modernization

CHEM-TEXTS – Vol. 3, No. 8 – Page 1

by
Page 001

UNIROYAL CHEM-TEXTS

Vol. 3 PUBLISHED FOR THE PEOPLE OF UNIROYAL CHEMICAL No. 9

Improvements Protect Jobs. Make Plant Cleaner, Safer.

[IMAGE: Black and white photo of industrial building with bulldozer in foreground]

Bulldozer digs out aniline sludge that caused the Main entrance roadway to sink under heavy trailer trucks.

Today, somewhere in the plant, another step is being made to protect jobs, improve safety, housekeeping, production, and working conditions. Or a new reactor is being installed to improve productivity.

Major Improvements

Major improvements this year included a new main entrance; resurfacing of the road to the main entrance, once an aniline sludge dump. The old DDM building was completely remodeled to manufacture Curalon® a new chemical curing agent.

A high cost investment was made in the recent installation of refrigeration facilities for Omite® a new agricultural chemical.

Expansion of the high pressure laboratory which researches high pressure chemical reactions is nearing completion. This new R & D facility provides the technology to improve manufacturing operations by faster reactions.

A giant step was made in air pollution control with the conversion of the plant’s power house from coal to oil.

Repairs and Maintenance

Ordinary repair and maintenance costs during the year will extend into six figures simply for general building and yard maintenance. Priority repairs made this year included refacing of the Chemical firehouse and Lotol Bldg. 76 with aluminum siding; and renovation of the Reclaim pilot plant, parcel post, small (continued on page 2)

[IMAGE: Black and white photo of paved roadway with buildings]

Solid bed of new paved and marked roadway improves safety and reduces maintenance costs. Major improvements in photo show new front entrance; refaced aluminum siding on Bldg. 76, and pollution free smokestacks.

Reclaim Dust Collectors Reduce Escape Of Lint

[IMAGE: Black and white photo of industrial dust collection system on roof]

Dust collection system nears completion on roof of Reclaim plant. The system will reduce the fiber escape from the cyclones.

by Rod Gaetz

The escape of lint from the Cracking Department of the Reclaim plant has always caused a problem in the plant and surrounding area. With the new manufacturing process used in the modernized plant which requires tires to be ground to a much finer particle size, the problem has become more acute.

In designing the new plant, the systems enclosed the mechanical conveyors, and completely enclosed processing machinery was utilized to prevent lint escape. Where it was necessary to utilize pneumatic conveying systems, cyclone separators were first installed to separate the conveying air from the product streams and leave the secondary air treatment systems until later. The reason for this was to determine from practical operating experience the (continued on page 2)

Woman Supervisor Named

[IMAGE: Black and white photo of two women at desk reviewing documents]

Anna Radowich, left, newly named Special Analysis Supervisor in the Analytical Research Lab, reviews a project with Helen Mullen.

CHEM-TEXTS – Vol. 3 – Page 1

by
Page 001

UNIROYAL CHEM-TEXTS

Vol. 3 PUBLISHED FOR THE PEOPLE OF UNIROYAL CHEMICAL No. 4

New Plant Entrance Nears Completion Plant’s Security Is Tightened Up.

The all glass enclosed, new front to Building 84 gives an impressive approach to the plant’s main entrance. Construction of the new building is practically complete except for a few minor details.

The building contains a new reception room for visitors to the plant where plant personnel can meet with them in more congenial surroundings to conduct business, or if necessary, escort them into the plant.

Plant security has been tightened considerably by moving the guard station from Building 75 to the new control center. Guards will be on duty at the Main gate on a 24 hour, daily basis to monitor all vehicles and visitors entering the plant. The glass enclosure provides maximum visibility for the guard to prevent unauthorized persons from entering the plant.

Two turnstiles are located at the main gate. To enter, an employee must insert a magnetized pass to operate the turnstile. Both turnstiles operate without passes in the exit direction to reduce congestion during shift changes.

If an employee forgets his pass, the guard will request identification before allowing entry into the plant. Other turnstiles are situated at the Tire and Synthetic plant entrances.

Besides tighter security control, the new building is another step in the plant’s continuing modernization and improvement program. In recent months several plant buildings have been painted and improved, providing a cleaner and better work atmosphere.

