vat dyes that offer light- and wash-fast colors. Among the oldest known textile auxiliaries are starches, Although it is true that vat dye consumption to some extent is gums, and glues (83). Large quantities of starch are used estied to military needs, vat dyes should keep over 35% of U. S. pecially in the warp sizing of cotton while gelatine or glue does dye output even with nominal governmental purchases. Least this job for viscose. The industrial importance of starch is reexpensive are the sulfur dyes, used principally where moderate flected in its annual sales volume of approximately 1.75 billion fastness is adequate. They have represented about 13% of pounds (84). Starch is still the most widely used finishing agent the national dye output in recent years (34). In enumerating chemicals used in textile manufacturing, perfor cotton goods, though it is losing ground to more durable resin impregnation (54). Low grade fabrics are frequently backhaps the most important is water, required in abundance and filled with starch to give a more substantial hand. Starch may of high quality. Water is often sprayed into the air to increase also serve as a binding agent for fabric fillers such as china clay natural humidity; it serves to plasticize the hydrophilic fibers March 1955
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or kaolin, talc, and barium sulfate. Dextrin is used instead of starch on cotton knit goods to give weight without stiffness. Soap, the oldest textile auxiliary, together with the more modern synthetic detergents, enters into almost every phase of converting textile raw materials into finished fabrics-for example, souring of raw wool, cleansing of oily woolen piece goods, felting wool fabrics, kier boiling of cotton, bleaching and cleaning of cotton, wetting out textiles, in emulsifying agents and levrling agents in dyeing, for foam dyeing, as softening agents or in their make-up, and in sizing formulations. The textile industry \\-as among the first to recognize the advantages offered by synthetic detergents, and today there are hundreds of compounds classified as surface-active agents (56). Domestic production of synthetic detergents grew from 100,000,000 pounds in 1939 to an estimated 1.9 billion pounds in 1953 (80), a large portion of which was used by the textile industry. One estimate attributes 60% of the total industrial sales bulk to textiles (65).
Figure 3. Percentage fiber consumption and predicted trends, 1920-1975 ( 8 , 86) Among the most dramatic developnients in textile uheniiatry is the contribution to finishing made by the synthetic resins ( 8 7 ) . The 1953 Technical Manual and Yearbook of the ‘4nierican Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists lists 448 finishing agents (5). Functional finishes can be applied to improve the hand and drape of fabrics, to impart antistatic properties and water repellency, to increase resistance to shrinkage, creasing, fire, moths, mildew, and abrasion. These finishes have been a boon to cotton in increasing its prestige and thereby recovering some of its lost markets, for cotton goods can be upgraded to look like satin, linen, leather, or wallpaper, and finishes can provide replicas of piques, seersuckers, heavy cords, and crepes. The use of silicones in textile applications is also gradually growing ( 4 9 ) .
SYNTHETIC FIBERS OPEN NEW CHEMICAL MARKET I n addition to the large amount of chemicals consuinrd by the textile industry in processing and finishing fabrics, another large consumer is the man-made fiber portion of the industry. The first commercial production of rayon in 1891 opened up a vast new market for chemicals; the major growth, honever, has been in the last 25 years. The shift in the relative importance of the fibers is significant (40, 47) 53,88,90) -4s sh0vc.n in Figure 3, cotton still represents by far the largest poundage of fibers consumed, but it has dropped from close to 90% in 1920 to about 70% in 1953. Wool in the same period dropped from 9.9 to 7 5% and silk from 0.9 to 0.1%. On the other hand, rayon and acetate rose from 0.3% in 1920 to 18.8% in 1953, and other man-made fibers, beginning in 1940 a t 0.170, rose in 1953 to 4.3%.
