INDUSTRIAL Edition News & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY Published by the American Chemical Society
AUGUST 10, 1923
Vol. 1, N o . 15
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Welcome t o Milwaukee B Y CLARE H. H A L L , CHAIRMAN, W A U K E E SECTION, A. C. S.
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DICKEY
What the Chemical I n d u s try Means to Mil waukee B Y F R A N C I S W. D I C K E Y , ECONOMIST, F I R S T WISCONSIN N A T I O N A L B A N K
The secret of sound industrial develop m e n t lies in the progressive improvement of the product. Organization, aggressive sales methods and skillful advertising a r e all essential, buttbiey will be temporary in their effects unless backed u p b y contin uous study of how t o m a k e t h e product better. T h e credit or investment worth of a n industry is judged b y several critérions. B u t all other tilings being equal, t h a t industry which has its roots firmly planted in a research laboratory is t h e safest from a credit or an investment standpoint. O N E H U N D R E D FIRMS I N C H E M I C A L G R O U P
T h e group known as Chemicals, D r u g s a n d Allied Industries is represented in Milwaukee b y about 100 firms employing somewhat over 5O00 persons a n d having a combined capital of a b o u t $35,000,000 a n d aggregate a n n u a l sales of nearly $73,000,000. Included in t h e "Allied Industries" arc oils, paints, varnishes, glass, dyestuffs, soap and toilet preparations, all characteristically chemical industries. B u t chemistry plays a highly important, a n d in many cases a leading part, in other lines of industry represented in Milwaukee. Whether it is t h e hardness (Continued in third column)
After a lapse of t e n years, years which for our Society, our country, and the world, have contained more epoch making events t h a n any similar period in the history of mankind, Milwaukee again extends her hand in welcome to the American Chemical Society. Those of you, who at t h e last Convention spent t h e evening after t h e Public Meeting in profound research into the composition of various beverages a t the famous Palm Garden, m a y feel that with its passing all t h a t was worth while in the chemical industry in Milwaukee has passed with it. B u t such are wrong. Our activities have been transferred to other places, and Milwaukee can well feel proud of the progress m a d e in t h e chemical industry during t h e last ten years. Beautifully situated on t h e shores of L a k e Michigan a n d containing within a radius of t h i r t y miles one of t h e most beautiful inland lake regions in America, Milwaukee offers a delightful terminus for a summer vacation trip. I t is t h e m a i n gateway t o northern Wisconsin, where in t h e beautiful northwoods with its hundreds of lakes, is t h e finest fresh water fishing in t h e world. Wonderful roads, perfectly marked, lead out from t h e city in every direction and it is nothing unusual t o leave Milwaukee in t h e morning a n d be t h r e e hundred miles n o r t h in t h e lake country for dinner. Come t o Wisconsin for your vacation and end it a t t h e Convention in Milwaukee. W e a r e holding out n o claims t h a t our efforts will in a n y way m a k e this convention greater t h a n those preceding or those to come. We realize fully t h a t , given proper facilities, each convention m u s t of a necessity be greater t h a n t h e preceding. We a r e endeavoring only t o see t h a t such facilities are provided, understanding fully t h a t t h e real spirit and success of t h e convention is embodied in t h e organization which will come t o us in September. W e d o hope, however, t h a t the inducem e n t s offered both b y t h e Convention a n d t h e City m a y stimulate such a widespread interest t h a t t h e a t t e n d a n c e will exceed all p a s t conventions a n d t h a t with those who a t t e n d its m e m o r y m a y always remain as one of those w o r t h while events t h a t are recalled in after years w i t h a n ever present glow of pleasure. Welcome to Milwaukee, a n d t h e Fall Meeting in September?
C L A R E H.