Karl Pittner of the plant engineering department supervised the project. In charge of the electrical system was Jim Carroll.

Doug Miller, engineering superintendent for the plant, and Karl Pittner, project engineer, inspect the new front entrance to the plant.

Paula Auclair, right, uses magnetic pass to “open” turnstile. John Titley shows how gate operates without pass on exit.

Jim Carroll, left, of the engineering department checks the console as Jim Walsh, control station watchman, observes the light indicators.

New Product Made Here

by Bob Mazaika

A new chemical, Antioxidant 439, a nonstaining antioxidant, started production recently in Building 28. The chemical is used in latex for foamed underlay cushioning under carpets. It is also used as a stabilizer in synthetic rubber to protect the rubber in storage and shipping.

The new antioxidant, which prevents the staining or discoloration of latex and rubber products, should help improve the division’s position in the rubber industry. Sales of the new product are expected to double in the next five years.

Frank O’Shea, of the Research and Development Department, was awarded a patent for the new chemical.

Scrubbers Reduce Air Odors

by Ernst Krauss

As part of the plant’s continuing pollution control program a new scrubber was installed in Bldg. 100 to reduce hydrogen sulfide and other odors from discharge into the air.

The scrubber washes the fumes with a caustic water solution, and hence eliminates the emission of foul odors into the air.

A second scrubber was installed in Bldg. 109 where Polygard® is manufactured. The scrubber eliminates the phenolic odors previously discharged into the air. It also provides better ventilation in the building, improving working conditions for the operators.

Rod Ashby of the plant’s engineering department was project engineer.

SAFETY IS MY RESPONSIBILITY

CHEM-TEXTS – Vol. 2 No. 2 – Page 3

by
Page 003

CHEM TEXTS

Vol. 2 No. 2 Page 3

Reclaim Quality To Improve With New Modern Equipment

Water Pollution Will Be Reduced

The following pictures show some of the latest manufacturing equipment the Company has recently purchased to keep us in business against strong competition. Improved quality of our reclaimed rubber will result from the finer grinder and fibre separation machines.

Some equipment has been already installed and is undergoing shakedowns to work out the “bugs”. The miracle of the modernization of the plant is that full scale production is continuing without interruption.

Previously it was difficult to control the lint escape after the fibre was separated from the rubber. The new equipment now makes it possible to catch the fibre lint and bale it like hay. This new piece of equipment will now control the amount of lint that was formerly discharged into the Naugatuck River, and causing a pollution problem. After the modernization program is completed, further studies will be made and evaluated to reduce the air pollution caused by the reclaim manufacturing process. This fits in with the Division’s policy of air and water pollution abatement in the area.

[IMAGE: Industrial building exterior with equipment]

[IMAGE: Control panel with lights and switches]

New control panel will aid operators in controlling the operation of fibre separation and fine grinding.

[IMAGE: Industrial baler equipment]

New baler equipment collects and bales lint previously discharged into Naugatuck river.

PURDUE U. INSTALLS OUR ALL-WEATHER “RUBBER” TRACK

“The installation of the first and new outdoor all-weather “rubber” track at Purdue has any number of advantages, not the least of which is that we are now able to get a boy ready for the track, instead of getting the track ready for the boy”, says the University highly respected track coach for 20 years, Dave Rankin.

Sold under the tradename “U.S. Royal Track”, the surface is a mixture of specially selected natural and synthetic rubber made at Naugatuck. The rubber must be of the highest quality to produce a smooth uniform texture and mixed with asphalt cement and fine aggregates at a contractor’s hot mix plant.

Unlike cinders, which are high-priced and difficult to buy, the “rubber” track can be used 12 months a year under almost any weather conditions. This new all-weather track practically makes postponements and cancellations a thing of the past.

The “rubber” track doesn’t create dust and can be painted with long-lasting markings that stay clean and sharp under constant usage.

The track is tough but pliable enough to give under pressure without cracking. Unlike cinder or clay tracks, the spikes do not dig up the track permanently, because the rubber surface quickly restores itself.

Maintenance of cinder and clay tracks has always been a major and costly expense. Inclement weather meant cancellation of a scheduled meet or poor performance. A crew was oftentimes required to rake, roll, groove and reline it.

