New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
Industrial Plans
For Peace Conditions
British Concern Considers the
Problem of Converting
War Plants

Inc great British industrial com
panies whose plants for more than
three years have been given over al
most entirely TO the manufacture OF
nunitions OF war are now considering
ways atd means Of employing their
vastly increased productive capacity
for peace purposes after the war Is
over
One Of the largest of the English
munitions concerns to look around for
post-bellum opportunities is vickers
(Limited). Although the headqu<.ters
of this firm are in Sheffield, Their va
rIous business enterprises are not con-
fined to the British Isles, bat include
plants in various parts of the world,
and some Of these latter. which come
under the head of Armament" are af-
filiated with the governments of tho
countries in which located.
The fifty-frst annual meeting Of tho
shareholders of Vickers (Limited) was
he'd in Sheffield recently, when Douglas
Vickers, who presided. took advantage
of the occasion to outline the after-the-
war schemes the directors had in view
SIS regards the commercial enterprises
Of this important firm. Doubtless
many OF these enterprises will prove OF
interest to business firms in the United
States, and Certain suggestions as to
how plants that have been engaged on
war work can be utilized for other pur-
poses.
Tho following, bearing on this sub
ject. is taken from the report Of the
meeting published in "The Sheffield
Daily Telegraph: The directors had
given a great deal of thought to the
utilization for peace purposes of as
much as possible of their war plant.
Much of this class of plant (including
rihing machines and many of their
shell machines) would not be usahle in
times Of peace, and such would be
stored and held In readiness for any
future contingencies that might arise.
At one factory employed In the
manufacture of automatic guns they
had large number of what might be
called general service machines. and It.
was proposed to devote 100 Of these
to the manufacture of sewing machines.
They were already at another plant
manufacturing sewing machines for
sale, in order to test the market, and
had succeeded in producing a sewing
machine which had given satisfaction,
and which they expected in the course
of time to place on the market in large
quantities. At another of their works
in the South of England they proposed
to manufacture on large sca'e certain
i-electrical devices for motor cars
and a speed controlling apparatus. At
another plant, where they had good
wharfage, they intended to put down
plant for the manufacture Of various
wooden articles, and for this purpose
expected to utilize a large amount Of
machinery at present devoted TO war
work They were already manufactur-
ing woodenware at this plant. using
vase pieces Of wood that had accumu-
lated in connection with war work. l.
was how TO use this waste to the best
advantage that had suggested their al
location of this particular plant to wooo
working. At their works at Barrow
they are arranging to build a much
larger proportion of mercantile ships
and were also making plans for devel
oping their manufacture of heavy-oil
engines as we'll as land boilers and large
gas engines.
They intended to continue their works
in Sheffield on much the present scale
and to develop some of their older
trades that had suffered in recent years
on account of development IN the di-
reetion of war material. Their cleo
trica business in Sheffield would be
continued, and they proposed to special
ize here in this class of work In addi-
ton to re electrical work TO be car
ried on in Sheffield. they had associ-
ated themselves with the Metropolitan
Carriage, Wagon and Finance Company
in the control of the British Westing
house Company. This arrangement
had altered their plans for the erection
of large plant they had in contempla-
tion in connection with the enlarge
ment Of their electrical schemes.
They had also acquired the Bosche
Magnetic Works. which they proposed
to carry or in Birmingham on large
scale. In Birmingham also they were
developing the manufacture ef a new
material which he'd been placed on the
market under the trade name Of
"nura'umin" This material had about
the same weight as aluminium and ap-
preached mild steel in strength.