The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1942-07-16
War Brings
Expansion 10
Libby Firm
Universal Company Now
Operates Mine and Mill
"a Hours Daily.
FOREIGN SHIPMENTS
MUCH CURTAILED
"JAPS CAPTURE PROPERTY
OWNED By LIBBY COMPANYrs'

The readersrcf< the Western News
would have been surprised If they
had seen that heading spread In big
type across the top of this newspa-
per some weeks ago. Yet that il
the very thing that happened and
such heading would have carried
truthful news.
All eyes were on the exploits OF
contending armies and navies at the
time the Japs were capturing Hong
kong and Singapore. While it WIS
known that many American and
English owned properties were be-
ing taken over by the conquering
Niponese, few in this inland re-
gion realized that as those cities
fell, properties belonging to Lib
by company were falling into the
hands of a conquering army. The
Libby company SO affected is the
Universal Zonolite Insulation Com
pany.
Our company had expanding
plants in both Hongkong and Singa-
PORE" said j. B. Myers, local man
ager of the company, while discus
sing wars effects on his company's
business this week. Those tAM
plants were, of course, taken over
by the Japs and that wasn't all OF
it," he continued I'VE had stocked
those plants with large quantities
of ore from the Libby mine ready to
be expanded, and that also became
a war prize for the Japs."
But such are the fortunes of war
when one is engaged in international
commerce. And up to the breaking
out of war. the Libby company was
developing large foreign business
Much of this has since been cut off
by lack of ships and the dangers OF
stripping through waters that are
apt to be infested with enemy war
ships. AT one time the company
carried on considerable business
with Australian firms, as well as
with some in Japan, China and In
dia. This has all been curtailed or
stopped entirely by the war. The
same is largely true of shipments
from the eastern seaboard. Within
the past week or two the company
had prepared shipment for Porto
Rico, to be used by the army After
having the consignment loaded for
shipment, the company received
word that the army had decided to
use the ship for other purposes ON
which the vermiculite was to have
been transported And the ship
ment, therefore, had to be unloaded.
But while war has brought the
usual number of harassments to
the Libby company, it has also
brought benefits. In common with
all companies manufacturing build
ing materials, the local company
has enjoyed substantial increase
in volume Of business. And the
product is going into many differ
ent uses as a result of wars influ-
cnce on the type of buildings that
are being constructed. Increased
business has resulted in stepped up
operations. Mr. Myers reports the
company is now operating both the
plant at the mine and the mill in
the city full "a hours daily. And
there are SO men on the payroll.
The management OF the Universal
Zonolite Insulation Company is
/ looking to the future growth of the
business and is planning with that
end in view. 1t owns deposit of
vermiculite in South Carolina that
lit expects to start developing after
the war is over, but not before. 1t
is also investigating deposit of
the mineral in South Africa which,
if finally taken over would be used
to take care of part at least of the
foreign demand.