Frost works havoc with a track, causing potholes, surface bumps, a lot of time and effort to restore it to fast condition.

With Uniroyal Chemical’s “rubber” track, none of these problems occur. It would take a hurricane to cancel a meet and besides, it virtually guarantees a consistent performance because the footing is always sure and constant. Practice sessions now mean more to the athlete and the University, for the runner’s time on Monday or Tuesday will be the same time as the day of the meet.

The “rubber” track can be installed in practically one day and ready for use on the next with regular highway paving equipment. Usually two Chemical R & D personnel are on the spot to provide technical assistance to the contractor.

The contractor, prior to submitting his bid to Purdue, made it a point to witness similar applications of competitive products. He found other materials difficult to pave, difficult to handle, control and roll. The U.S. Royal track won out for its reputation of a quality product.

[IMAGE: Construction equipment on track]

[IMAGE: Workers installing track surface]

CHEM-TEXTS – Vol. 1, No. 1 – Page 1

by
Page 001

Merry Christmas – Happy New Year

UNIROYAL CHEM-texts

Vol. 1 PUBLISHED FOR THE PEOPLE OF UNIROYAL CHEMICAL No. 3

QUALITY . . The Most Important Ingredient

(One of the difficulties of modern industry is the loss of quality or pride of workmanship which identified “handmade” products of the past. Mr. D.E. Fowler, manager of Distribution and Scheduling has put down some thoughts on the subject of quality which are well worth considering. Ed.)

Our business depends on our customers wanting to buy our products in preference to buying similar materials from our competitors. Our continued growth, and even our maintaining present business depends on our supplying better products, with more dependable quality and shipping the materials when and how the customer wants them. In short, we must do a superior job with respect to quality and service.

A customer will prefer to buy from the supplier in which he has confidence. Confidence that our product will always perform in his application because its quality is good and does not change, and that we will get the material to him as we have agreed to do and he can depend on continuing his operations. Confidence in us is first built by our Sales organization, but must be maintained by all of us

throughout the organization, and all of us must avoid the many pitfalls that tend to destroy it.

Quality itself is a result of the processing and workmanship and graded by testing and we are always striving for a uniform product, but beyond this the impression that we make on the customer can be injured by poor appearing packages, torn or dirty outer packages, crushed cartons, dented drums, indistinct labeling, accidental inclusion of foreign objects, etc. These throw doubt on the quality of the workmanship on the product itself.

Of equal importance is service, which is getting the product to the customer when he wants it. The fear that a supplier might shut their operation down through failure to deliver is an important consideration. Any failure to supply intensifies this fear and

reduces our chance of continuing as the supplier. It is not necessary to shut him down this time by being a day or so later than we had promised, he worries about the next time and has to decide whether we are or are not as reliable a supplier as he can find. Shipment delays are caused by a number of types of happenings including quality rejections of products that we depended on to ship, sampling delays, testing delays, process difficulties, equipment breakdowns as well as failures of carriers to pickup a shipment as scheduled, carrier breakdown or otherwise detained in transit. Failures to ship the amount requested, or to follow customers requests as to markings, notification of shipment, prompt test reports, or using specified carriers, etc. are annoyances to the customer that lessen our chances of continuing as his supplier.

The best possible job by everyone in our organization to build customer confidence will contribute considerably to our continued business growth.

NEW WAY TO TEST TIRES

[IMAGE: Motorized vehicle with cattle in field]

Besides tending 250 head of cattle, this motorized cowhand is testing our tires at the Laredo, Texas, tire proving ground. In a new program, ranchers who rent part of our land at Laredo are equipped with company tires which are inspected regularly for damage from the rocky terrain and needle-like cactus plants. The test program is part of our continuing effort to find new ways of preventing tire punctures.

LOCAL 308 RATIFIES NEW AGREEMENT

The tentative agreement reached between the Company and Local #308 Union Negotiating Committee on 10-26-67 was ratified unanimously at membership meetings held on 11-8-67. The

provisions of the new supplemental agreement, as well as the improved benefits of the 1967 Company-wide Agreement, including vacations and anniversary pay, have been made effective as of 10-26-67.