440
If we look a t the peak consumption year for each of these groups, we find t’hat silk reached its peak in 1929, cotton in 1942, wool in 1946, rayon and acetate in 1950, and other man-made fibers at,tained their highest point in 1953. Between 1937 and 1951, total fiber consumption increased 3575, the natural fibers increasing by 15% and the man-made by 291% (86). The percent’agesof change for the four natural fibers were cotton +177,, wool +l6yo, silk -SO%, and linen -21%. Of further significance is the estimate of economists as to future fiber consumption ( 8 , 6 7 ) . By 1975 the total poundage i s expected to increase a t least 7OyO. While the consumption of cotton will increase, its percentage of the total should decline to about 50% by 1975. Wool poundage will double, according t,o predictions, but in 1975 its percentage of t,he total xi11 be only 10%. Silk can reach a volume fifteen times as great as today or 1% of the 1975 total. Rayon and acetate should claim about 20% of the 1975 market and the other synthetics about 19%. Public interest in the never noncellulosic fibers has been out of proportion to their production, which in 1953 amounted to only 4.3%. Producers of yarn and makers of fabrics have been increasingly disturbed by the tendency of customers to oversell the “miracle” fibers in their consumer advertising and to imply that other fibers could not compare lvith them ( S I , $6, 57). There is no one perfect, all-purpose fiber. Each has unique properties that require time for evaluat’ion. Each fiber must be designed with the end use in mind. As the late Harold DeWitt Smith pointed out in his 1944 Marburg Lecture, “The essence of this new philosophy is that fibers can be designed t o meet specific textile wants rather than that textile wants must be designed t,o utilize immutable fiber ‘personalit’ies’” ( 7 5 ) . As a matter of fact, we are still learning new things about cotton and v,-ool. Sound development does not come bhrough “gimmick” buying just because something is new. Hon-ever, many of these fibers have passed their initial testing and are entering a period of ensured dynamic growth (33). Aggressive, int’elligentpromotion should improve the fibers t’hrough lower production costs and emphasis of the strong features of each. While the newer synthetic fiber production offers interesting possibilities for future chemical developments, rayon and acetate require far greater quantities of chemicals from the standpoint of today’s consumption picture I n 1953, 856,700,000 pounds of rayon and 320,200,000 pounds of acetat,e were produced (10). Rayon production required close to a billion pounds of caustic soda, more than a billion pounds of sulfuric acid, 300,000,000 pounds of carbon disulfide, in addition to close to a bi!lion pounds of cellulose from cotton linters and wood pulp (20, 22, 6 2 ) . The largest single use of caustic soda is in the production of rayon ( l j ) ,and increased rayon product,ion accounted for rise in textile consumpt,ion of caustic soda from 36,000 short tons in 1938 to 100,000 in 1950 (68). Acetate production required over 500,000,000 pounds of a&io anhydride, over 90,000,000 pounds of acetone, a billion pounds of acetic acid (the bulk of xhich was taken care of by recycling recovered acid), 16,000,000 pounds of sulfuric acid, and over 200,000,000 pounds of pulp (20, 22, 63). Even as far back as 1946, the rayon industry consumed 70.6% of the carbon disulfide produced in the United States, 29.47, of the glacial acetic acid, 18% of the copper sulfat,e (25% copper), 17.6% of the acetic anhydride, and 15.5% of the caustic soda ( 1 4 ) . Today these percentages r o u l d be much higher as rayon production has risen 50% since t’hen (88). Although small by comparison a t present, the raw materials for the new synthetic fibers represent a potential market for chemicals in the textile field that may even exceed the present demands of rayon and acetate. X new fiber necessitates expaiided production of basic intermediates or the development of new processes and intermediates (29). The effect of this increased volume is reflected first in a demand for basic chemicals such as benzene, chlorine, sulfuric acid, and ethylene and then in the more basic raw materials, coal, sulfur, natural gas, and petroleum
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Val. 47, No. 3