HALL
( Continued from first column) wanted in a cutting tool or tensile strength in lifting huge burdens, or fastness of color in cloth or firmness of t e x t u r e in leather, t h e chemist is t h e one who supplies t h e formulas. His work is p r e p a r a t o r y and fundamental. T h e organizers, t h e managers a n d t h e lenders of capital and credit, if they would build well, m u s t build upon a scientific foundation. I n such industries as metal working, leather, textiles, food, paints a n d varnishes, soap and toilet preparations, all of which lines h a v e reached a n advanced stage of development in Milwaukee, t h e chemist is a silent b u t nevertheless powerful factor. T o merely m a k e and sell is n o t enough. T o discover, develop, test a n d utilize in an improved product makes for long-time success a n d it is in this sense t h a t t h e industries of Milwaukee are successful. M I L W A U K E E A PRODUCING C E N T R E
Milwaukee is a city of well diversified a n d highly specialized industry. Some cities owe their prominence t o their being distributing centers. Milwaukee is primarily a producing center, producing, t o a large extent, complete and finished r a t h e r t h a n raw or semi-finished products. This character of t h e i n d u s t r y of t h e city p u t s emphasis upon scientific preparation a n d skillful execution. Statistically, metal working a n d m a chinery lead all other Milwaukee industries. T h e list of products is comprehensive. I t includes a wide range of electrical machinery a n d equipment from giant power installations t o t h e simplest
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING
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household utensils, gas and steam engines, saw mill and mining machinery, steain shovels and dredges, cranes, structurai shapes, concrete mixers, conveying equipment, gears and castings of all kinds:, milling machines, machine tools and farm implements. Motor vehicles, parts a n d accessories make up about half of t h e annual product in value of t h e meta.1 trades industry. Milwaukee firms m a k e almost everything t h a t goes into a n automobile. Automobile frames, springs, gears, motors, timers and electrical control devices are manufactured on a n especially large scale. T U B LEATHER INDUSTRY
Leather is one of the oldest and most firmly established industries of the city. In 1922, there were 16 tanneries employing about 4700 persons and 35 shoe factories with about 7700 employees. Modern methods of converting hides i n t o leather are vastly different from those of the old fashioned tanner and the difference has largely been made by t h e chemical industry. Leather tanning is a chemica.1 process from beginning to end a n d tanners arc constantly conducting researches i n order t o improve the quality of t h e product and shorten the period of manufacture. Hosiery and knit goods are Milwaukee's chief textile products. Engaged in these lines are about 30 firms employing over 8200 persons. T h e capital employed i n the industry in 1922 was over $20,000,000 and the value of the products $41,000,000. Forty-four firms in Milwaukee a r e engaged in the manufacture of clothing employing about $6,000,000 of capital and t u r n ing out products t o the value of a b o u t $15,000,000. F O O D I N D U S T R I E S EMPLOY M A N Y
Somewhat over 12,000 people are employed in the food industries of Milwaukee. Dressed meats, candy and confections, flour a n d cereals, dairy products a n d beverages are the leading lines. Particular mention should be m a d e of t h e candy industry which comprises^ about 3 0 firms and employs about 4000 people with sales in 1922 running about $16,500,000. Three industries in Wisconsin outside of Milwaukee account for a large p a r t of the wealth production in t h e state a n d are of direct interest to t h e chemical industry. Those are dairy products, canning, a n d paper manufacture. The paper mills a r e scattered over the east-nortlxcentral portion of the state. Paper i s one of \Visconsin's major industries. All branches of paper manufacture are represented—newsprint, kraft, tissue, writing paper and paper board. T h e part which t h e chemical industry plays in paper production it is hardly necessary to emphasize D A I R Y PRODUCTS L E A D
Wisconsin is easily t h e leading s t a t e of the union in dairy p r o d u c t s and especially is this true of cheese. X h e climate and soil in certain portions of the s t a t e are well adapted to the growing of pea-s and consequently, t h e canning of peas i s a leading industry. Something over half of t h e country's output of canned pea-s comes from Wisconsin canneries. A n adequate survey of the industrial complex of a city of t h e size of Milwaukee is n o t possible within t h e limits of s o brief a space. T h e object here has bee:n to show the importance of cliemical industry t o Milwaukee industries, a n d
CHEMISTRY
News
Edition