Strikes Affect Sales, Earnings During Third Quarter and Nine Month Periods

Strikes at 19 tire, C & I and chemical plants caused sales and profits to decline for the third quarter and first nine months, George R. Vila, chairman and president, announced.

Third quarter sales declined 8.6% to $287,367,000, compared with $314,398,000 last year. Net income was $7,563,000, or 51 cents a share of common stock. This compared with $11,631,000, or 84 cents, in 1966.

Earnings in August and September exceeded the same months in 1966 and, if it had not been for the strike, earnings for the quarter would have been improved over the same period last year.

Sales during the first nine months totaled $924,329,000, 5.8 per cent lower than last year’s $981,448,000. Net income for the nine months

came to $18,663,000, compared with $35,692,000 last year. Earnings were $1.20 a share, compared with $2.59 for the same period of 1966.

Third quarter results also were affected by the vacation shutdowns provided in labor agreements, Mr. Vila said. Time was required to start up the plants after the strikes

and vacations. Product inventories were depleted or out of balance, thus curtailing filling of customer orders. Following agreement on the master labor contract, the company started negotiation of local plant supplements. The Opelika, Ala. tire plant was struck for 37 days ending only in mid-October.

A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHT

In 1904, a Danish post office worker conceived the idea of a small stamp for Christmas letters and parcels in order to raise funds to set up a children’s tuberculosis hospital. The stamps sold for a penny each. Three years later a small dwelling used as a tuberculosis hospital in Delaware was about to be closed because of lack of funds. A woman who was interested in the hospital heard about the Danish post office worker and enlisted the aid of a leading Philadelphia newspaper to help put over a similar drive. The paper backed this drive and before Christmas rolled around, $3,000, ten

times the amount needed, had been raised. That was the beginning – today, 63 years later, Christmas seals are still the principal means of support in the fight against tuberculosis and respiratory diseases. We can all help to spread the word by buying Christmas Seals in 1967. Use them in good health.

[IMAGES: Christmas 1967 seals and Greetings 1967 stamps shown]

RETIREMENTS

U.S. RUBBER

[IMAGE: Photo of Mr. Domingos Matos]

Mr. Domingos Matos, Pleasant Avenue, Naugatuck, retired recently with 29 years of Company service from the Reclaim Production department.

[IMAGE: Photo of Silverio Barroqueiro]

Silverio Barroqueiro, recent retiree from Reclaim Production will travel to Portugal after 26 years service.

[IMAGE: Large industrial storage tank being lifted]

ABOVE: One of two, 50,000# storage tanks for cracked stock is being readied for installation in bldg. #17 of the Reclaim plant. When in place, the tank reached from the first floor to a point above the roof. The unit is part of the Reclaim modernization program and will be a feed tank for the fibre separation department. A complete story of the modernization of our Reclaim Production facilities will appear in a later issue of “Chem-Texts”.

CHEM-TEXTS – Vol. 1, No. 2 – Page 1

by
Page 001

UNIROYAL CHEM-TEXTS

Vol. 2 PUBLISHED FOR THE PEOPLE OF UNIROYAL CHEMICAL No. 2.

New Equipment for Reclaim Plant Will Keep Us in Reclaim Rubber Business

Our present reclaimed rubber plant dates back to 1895, after fire destroyed the original plant in 1893. For 75 years, we have played an important role in the rubber industry by supplying high quality stocks.

Several years ago, with combining higher production costs and increased shipping expenses, profitability reached a critical point for us in the reclaimed rubber business. Faced with keen competition, reduced prices and low-cost SBR rubber as an alternate, our business was placed in a difficult position. A decision had to be made either to discontinue the business or make major capital investments to modernize the facilities.

After detailed study of the present operation and various improvements and considering the skills of our people, it was decided that a modernization of the facilities would be practical and increase our ability to successfully compete in the market place. An appropriation request for these plans was drawn up and approved.

The “new” plant, efficiently and effectively operated, will help protect the job security of 100 employees while the alternate of going out of the business would have eliminated 150 employees, many with long seniority. Changes in the millrooms, reduced from 3 to 1, will affect the jobs of about 50 employees.