Resources (20, $6). The chief raw materials for the noncellulosic fibers are adipic acid, adiponitrile (these two making about half the total), acrylonitrile, ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, vinyl acetate and chloride, vinylidene chloride, zein, and special sands for glass fibers. The original source of all these compounds is petroleum, with the exception of the last two named and with the possible exception of adiponitrile based on furfural (62). Table I (12, @, 48) gives production data on the more important of these newer fibers. Nonwovens a s a Chemical Market. Nonwoven or bonded fabrics, which have mushroomed during the last 10 years and which are claiming new markets every year, offer a n additional outlet for textile chemicals. They depend, in fact, on the chemical companies, for without synthetic latices, resins, and cellulosics, as well as rayon and nylon, nonwovens would not be possible. Although there are many kinds (800, for example, from one company) tailored t o meet specific needs, they are generally made by one of two widely used methods: (1) by including in the fibrous web a portion of thermoplastic fibers such as Vinyon or plasticized cellulose acetate which under heat and pressure will soften and serve as a bonding medium and (2) by impregnating the web with liquid bonding solutions or emulsions. Although at present nonwovens consume less than 1% of the fiber used b y the textile trade, some 15 companies are active in the field and with continued chemical and mechanical improvements, further expansion is anticipated (33). GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION O F T E X T I L E INDUSTRY Thus we see t h a t the chemical industry has a large and varied market in the textile field, supplying dyes, auxiliaries, finishing agents, and bonding materials for nonwoven fabrics, as well as providing raw materials for chemical fibers. Let us consider next where these markets are located geographically. As even a cursory glance at statistics reveals, the heart of the textile industry is in the South Atlantic States where approximately two thirds of the entire industry is concentrated. Cotton Industry. The cotton textile industry is the largest segment of the entire textile manufacturing field, accounting for about 70% of the volume of all fiber consumed ( 8 7 ) . Even though the share of cotton in relation t o other textiles has been declining, cotton is and is likely to remain the dominant sector of the textile industry ( 2 ) . Over 80% of the cotton spindles are in the South and over 70% in the South Atlantic States ( 6 6 ) . About 15% are in New England, leaving under 5 % elsewhere. T h e total number of cotton ring spindles in operation in the United States in 1954 was 21,772,583, distributed as follows (39): No. Spindles South Atlantic New England East South Central West South Central Middle Atlantic East North Central Pacific West North Central Mountain
15,480,772 3,316,592 2,438,094 367 464 97:365 48,404 22,452 1,440
...
Pes Cent 71.10 15.23 11.20 1.69 0.45
0.22 0.10
0.01
...
The International Cotton Exposition held in Atlanta, Ga., in 1881 marked the beginning of the industrial South (54). I n 1880 less than 5% of the cotton spindles were in the South. This figure rose to 11.9% in 1890, 23.7% in 1900, and 39.2% in 1910 ( 6 4 ) . I n 1926 New England and the South were about equal in the number of cotton spindles (18). Since then there has been a steady decline in New England and a steady growth in the South (3, l 7 ) , especially in the South Atlantic States. The Carolinas alone claim more than half the nation’s cotton spindles and with Georgia total two thirds. Synthetics Industry. I n the textile field the synthetic fiber industry constitutes the most dynamic element! with a per-
March 1955
manent and growing place. I n 1952 the value of synthetic fibers was $1.19 billion (93). The production of synthetic fibers is almost exclusively a southern industry (76, 86); about half of the fiber producing plants are in the South Atlantic section alone (9). The South is the logical location as the basic raw materials are readily available there. Furthermore, almost half the spindles consuming synthetics are in the South Atlantic States, with especially heavy concentration in the Carolinas and Virginia. The Middle Atlantic States follow with over 35%, leaving approximately 8% for New England, 4% for the East South Central States, and less than 3% for the rest of the nation. The total synthetics spindles in operation on February 1, 1954, were 4,390,679, distributed as follom-s (38): South Atlantic Middle Atlantic New England Eaat South Central Eaat North Central West South Central y e s t North Central Pacific Mountain
No. Spindles 2,112,774 1,615,487 367,586 178,000 116,832
... ...
... ...
Per Cent 48.12 36.79 8.37 4.05 2.66
... ... ... ...
