Evening star., 1940-08-22
Metal Firms Center
Attention on j. ).
Defense Needs
Expansion and RetooIinq
For Munitions and
Other Items Rushed
Special Dispatch to The Star.

SpeClhl OlSphtCn 10 ! ne SJAf.
NEW YORK, Aug. 22.-Problems
of plant expansion and of retool-
ing for production Of munitions and
related items for national defense
continue to absorb the attention Of
the Woodworking industry, reports
Burnham Finney in today's issue
of American Machinist.
Operations and pay rolls are at
a high level and will rise further in
the fall. The most active winter
since world war days lies ahead for
manufacturers. Potential shortages
of skilled help are among the chief
worries.
Large quantities of machine tools
have been purchased the past two
weeks. but not so much has come
from Britain. Canadian munitions
makers bought heavily. United
States aviation companies. parti-
cularly engine builders, have placed
large orders. Government arsenals
and navy yards too have been i'm
portant buyers. Chrysler, getting
ready to fabricate tanks on a mass
scale, already has contracted for
sizable numbers of machine tools. A
variety of industries, including
automobiles, refrigerators and trac-
tors, have been in the market for
new equipment.
Huge Volume Foreseen.
The volume of inquiries likely to
appear in the next so days is almost
unprecedented. One Government
plant alone will need $50, 900 900 of
machine tools, and that is only one
OF many. Production recently
dropped slightly because many ma
chine tool plants shut down for
annual vacations. but it has been
maintained straight through the
summer at more than 100 per cent
OF what the industry's capacity was
last September. Since that time
plant facilities have been enlarged
almost 80 per cent. Fewer DELAYS
are now encountered in securing
export licenses promptly than when
export control was first established
in July.
Around 400 freight cars have
been bought since August 1. At
lantic Coast Line has ordered Sis
cars from Pullman, 800 from Rethle-
hem and $50 from Mount Vernon
Car Southern Pacific has con-
tracted for 500 cars each from
General American Transportation,
Pressed Steel Car, Bethlehem and
Mount Vernon Car, and $50 from
american Car g. Foundry. Louis
vile g. Nashville will take 100 care
from Pullman. Orders have been
placed recently for 30 steam and 18
Dlesel electric locomotives. The
ROCK Island is asking bids on trust
certif1cates for LOO fret ght cars
which 1t wishes to buy.
About 900 planes. half of which
Will be trainers, will be turned out
IN the United States this month.
BY the year end the monthly total
will be 1,500. The British have been
informed that production or combat
planes, exclusive of trainers, will
rise to 1900 month by late l94l.
Expansion Starts.
Expansion of Douglas plants in
California, at a cost of $50, 900 900,
is the forerunner Of other gigantic
increases in the industry's plant
capacity. Wright will farm out
large amount of parts work at its
projected Cincinnati. engine factory.
Pratt e. Whitney IS reported con-
templating further plant additions
at East Hartford Allison is now
purchasing new equipment sup
posedly for expansion of its engine
building capacity. North American
Aviation has received an order from
the War Department for 100 train
ing planes costing s11,335 ,631.
Munitions projects are slowly get
ting out of the talk" stage. Within
the next week IS to 20 out OF the
Army's 81 munitions plants to be
financed by the Government will be
awarded, all of them to be located
inland. Chrysler will make about
l 900 tanks Of 25-ton rating unoer
a s54 500 900 award for plant and
equipment made by the War De.
partment. The Government will
own the plant which will be built
by Chrysler. Twenty million dollars
will 90 for plant equipment.
The British are negotiating Tor
1000 tanks in this country. II the
war continues through the winter,
it is believed the British Will place
war orders here which will rival or
exceed in size the United States
Governments program. British pur-
chases from now on will be stand
ardized to conform to regular
equipment of the United Ctates
Army and Navy. A naval gun fac.
torv as large as the one now in
washington is being planned. Gen.
oral Electric has an order for $4,.