A project team was formed to work on the problem. The team settled on 5 major changes which would offer the best return on investment at this time: 1. fibre separation; 2. fine grinding; 3. central mix in the mill room; 4. revision in the mill room; 5. Zenith and dryer revisions.

The team in charge of the project working closely with the New York engineering group were R. Gaetz, Engineering Dept., Ted Lainas, Reclaim Development; C. Reich, Production and F. Wintsch, Industrial Engineering. Since his transfer to Industrial Relations, Wintsch has been replaced by B. Daily.

This team was charged with the responsibility of making the project go; by developing the flow sheets and recommending the type of equipment. All the details of engineering is being handled by approximately 12 members of the New York corporate engineering staff.

The job to be done consists of removing the fibre from old tires to prepare them for the fine grinding operation. By doing a better job of removing the fibre in the early steps and also by finer grinding, the digester cycle will be shortened, and chemical costs reduced. Also, fine grinding prior to digesting, allows us to make one pass through the mill rooms instead of 4 passes under the old system. The fine grinding, fibre separation and central mixing will be new departments and will require new skills. Engineering also estimates that we would have

(Continued on Page 2)

U.S. BOND DRIVE AIMS FOR 50% PARTICIPATION

John D. Evans, Factory Manager, named Fred Wintsch chairman of the 1968 U.S. Savings Bonds and Freedom Shares Drive at the Naugatuck plant. The drive was sponsored for two weeks from May 6 to May 17.

Last year’s campaign at the Naugatuck plant added 72 new savers to the payroll deduction plan; 88 employees increased their participation; and 152 purchased the new Freedom Shares. Approximately 40% of the Chemical employees are enrolled in the purchase of U.S. Savings Bonds and Freedom Shares.

The goal for the 1968 drive according to Wintsch was to attain 50% participation by Chemical plant employees. A committee of 71 canvassers had been organized in different sections of the plant. Members of the committee were the following: Warren Singleton, E. G. Broderick, Mary Sullivan, J. Flickinger, Harold Smith, L. Anderson, S.E. Salva, R.W. Stutzman, L. P. Ferrigno, T.J. Shilinskas, Harold Campbell, O. Zaprazalka, R.M. Bioski, M.A. Lasky, D. Johnson, E. J. Greene, F.X. O’Shea, R. Rosenbaum, C.C. Smith, A. Budd, I.A. Prager, P.J. Lazaras, W.R. Smith, V.R. Lardi, A.J. Loman, J.F. Zappala, M.E. Kuryn, G.M. Stone, R. Juliano, D. Pagnoni, C. Terniko, L. Scheithe, M. Dodd, T. Dowling, J. Homyetski, F. Magnamo, L. McCoy, G. Baktis, W. Frankerberg, A. Enamait, A. Pistarelli, E. Polonis, W. Booth, D. Rappe, T. Skehan, H. Piascik, R.R. Foltz, M. Mazur, S. Petkis, R. Magnamo, T. McMahon, L. Opdyke, L. Evan, J. Casey, J. Tierney, S. Korpusik, C. Bulka, W. Lannon, D. Nelson, J. Murtha, K. Pittner, R. Burns, J. Quint, V. Alves, J. Carroll, R. Terino, J. Vergosen, P. Norton, R. Krajewski, A. Nole and A. Juliano.

George Murdock of the Treasury Department addressed the group on the advantages of payroll deductions as an important part of an employee’s savings program. 70% of Savings Bonds purchasers do not redeem them until after age 65. In this way, the tax liability on E. Bond interest could be greatly reduced and even eliminated entirely under some circumstances.

[IMAGE: Black and white photograph showing industrial equipment on a rooftop]

New cyclones have already been installed on roof of reclaim plant.

Foremen’s Club Elects Officers

The Naugatuck Chemical Foremen’s Club elected Lou Kaiser president of the Club at its monthly meeting at the Elks’ Club. Other officers named were Joe Bucciaglia, Vice-President; Jan Baclawski, Secretary and Joe Murtha, reelected as Treasurer. They succeed Vic Alves, Earl Wright and Eric Johnson who served as the Club’s officers the past year.

The Club held its annual banquet on May 16; and will hold a dinner dance in October; outdoor summer picnics and a summer picnic for the family.