Woolen and Worsted Industry. While the woolen and worsted industry is still largely located in New England, within recent years the trend has been southward (11, 21, 70). From 1949 through 1953, 78 New England woolen and worsted mills were liquidated (9). Based on the percentages of active spindles on July 1, 1954, New England has something over 55010, the Middle Atlantic States almost 23%, and the South Atlantic States over lo%, with other states totaling about 10%. Comparing similar figures for July 1, 1953, the New England percentage has gone down 4.19% and the Middle Atlantic States 0.95% while the figure for the South Atlantic States has risen 2.21y0. The 2,674,877 spindles in 1954 are distributed as follows (39): No. Spindles New England Middle Atlantic South Atlantic East North Central East South Central Pacific West North Central West South Central Mountain
1,520,644 606,412 289,954 153 617 63 894 26,180 22,128 1,860 1,188
Per Cent 56.88 22.67 10.84 5.74 2.38 0.97 0.42 0.06 0.04
Total Textile Industry. Figure 4 shows the 1954 distribution of textile spindles-cotton, wool, and synthetics-according t o individual states. Of the total 28,838,139 spindles, K’orth Carolina alone claims one fourth. T h e three states of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia have 2,000,000 more spindles than all the rest of the states combined. Fewer than 1.5y0 of the spindles are west of the Mississippi, with 88% along the Atlantic coast. ECONOMIC BACKGROUND AND F U T U R E TRENDS I n view of the fact t h a t the textile industry is the largest consumer of industrial chemicals and t h a t the South Atlantic States are now the heart of the textile industry, it is not surprising t h a t the trend of the chemical industry itself is toward the South (69, 76). Strategically located between New England and the South, the Middle Atlantic States have been the traditional seat of the chemical industry, as well as of textile finishing. Indications are that the southward movement of the chemical industry will continue and t h a t more and more textile finishing plants will also be built in the South (78). I n considering the importance of any market it is essential to note not only the present status of a consumer b u t whether or not it is waxing or waning. It is also important t o consider how t h a t consumer fits into the larger economic background of which it is a part ($4). On both scores the textile industry of the South Atlantic States should furnish a n ever-increasing market for chemicals (57, 77). Productivity in the textile industry,
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PACIFIC .17%
OVER 6,000,000
-
3,000,000 6,000,000
1,000,000
-
3,000,000
500,000
-
1,000,000
100,000
..:.,:::.:... :.. :.::. lo,ooo UNDER
- 500,000 -
100,000
10,000
F i g u r e 4.
D i s t r i b u t i o n of textile s p i n d l e s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s (38, 39)
measured in terms of pounds of fibeis consumed per production worker, increased from 2020 pounds in 1920 to 6230 pounds in 1951-an increase of over 300% in 31 years ( 9 1 ) . Industrial progress in the South is now occurring a t an accelerated speed and is still amazing to Southerners who had grown accustomed to the South’s being regarded as the economic problem of the nation (30). An average of seven new plants daily h a w opened their gates in the South during the past 10 years (76). During the last few years the Southern Association of Science and Industry has been reporting that the South has averaged a ncnmultimillion-dollar manufacturing plant for each working day and predicts on that basis the addition of 3000 new multimilliondollar factories in the next 10 years; 250 will be textile plants ($5). The association believes t h a t in this period the South will reach the national