The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-09-11
ReconDersion Program
 Creates Labor Demand
Louis A. Dibble, President of Eastern Malleable Iron Co., Risdon Mfg. Go. Plants Gives Encouraging Picture = $50 Men
 Needed at Once

This is the first of series of
 stories on the reconversiOn to
 peacetime industry of variOuIls .
 concerns in this area. t
 The full swing to peacetime pro- duction has presented no problem at all to officials of the Eastern Malleable Iron Co., and both plants of the Risdon Manufacturing Cc., Louis A. Dibble, president of all three concerns, stated. Not only is the wartime personnel of 700 pey- sons being retained on payrolls, but $50 men are being sought inlmedi- ately to turn out peaceSi'ne products.
 At the Eastern Malleable Iron Co., which produced castings for various war vehicles, approximately 200 foundry workers are needed So meet the current demand for caS;- ings for tlypewriters, washing ma chimes, electrical fittings, and buiid- CTS hardware. The changeover in foundry work, which this plans does exclusively, did not require al- teration of fundamental equipment, MT. Dibble pointed out. except tAe making of new patterns.
 Labor Requirements
 Both Risdon plants each require 75 more employees each, 30 of which must be skilled workers, to launch the peacetime production of safeyy pins, cosmetic containers, and mis- cellaneous stampings for some 4,CGo During the war years, the Risdoa plant. at 2100 South Main street, manufactured magazines for Col automatic revolvers, while the Nau- gatuck branch supplied the govera- ment with parts for aeroplanes aud radios.
 Speedy reconversion to peacetirre production has been facilitated at both Risdon plants, MT. Dibble ex- plained, because of the manufa;- tnure of variety of items.
 Production hold-ups caused by lack of raw materials are not anticipat- ed. If one material is lacking, Mir. Dibble said, employees will be as- signed to another job requiring other materials.
 Retooling. which is creating a big lag in reconversion program of in- dustries throughout the country, is not formidable problem to these manufacturers. Orders for new ar- ticles will necessitate the building of new tools, but in the interim, tools previously used. prior to the out break of war can be used to produce most of their current orders. Among the new .,roducts which the Risdon concerns will shortly manufacture is a combination lucite and metal van- ity case for such distributors as, Dorothy Gray. Boujois, Barbara Gould, and Woodhury.
 Early peacetime orders are so heavy all three plants will continue their fartime schedules of 4S hour weekly, requiring the payment of time an6 half on Saturdays.
 Incentive Plan
 Unskilled help working on the in- centive plan, MT. Dibble pointed out, can earn as much as $l an hour or over, while toolmakers, will average from $1.20 to $l.S0 depending upon their ability.
 Reflecting confidence concerning 3 hug demand for products, pr. Dib- ble asserted he felt at least three years of uncurtailed production is assured to meet requirements, and that all three concerns would main- ,ain employment rolls surpassing those in any previous year. Pointing 70 the fact that unemployment in- ,urance is not satisfactory substi- ute for job, he vigorously urged hat workers seek positions now in order to establish seniority rights.