A membership drive is being organized to increase the Club’s members. Any salaried, male employee of the Naugatuck plant can join the Club which sponsored a $250 scholarship fund this year.

Still in the idea stage, Kaiser hopes to organize discussion meetings between representatives of various departments to interchange ideas and to become better acquainted with and understand the problems of different departments. By open table discussion, production, engineering, R & D, materials handling, maintenance and other departments can get to know each other’s problems and to coordinate and integrate their activities more effectively.

US Rubber Annual Report – 72nd Annual Report – Page 3

by
Page 003

February 12, 1964

To the Stockholders of United States Rubber Company:

In the first half of 1963 our profit rose 2.7 per cent, despite 1.4 per cent lower sales. But strikes in nine plants during the second half of the year reduced net income for the year to $22,105,000, or 14 per cent below 1962.

Our 1963 sales of $980,230,000 were second highest in our history, but 2.6 per cent below the record high of $1,006,793,000 set in 1962. Sales increased, however, in many product categories and in several cases set new records.

The strikes, which prevented sales from exceeding the 1962 record, lasted for varying periods of time at three chemical and synthetic rubber plants, a plastic plant, a Canadian footwear plant and four of our five domestic tire plants.

Strike issues varied from place to place but in the longest and costliest strikes at our tire plants the most important issue was the Company’s need to revise loose work practices which had evolved during the war and post-war years and which had prevented the Company from making full use of its expensive manufacturing equipment. New contracts signed at these plants will improve our position and provide long range security in the interest of stockholders and employes alike.

Capital expenditures for new plants and the modernization of existing ones reached a new level of approximately 65 million dollars, compared with 48 million in 1962. These figures include our direct capital expenditures, the expenditure at our new tire plant in Alabama and our share of investment in joint ventures and affiliated companies. Outside the U.S. A., new investments included a plastics plant in Italy, a footwear plant in Spain, a rubber company in Australia and both a tire and chemical venture in Japan.

This new level of capital expenditures strengthens our profit potential for the future. It is a part of a 300-million-dollar long term expansion and modernization program, the largest in the Company’s history, which is described on the following pages.

The Company made new strides in distribution of its products, particularly tires. Many new tire dealers took on the U. S. Royal franchise because of the outstanding quality of our tires and the new merchandising techniques we have developed. We moved strongly into many shopping centers. In areas where we could not obtain suitable independent dealers, we continued to supplement our distribution by opening Company tire centers. We now have a total of 228 Company-owned tire distribution outlets.

In research and development, a number of new products were put into production. In addition, we committed several million dollars for plants to manufacture new products starting in 1964. Among these are Royalene – our new ethylene-propylene rubber – a new dyeable polypropylene fiber, and Expanded Royalite – a new plastic material now coming into use in auto body parts, truck cabs, house trailers, and a host of other products. Gratifying progress was made in the development of a new high speed, super performance tire based on Royalene rubber.

We completed the second full year of use of our CVC bonding agent in tires. This development and other advances allowed us to move into a position of leadership in tire quality and performance. Late in the year, we completed construction of a new tire proving ground on a 6,900-acre tract in Laredo, Texas. This is by far the most advanced of any tire testing facility in the world today and will insure our maintaining product leadership.

By order of the Board of Directors,

[Handwritten signatures]
President
Chairman

US Rubber Annual Report – 72nd Annual Report – Page 5

by
Page 005

$300,000,000 Expansion and Modernization Program

U. S. Rubber has undertaken a world-wide expansion and modernization program which will involve a total investment of more than 300 million dollars. We are well along in this program and expect it to be completed in three to four years. Approximately 200 million of this program is for the modernization and expansion of our tire production and distribution facilities, both in the United States and abroad and for chemical, textile and synthetic rubber plants which supply raw materials and components to our tire manufacturing operations. The remainder of the program will provide the other manufacturing divisions of the company with new facilities in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Australia, the Far East and Canada devoted to products other than tires and tire components. The program will open new markets for us at home and abroad, and will strengthen our competitive position in the more profitable areas of our business.

