Evening star., 1946-08-28

as many. He said 1t is almost i'm
possible to get wood for cabinet
models, a general industry COM
plant that has hit the furniture
industry even harder. Federal orders
channd hardwoods to housing.
"A collection Of small plant strikes
have hurt us" he continued. Prices
haven't interfered too much. We
are encountering shortages of steel.
radio speakers, and electric motors
Of all sizes. Motor manufacturers
are promising delivery year from
now
c. S. Davis, president of Borg
Warner Corp, said he thought there
was still slim chance of American
industry reaching an annual produc-
ton rate by the end of this year of
$200, 200, 100000, which business op-
timlsts forecast before strikes and
other troubles set in year ago.
Things would have to be pretty
favorable the rest of the year to
meet the goal" Mr.. Davis said. cit
could be done with an absence of
strikes and materials tieups. The
potential is there and we are striv-
ing for it."
Home Appliances.
Borg-Warner produces a host of
things including washing machines
and other home appliances, house
hold fittings, automobile transmits
sion units and other parts. Mr..
Davis reported relatively high VOL
ume output of most items.
c. d. Elliott, production manager
of Federal Electric Co., said his COM
pany is keeping up reasonably we'll
with production" but like other frac-
tional horsepower motor makers, I'VE
are faced with shortage of materials
resulting from suppliers' strikes"
He added that steel was especially
scarce.
The Eversharp Co., makers of
pens, pencils and electric razors,
headed by Ralph A. Bard, former
Navy undersecretary, was one of
the firms reporting no labor difficult
ties of any kind, with productivity
higher than before the war.
Million Pens Monthly.
The company is producing about
], 200, 900 pens and pencils a month
and expect to reach capacity output
20 per cent higher by the end of
the year. Eversharp reported a
scarcity Of gold-f1lled materials had
retarded production, because of
heavy demand and a diversion to
costume jewelry and watch cases.
Eversharp and nearly every other
manufacturer dependent upon it
reported that shortage of packag-
ing was fast becoming a major
bottleneck. Just as during the war
both wood and paperboard materials
are very scarce.
On that score, the Container
Corp, makers of paperboard
shipping containers, said their pro-
duction was on or ahead of schedule
but they were falling far short of
meeting demand. Ohicials described
their problems as shortages of raw
materials, the bottleneck of the
whole paper industry.
Steel Scraps is Problem.
Wilfred Sykes, president of In
land Steel Corp, said that he could
not understand how general in
dustry could be held back very much
by any shortage of steel. He said
that Inland, which employs 10000
in integrated steel manufacture.
was producing at almost full capa-
city. He said a lack of scrap was
becoming an increasing problem.
Il foresee tremendous demand
for steel for years to come" Mr..
Sykes said. There may be a gen.
eral recession from the present
high volume Of business, but the
demand for goods is so great that
it would last only a short time"
He admitted the steel industry
baked at making some items be-
cause of unfavorable prices. He
illustrated: "We are losing money
on galvanized sheets, so we make
no more than we have to.