average in per capita income. The construction of new textile plants-and new consumers of chemicals-in the South Atlantic Slates is reported daily in textile newspapers and periodicals (7, 30, 79). Symholir of the upheaval taking place in the Southland was the moving of the 12-foot, marble Confederate monument from the center of Camden, s. C., t o a park in order to clear the street for the increased traffic brought on by D u Pont’s new $42,000,000 Orlon plant ( 4 3 ) . Textiles and the chemical industry also fit into the larger changing economic pattern. During the past year Fortune magazine carried a series of articles, “The Changing American Market” (4S), which attempts to analyze the basic factors underlying the market trends today. These should be of interest in considering future markets for textiles and in turn of chemicals. T h e most significant recent change is the rise of a great new moneyed middle class, continuing to grow larger and wealthierthe result of the nation’s increasing productivity. The United States is fast becoming a one-class market of prosperous middleincome people. For example, 58% of the family units today have a real income of $3000 to $10,000, against 29% in 1929. This means t h a t millions of Americans are reaching the point of having more than the absolute necessities, and the trxtile 442
industry has an opportunity to capture a share of this vast discretionary spending power. Furthermore, not only is the middle-income class growing but the population as a whole, despite a virtual cessation of immigration, is increasing faster than it has in 40 years. Amwican Tvomen are once again raising large families, and the birth rate is soaring. 811 this means more customers for clothing and household furnishings, as well as indirect customers of industrial fabiics. And these customers arc likely to live in the suburbs and to follon- a Tvay of life t h a t is simple, informal, and centered around the home and the needs of children. Americans are buying more clothes for less money, and the average middle-class v ardrobe contains a wide variety of items. These basic trends in clothing, toward informality, comfort, and special-purpose garments, make the now $20 billion apparel market brim n i t h promise. The textile industry and the chemical industry together must meet the needs of the American customer, especially the middleincome group, if our industries are to prosper. The great increase in the number of consuming units in the $3000 to $5000 bracket is especially important because this appears t o be the group that malres the largest purchase. Thanks to the chemical revolution in textiles, industrial fabrics ran be better designed for specific end uses, and the average consumer today can dress better and have more beautiful home furnishings for less money than ever before. Per capita consumption of cotton, wool, and man-made fibers has risen from around 25 pounds in 1922 t o almost 38 pounds in 1953 (69). I n order to ensure a continuing rise in consumption, the textile industry will continue t o turn t o the chemical industry. As one authority has said: “While the chemical industry has put more of its chips on textiles than on any other market, it is in a position where it cannot lose out Whether the future trend is toward 100% chemical fibers or chemically improved natural fibers, the textile industry must use increasing quantities of chemicals to keep pace with rising standards throughout its vast markets” ( 7 4 ) . “Americans are alm-ays moving on!” So wrote our great poet,
I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G CHEMISTRY
Vol. 47, No. 3
