Huge Auckland Company

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 962, 3 May 1930, Page 6

Huge Auckland Company

This is the thirteenth of a scries of informative articles that are being published in THE SUN weekly throughout 1930, describing many of New Zealand's most important industries.

WINSTONES MANUFACTURE TILES AND WALLBOARD

SIXTY-SIX years* a go-saw the birth of one of Auckland’s soundest and most progressive business concerns, for it was in 1864 that the late Mr. William Winstone purchased a horse and cart and commenced business as a carrier. Little did he think that in this act he laid the foundation stone of a company which today gives employment to over 400 men, with the head office in Queen Street, Auckland, depots and branches in the suburbs of Auckland, roofing tile and brick manufacturing works at Taumarunui, and an important flourishing branch in Wellington, and in addition has extended its interests in the wallboard manufactures and has business associations and agencies in every town of any importance in New Zealand.

In spite of the depression which has existed in this country during the last year or two, the directors of Winstone, Limited, are able to report constantly expanding and improving business. Every year sees the famous “Winstone” Marseilles Tile, which is manufactured in Taumarunui, increasing

its sales very considerably upon the previous years. Up till recent years very large sums of money were sent to foreign countries, particularly France, for the purchase of roofing tiles, whereas today, on account of the enterprise of Winstone, Limited, in establishing a roofing tile manufactory at Taumarunui, practically no roofing tiles whatever are imported Into this country. MAKING ROOFING TILES HERE Before commencing this manufacture at Taumarunui exhaustive tests ■were made of materials available in various parts of the North Island and sampled were sent to Australia and England -for further testing. The report showed conclusively that the Taumarunui material would produce a tile equal to the best in the world and was far superior to any other known material In the North Island, i

The general impression is that earthenware products are made from clay, but in the case of the “Winstone” Marseilles Tile it is made of a special blue papa rock, ground to the fineness of flour. From the grinding pans it passes to the mixing troughs when tbe exact quantity of water is added to make a stiff plastic material. From there it passes automatically on to the

presses, where it is stamped with a pressure of over 30 tons, forming : what is known as the Marseilles Tile ■ in its green state. i From the “making machine” the . green tile passes through specially- . constructed drying tunnels and then it receives expert attention in the matter of sorting out any tiles show ing the slightest defect and trimmingup any rough edges left by the “making machine.” Any defective tiles are passed back to the grinders to be recrushed and passed through the ’ process a second time. 1 All perfect tiles are then loaded into [ kilns for firing and greatest care must be exercised throughout, to avoid 1 cracks, warping and buckling of tiles ' and years of experience has enabled | this to be done and a perfect tilO - produced. BAKING THE TILES The kilns are gradually brought up

to a temperature of between 900 and 1,000 degrees fahrenheit and remain at that intense temperature for some days. They are then gradually cooled off, a door of the kiln is opened and a sight pleasing to any artistically inclined New Zealander at once meets the eye, for the colours of the tiles to be seen as they are in the kiln vary from terracotta from light to dark shades, purple, brown and mottled.

It has been said that burnt clay endures for ever and certainly the “Winstone” Marseilles Tile gives one that impression, and its colours are natural and are produced in the burning. The tile is hard and rings like steel and certainly the impression comes to the mind that its service should be never ending and its depreciation nil. It should endure when the building beneath has decayed away and then be ready for a new cycle of service, reach of New Zealanders themselves As far as the human can judge, this wonderful New Zealand tile should see generations upon generations of service and still be quite as sound and beautiful as the day it is drawn from the kiln. NEW ZEALAND MADE WALLBOARD Another important service which Winstone, Limited, has rendered New Zealand is the interest, financially and otherwise, it has taken in the manufacture of New Zealand made Wallboard. Until the last few years, the whole of New Zealand’s requirements for Plaster Wallboard has been drawn from overseas. The home builders of New Zealand had long been looking for a wall lining which would replace scrim and paper.

The latter sags, encourages vermin and is unsatisfactory in many ways. When plaster wallboard was available on this market, it was readily acclaimed superior and universally used. Tens of thousands of pounds per annum were sent to foreign countries in its purchase until Winstone, Limited commenced manufacture in New Zealand, ’ and now a New Zealand plaster wallboard is produced equal, if not superior, to the best imported. The principle of manufacture is a special tough paper exterior with a plaster and fibre cement core. The board is made on a jmtent process owned by the New Zealand company and is vermin-proof, fire-proof and its excellence of manufacture, combined with its perfect finish of smooth,