Anticipate Large Enrollment for Chemical Exposition Courses Columbia University Dormitories to House Students. W. T. Read Heads Staff of Instructors. Prominent Industrial Chemists to Give Lectures About 150 requests for registration cards have b e e n received t h u s far from s t u d e n t s desiring to avail themselves of the course on the fundamentals of chLemical engineering a n d industrial pract i c e to b e given in conjunction with the N i n t h INTationai Exposition of Chemical Industries at G r a n d Central Palace, New York, S e p t e m b e r 17 t o 22, inclusive. Columbia University has opened its dormitories for t h e use of students during t h e week of t h e Exposition a n d will charge tlxem $1.50 a n i g h t for rooms. The plans f o r this course comprehend lectures i n the morning upon three general topics, namely: Plant Equipment in the Cliemical Engineering Industries; Materials of Construction, and Chemicals in Commerce. The afternoon will be given over t o either conferences, supervised inspection of exhibits or attendance a t Society meetings held at t h e Exposit i o n (such meetings as t h a t of the Americ a n Ceramic Society) o r of motion picture showings of t h e industries. The course will be under the Chairmanship of Prof. W. T . R e a d of Yale University (Sheffield Scientific School) w h o was some t i m e ago elected a member of the Advisory Committee of t h e Exposition. T h e present expectation is that lie will have assistants selected from the staffs of s o m e nearby colleges. The speakers for t h e program are being selected according to t h e plan of having a general speaker outline an entire subject. A speaker may talce one hour for his presentation and will be followed by others giving p a r t i c u l a r cases with reference to materials or equipment, who will speak for from ten t o fifteen minutes. Among t l i e speakers n o w selected a r e : Dr. W . H. MCcAdams, w h o will discuss "Separation w i t h Phase Change—Evaporation, Distillation, D r y i n g ; " A. E . Marshall, who will be followed by G . I,. Montgomery, S. G. KLetterer and H a r r y Carlson, all speaking on t h e "Handling of Materials," a n d Dr. Ross C Purdy, Secretary of the American Ceramic Society w h o will discuss ceramic materials.
Tickets for thie 1923 Chemical Exposit i o n which will open o n September 17th a t the Grand Central Palace, New York, will be sent t o exhibitors by the 2 0 t h of August so a s t o permit t h e mailing of t h e m in plenty of time t o reach customers a n d friends e a r l y in September. Hxhib-
vice versa of Milwaukee industries to t h e chemical industry. T h e industrial growth of Milwaukee h a s never partaken of the spectacular, b u t has been of the steady and substantial character. The American Chemical Society will find in t h i s city a h i g h appreciation of scientific research because the industries of this c i t y a r e constantly utilizing, a n d owe t h e i r success t o the results of research.
itors have been requested to distribute tickets with care so as to cut down t h e really non-chemical element a t this year's Exposition to a minimum. Owing to t h e crowding a t the Exposition in past years during the last three days, t h e first three days of t h e week are suggested a s the best time t o view the exhibits in comfort and avoid the crowds. Likewise, and for t h e same reason, it is suggested visitors attend the Exposition in the afternoon in preference to the evening. MOTION
PICTURE
FILMS
WANTED
A call for motion picture films to be shown at the Exposition has been sent b y the management to exhibitors. Films of a technical nature covering some phase of t h e chemical, chemical consuming, equipment, or allied industries are being procured. CHEMISTRY'S
CONTRIBUTION
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RADIO
An exhibit showing what chemicals have done in the development of t h e radio, will be one of t h e educational features of the Chemical Exposition this year. Any exhibitor a t the Exposition who manufactures products which in any way enter into t h e field of wireless telephony, will be permitted to place his products in this special radio exhibit. N o t only the raw materials furnished by t h e chemical industry for the radio industry will be shown, b u t finished a r ticles suitable for use in this field can be entered. R A W M A T E R I A L S FOR COSMETICS
R a w materials for t h e manufacturer of toilet goods will be displayed in various forms. Essential oils, American made aromatic chemicals, talc, cold cream a n d cosmetic bases, tubes, bottles, jars, filling machinery and other raw m a terials, of which steadily mounting quantities are being consumed in the United States each year in toilet articles, will be shown. INSTRUMENTS AND E Q U I P M E N T
About fifty American manufacturers of fine "precision instruments of various types all the way from high pressure gauges t o uitrafine chemical balances, will show their goods a t this year's Chemical Exposition in New York, according to early estimates. More than a n equal number of manufacturers of all kinds of chemical and allied plant equipment such as centrifugals, screens, crushing machinery, pumps, acid-proof ware, valves, gears, pipes, drying equipment, filter presses and the like, will show their goods. GLASS INDUSTRY E X H I B I T S
T h e glass industry will see its products from both ends of t h e manufacturing scale. Numerous displays of finished bottles, jars, carboys, laboratory equipment, and so forth, for the chemical consuming manufacturer, will be shown, in addition to t h e usual full line of chemical raw materials for t h e glass manufacturer.