-Resources Stephen Vincent Ben&, in “Western Star” (IQ), his fine epic of colonial days. Since William Bradford first set foot on Plymouth Rock, revolutions have occurred in every area of life. We have moved from candlelight t o fluorescent lighting, from oxcart t o jet plane, from Daniel Boone as our hero t o Superman, and in textiles from linsey woolsey t o today’s amazing fabrics. “Americans are always moving on!” I n this progressive American tradition, textiles and the chemical industry will continue t o move forward together t o a future of even more serviceable fabrics for Mr. Industrialist and even more beautiful and more durable fabrics for Mr. and Mrs. America. And moving forward with them will be the South Atlantic States. LITERATURE CITED (1) Akers, Wallace, J . Textile Inst., 44, P661 (1953). (2) Allen, E. L., “Economics of American Manufacturing,” p. 371, Henry Holt, New York, 1952. (3) Ibid., p. 386. (4) Am. Assoc. Textile Chemists and Colorists, “1953 Technical Manual and Year Book,” pp. 282-308, Howes Publishing, New York, 1953. (5) Ibid., pp. 293-5. (6) Ibid., pp. 309-81. (7) Am. Textile Reptr., 67, No. 51, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 77 (1953). (8) Ibid., 68, NO. 7, 175-8 (1954). (9) I b i d . , No. 17, Sec. 2, 60, 61 (1954). (10) Ibid., p. 75. (11) Ibid., p. 81. (12) Ibid., NO. 28, 59-73 (1954). (13) Aries, R. S., and Copulsky, William, “Sales and Business Forecasting in Chemical Process Industries,” p. 107, Chemonomics, New York, 1950. (14) Armstrong, G. S.,& Co., New York, N. Y., “An Engineering Interpretation of the Economic and Financial Aspects of American Industry,” Vol. VIII, p. 56, 1948. (15) Axe, E. W., & Co., New York, N. Y., “Chemicals-The Fastest Growing Major Industry; Its Unique Position and Prospects,” p. 13, 1953. (16) Ihid., p. 22. (17) Backman, Jules, and Gainsbrugh, 11. R., “Economics of The Cotton Textile Industry,” pp. 16, 17, National Industrial Conference Board, New York, 1046. (18) Ibid., p. 37. (19) Ben&, S. V., “Western Star,” p. 1, Farrar & Itinehart, New York, 1943. (20) Bunn, Howard, IND.ENG.CHEW,44, 2128 (1952). (21) Business W e e k , No. 1172, 38, 40 (1952). (22) Chemical Business Handbook, J. H. Perry, editor, Sect.ion 6, pp. 168-207, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1954. (23) Chem. Eng., 60, 326 (1953). (24) Chem. W e e k , 70, No. 8, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28 (1952). (25) Ibid., p. 61. (26) Ibid., No. 10, 9, 10 (1952). (27) Ibid., No. 11, 37, 38 (1952). (28) Ibid., No. 13, 11, 12 (1952). (29) I b i d . , 71, No. 14, 55, 56 (1952). (30) Ibid., 72, No. 2, 22 (1953). (31) Ibid., 73, No. 5, 58, 61, 63, 64 (1953). (32) Ibid., No. 13, 13 (1953). (33) Ibid., 74, No. 19, 48, 50 (1954). (34) I b i d . , No. 20, 100 (1954). (35) Conway, H. M., J . Southern Research, 5, No.4, 20-22 (1953). (36) Cross, M. R., Papers Am. Assoc. Tektile Technologists, 8, 111-15 (1953). (37) Dalton, H. L., “1Man-made Fibers-Their Growth and Future,” p. 81, 25th Annual Boston Conference on Distribution, 1953. (38) Davison Publishing Co., Ridgewood, N. J., “Davison’s Rayon, Silk and Synthetic Textiles,” 59th ed., p. 80, 1954. (39) Ibid., “Davison’s Textile Blue Book,” office ed., 1954. (40) Ewell, R. H., Chem. Eng. News, 29, 5228-30, 5312 (1951). (41) Ewell, R. H., Chem. Eng. Progr., 48, 578 (1952). (42) Ibid., p. 581. (43) Fortune, 45, No. 3, 92 (1952). (44) Ibid., No. 5, 129 (1952). (45) Ibid., pp. 130, 131. (46) Ibid., 48, NO. 8, 98-105, 192, 194, 196, 198; NO. 9, 98-102, 219, 220, 222, 224, 227, 228; NO. 10, 134-139, 271, 272, 274, 276, 278; NO. 11, 128-131, 230-232, 234, 237; NO. 12, 117-119, 209, 210, 212, 214, 218 (1953); 49, NO. 1, 94, 97, 164-166, 168; NO. 2, 102-107, 216, 218-220; NO. 3, 97-101, 179, 180,
March 1955
182, 185, 186; NO. 4, 132-136, 234, 236, 238, 240, 242, 244; NO. 5 , 94-99, 193, 194, 196, 198; NO. 6, 115-121, 226, 228, 230, 232, 234; NO. 8, 82-86, 176, 178, 180 (1954). (47) Gants, G. M., Am. Dyestuf Reptr., 41, P447-452 (1952). (48) Harris, Milton, and Frishman, Daniel, Chem. Eng. N e w s , 31, 4.7 (19.53. --, \-
