UNIROYAL CHEM-TEXTS
Vol. 4, 1970 | PUBLISHED FOR THE PEOPLE OF UNIROYAL CHEMICAL | No. 4
Solo, A New Soybean Herbicide Marketed
[IMAGE: Photo showing workers with pallets marked “4614” and “SOLO”]
Jim Nolan, left, checks control number for quality of liquid Solo as Filipe Duarte, center, inspects appearance of packaging. Tony Marques, loads a pallet from Bldg. 76 warehouse on to truck for shipment to one of our distributors.
by John Kitsmiller
Solo,® a new preemergence herbicide made in Bldg. 73, controls more broadleaf weeds, such as ragweed, in soybeans than any other chemical. Marketed for the first time this year, after several years of tests by universities, large growers, and the R & D agronomists, under the direction of George O’Brien, sales of Solo look good for 1970.
Patent Issued
The unique herbicide combination was discovered by Everett Barron and Adam Soboleski of the agricultural chemical R & D group at the Bethany research center. A patent was issued to both which provides 17 years’ exclusive rights to the sales of the product.
42,000,000 Acres
Soybeans are the nation’s second largest crop with 42,000,000 acres grown in the midwest and Delta areas of the U.S.
Solo increases yields by 6-10 bushels per acre. At $2.50 per bushel the chemical improves the grower’s income in a very risky business.
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Sales Up 3%: Profits Drop Down 24%
Uniroyal set a new 1st quarter sales record of $380 million, a 3% increase over the $369 million sales in the 1st quarter of 1969.
Profits for the first three months of 1970 were $9.5 million, a 24% decrease compared to the $12.5 million 1st quarter profits of 1969.
Higher interest charges; more competition in the market; higher working capital requirements; lower demand for quality canvas shoes; and intensified competition from foreign and domestic manufacturers paying wages and benefits far below Uniroyal scales, were major factors in reduced profitability.
Automotive Industry Off
A decline in automobile sales not only has an impact on the many products the company makes for the industry, but also affects the sales and profits of the Nau-
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136 JOIN 25 YEAR CLUB
[IMAGE: Photo of crowd at banquet/dinner event]
350 members of the 25 Year Service Club attended the twentieth annual banquet honoring employees for 25 or more years service. Above, members enjoy refreshments before the dinner.
The 25 Year Service Club of Uniroyal Chemical held its twentieth annual dinner at Waverly Inn honoring 568 active and retired employees for their credited service of 25 or more years.
Committee members for the dinner were Bert Scullin, president and toastmaster, Everett Anderson, Tom Dowling, Pat King, Joe Little, Alice Schofield and Ed Weaving. In charge of the invitations and assisting the committee was Gladys Bradshaw.
Guest speaker for the affair was Frank Hopkins, vice president of the Chemical division.
Andy Molnar of the Synthetic pilot plant holds the unique distinction of longest,
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Vibrathane Bumper First On Auto
[IMAGE: Photo of woman in short dress posing next to Oldsmobile Rallye 350 car with visible “RALLYE 350” text]
The Oldsmobile Rallye 350 has the first color matched bumper in the auto industry. Developed by R & D at the TSSC, the Vibrathane®coating’s elastic-plastic properties make the bumper highly resistant to weather, wear, chipping and scratching from flying road gravel and stones. Working on the project were Dr. Frank O’Shea, R & D manager; John Burkus, group leader; John Shiley, Lou Esposito, technical service; Alex Keniausis and Len Jacoboski.