NEW ASBESTOS FACTORY

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23976, 17 June 1943, Page 6

NEW ASBESTOS FACTORY

ESTABLISHMENT AT RICCARTON PRODUCTION EARLY IN | JANUARY The factory established in Christchurch for the manufacture of asbestos cement products will be in a position to start production early in January next year provided all the necessary equipment is available. This was announced yesterday by Mr J. S. Fletcher, managing director of Dominion Industries. Ltd., which was granted a licence by the Bureau of Industry two years ago to manufacture all types of asbestos products. Mr Fletcher said that arrangements had been made for supplies of asbestos fibre to be obtained from Canada, and the cement used in the manufacturing process would be obtained in the South Island. The factory, which was situated on a property of acres in Riccarhai. was practically completed, and the manufacturing machinery was being installed. The installation would take some time, as the whole of the machinery was not yet in Christchurch. Also it would be necessary to train the TO men who were to be employed in the factory. The factory will produce corrugated and plain asbestos sheets, downpipes, spouting, asbestos siding, which can be used as a substitute for weatherboard in house construction, and asbestos slates. As the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) stated when announcing that the factory was to be established, these products are required for all types of buildings connected with the war effort. Mr Fletcher said that the original order for machinery was made in 1941, but since then the size of the plant had been increased considerably. The major portion of the machinery had been ordered in the United States, and the war in the Pacific had made it extremely difficult to obtain export licences, shipping priorities, and other permits for industrial equipment. The company had received every assistance, however, from the Ministry of Supply and other Government authorities, and the United States Government had given priorities for the machinery as it was definitely required for defence purposes, and the factory's operations would materially assist New Zealand’s war effort. The factory building, which- is of most modern design, covers an area of 50,000 square feet. The machinery is the most modern in the world for the type of goods that will be manufactured by the factory. Mr E. G. Pulbrook, M.l.Mech.E., who is the general manager, has spent six months in factories in the United States learning the actual processes of manufacture, and is now supervising the installation of the plant. He was formerly depuiysuperintendent and chief engineer of a munitions factory in South Wales.