(49) IbLi., p. 45. (50) Harris, Milt,on, and Krasny, John, Chem. Enn. N e w s , 32. 38 (1954). (51) Herring, H. L., “Southern Resources for Industrial Development,” p. 12, Diets Press, Richmond, Va., 1948. (52) Kastens, Anita, Chem. Eng. N e w s , 31, 3135 (1953). (53) Love, J. S., Am. Dyestuff Reptr., 41, P243 (1952). (54) Love, J. S.,Textile Bull., 78, No. 9, 133 (1952). (55) llrCutcheon, J. W., “Synthetic Detergents,” p. 303, MacNairDorland, New York, 1950. (56) Ibid., pp. 378422. (57) AIcLaughlin, G. E., “Why Industry Moves South,” Rept. No. 3, National Planning Association, Washington, D. C., 1949. (58) Manufacturing Chemists’ Association, Washington, D. C., Chemical Industry Facts Book, p. 23, 1953. (39) Ibid., p. 99. (60) Marsh, J. T., “An Introduction to Textile Finishing,” p. 3, Wiley, New York, 1951. (61) “Matthews’ Textile Fibers,” H. R. Mauersberger, editor, 6th ed., p. 814, Wiley, New York, 1954. (62) hlauersberger, H. R., in “American Handbook of Svnthetio Textiles,” p. 139, Textile Book Publishers, New York, 1952. (63) Ibid., p. 197. (64) Merrill, G. R., Macormac, A. R., and Mauersberger, H. R., “American Cotton Handbook,” 2nd ed., p. 23, Textile Book Publishers, New York, 1949. (65) Ibid., p: 25. (66) Ibid., p. 71. (67) Moisson, G. M., Textile W o r l d , 102, No. 9, 71 (1952). (68) National Industrial ConferenceBoard, New York, ”Basic Industrial Data, Chemicals-Industrial Chemicals,” Table 12, 1951. (69) Ibid., “Per Capita Consumption of Textile Fibers, United States,” Road Maps of Industry, No. 943, January 22, 1954. (70) National Planning Association, Washington, D. C., Rept. No. 1, “New Industry Comes to the South,” p. 22, 1949. (71) O’Conner, D. F., J . Southern Research, 3, No. 3, 10-12 (1951). (72) Oil, Paint and Drug Reporter Green Book, 1953--54 Buyers Directory, Schnell Publishing, New York, 1953. (73) Sherman, J. V., Barron’s, 32, No. 9, 9 (1952). (74) Ibid., p. 10. (75) Smith, H. D., Am. SOC.Testing Materials, Edgar Marburg Lecture, p. 42, 1944. ENG.CHEM.,45, 326 (1953). (70) Soday, F. J., IND. (77) Soday, F. J., J . Southern Research, 5, No. 5, 7-9 (1953). (78) Southern Association of Science and Industry, “Southern Industrial Directory,” 2nd ed., pp. 76-7, Southeastern R e search Institute, Atlanta, Ga., 1953. (79) Southern Textile N e w s , 10, No. 19, 1, 11 (June 19, 1954). (SO) Sullivan, P. J., Am. Dyestuff Reptr., 43, P331 (1954). (81) Textile Chemicals and Auxiliaries, H. C. Speel, editor, Reinhold, New York, 1952. (82) Ibid., p. 164. (83) Ibid., p. 213. (84) Ibid., p. 215. (85) Teztile Organon, 23, No. 9, 167 (1952). (86) Ibid., 24, No. 8, suppl., p. 129 (1953). (87) Ibid., 25, No. 3, 42 (1954). (88) Ibid., p. 43. (89) Textile W o r l d , 101, No. 12, 105, 286, 288 (1951). (90) Ihid., 104, No. 2, 83 (1954). (91) Thomas, P. M., and Winston, T. 13., Textile W o r l d , 103, No. 11, 101 (1953). (92) Trotman, S.R., and Trotman, E. B., “Bleaching, Dyeing, and Chemical Technology of Textile Fibres,” 2nd ed., p. 2, Charles Griffin, London, 1946. (93) U. S.Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census (Supt. Documents, Washington 25, D. C.) “Annual Survey of Manufactures: 1952,” p. 89, 1963. (94) U. S. Office of Business Economics (Supt. Documents, Washington 25, D. C.), “Business Statistics; Statistical Supplement to Survey of Current Business,” 1953 biennial ed., pp. 18&-90, 1953. (95) U. S. Tariff Commission (Supt. Documents, Washington 25, D. C.), “Synthetic Organic Chemicals-U. S. Production and Sales, 1952,” pp. 15-31, 1953. HECEI;ED for review September 13, 1954.
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
ACCEPTED December 10,1954.
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