New Chemical Complex

At Geismar, La. we have invested more than 30 million dollars in a modern chemical complex, and our investments there will continue to increase in the future. Three plants are now in operation. One is producing vinyl monomers for use in plastics. Another is producing agricultural chemicals, and a third is turning out improved rubber and agricultural chemicals. This spring a fourth plant will start making Royalene, the new ethylene-propylene synthetic rubber.

U.S. Rubber Sales by Product Groups as Percent of Total Show Increasing Diversification

Areas of the company’s most rapid growth during the last quarter century are indicated in this chart. Chemicals, textiles and fibers, as well as our business outside the United States, enjoyed the greatest growth. In the meantime, tires, footwear, general and industrial products continue to be an important source of company business.

US Rubber Annual Report – 72nd Annual Report – Page 6

by
Page 006

Geismar is also the site selected for Rubicon Chemicals, Inc., a company jointly owned with Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd. of Great Britain. It will produce aniline and tolylene diisocyanates for polyurethane synthetics, used in foams, rubbers and surface coatings.

In Scotts Bluff, La. we are doubling our capacity for Kralastic ABS plastics. These tough plastics are widely used in automobile dashboards, body parts and panels, and also in travel trailers. They also find wide applications in appliances, pipe, telephone hand sets and a host of other uses.

Most Modern Tire Plant in U.S.A.
The most modern and efficient tire plant in the industry recently started production in Opelika, Ala. to satisfy the rapidly growing tire market of the southeastern states. An intensive modernization program is also in progress in our other tire plants. We have also opened new tread rubber plants in Conyers, Georgia and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and others are now in the planning stage.

Argentine Project
Production is expected to get underway by midyear at San Lorenzo in Argentina by PASA, an industrial complex in which we have a 24 per cent interest. It will produce synthetic rubbers, chemicals, carbon black and other hydrocarbon materials. The principal market for these products will be the thriving Argentine tire industry, but this market can be extended throughout Latin America.

Model is of Geismar Royalene synthetic rubber plant.

Turkish Tire Plant
At Adapazari in Turkey, U. S. Rubber in 1963 started manufacture of tires in a new plant. It will fill the needs of a rapidly growing market for tires in Turkey, a nation with an adequate road system, a growing automobile industry and an expanding transportation network.

English Chemical and Plastics Plants
At Bromsgrove, England the Company has established a subsidiary, Sto-Chem Limited, a company which manufactures synthetic latices that are marketed in England and on the continent. Also in England, we started to construct a plant to make the ABS plastic, Kralastic.

US Rubber Annual Report – 72nd Annual Report – Page 9

by
Page 009

Tire Testing Facility
At Laredo, Texas, we are now operating the most modern tire proving ground in the industry. On its four-lane, five-mile circular track, tires can be tested at speeds up to 140 miles an hour, and eventually at 200 miles an hour. Other courses and tracks at Laredo are designed for testing and evaluating farm and off-the-road tires, tire cords and carcasses, and skid resistance characteristics. A two-mile course constructed of gravel has been built for determining how well tires can withstand chipping and cutting, and how treads can be designed that will not pick up stones in the grooves. There is an additional two-mile unpaved road for off-highway testing.

Improved Textiles
At Winnsboro, S. C. a new unit is now in operation that produces an improved nylon cord for tires by a hot-stretch process, and construction is now underway on a new plant to produce our newly-developed piece-dyeable polypropylene fiber for use in carpets, upholstery and other consumer products. In Gastonia, N.C., we are now operating a new plant producing Yvrone, our new stretchable spandex fiber. In Winnsboro, we are also building a new research and sales headquarters for our Textile and fibers division.

Chemicals and Tires in Japan
U.S. Rubber has formed a joint company with Sumitomo Chemical Company, Ltd. to turn out synthetic plastic and rubber polymers. Also in Japan, we have made a substantial investment in a tire plant to provide a production base for our tires in the Far East.

Three Canadian Projects
In western Canada we have completed a new plant to produce a variety of chemicals. In Montreal, we are erecting a reclaimed rubber plant which will have an annual capacity of 25 million pounds, enough to meet the needs of the Canadian market for this product. In Ontario, we will build a plant to supply nylon and rayon tire cord for our Canadian tire plant. In Canada, where we are the leading manufacturer of tires, we continue to expand and modernize our facilities.