The Union County journal. [volume] (Marysville, Ohio) 1875-1951, 1949-01-13
Eljer Co. History Goes Back to 1904,
Started in California, Has 4 Plants

! tonments, army camps, etc. The
Salem plant specialized in the
manufacture of l,000-pound dem
olition bombs and various other
much needed war materials.
Plants Now Thoroughly
Reconverted
Today the executives of Eljer
are working on plans to increase
production during these days of
material shortages, and the COM
pany is achieving its highest pro-
duction records in its history.
In keeping with the rapid
growth of the company, Eljer is
stepping up its advertising pro-
gram, both to consumers and to
the trade. In addition to a long
list of consumer and trade publi-
cations already being used, a
series of four-color, full-page adj
vertisments has begun in the Sat
urday Evening Post. These an
nounce that Eljer has been max
ing plumbing fixtures exclusive
ly for nearly half century, with
a complete line of bathroom, kit
chen and laundry fixtures suit
able for every purpose.
In a recent trip through the
Eljer plant, the writer of this
story was convinced that the
making of vitreous china plumb
ing ware by modern methods pro-
vided a most enjoyable lesson
in modern industry. Briefly, this
is what transpires while follow
ing piece of Eljer ware through
the Ford City plant.
How Pottery Is Made
The pattern or model is first en-
gineered and perfected for re-
production in quantity. A number
of moulds are then made of plas-
ter of Paris from this master
pattern to form duplicate pieces.
Elier casters pour slip, or liquid
clay, into these moulds and when
the moisture has been taken out
of the slip, the clay sets and the
ware is removed from the moulds.
At this stage in manufacture, the
fixture is simply dried and hard
ened clay, formed by the con-
tours of the mould and the piece
is known in the trade as green
ware"
This Eljer plant is equipped
with an elaborate monorail sys-
tenn and various other types of
carriers. The green ware" is
carried to huge drying chambers
where, with heat and humidity
controlled, it is dried out COM
pletely. This process takes sever
al hours but the effect on the
finished product is extremely
important.
After the overhead monorail
cars pick up the fixtures, they
are carried to the ware inspectors.
The pieces that pass rigid inspec-
ton, after some subsequent steps,
arrive at the spraying benches
where the glaze is applied. The
glaze, when fired, becomes luS-
trous, cleaning, glass-like coat
ing which is completely bonded
a most permanent material, which
to the body of the ware, providing
a most permanent material, which
is good for lifetime use. "Vitre-
Gus" means like glass, and Eljer
china fixtures are impervious to
stain.
A monorail carries the sprayed
ware to the kiln where it is fired
at 2200 deg. F. 1t is asserted that
Eljer has the two largest continu-
ous-fire tunnel kilns in the world
for the firing of sanitary ware.
An Eljer tunnel kiln can ac-
commodate over fifty triple-deck
cars at one time, and a new load
ed car is pushed into the entrance
on regular schedule. AS the new
car enters the kiln, another is
pushed out, thus making a con-
tinuous firing of one carload af-
ter another possible.
Cast Iron Enamel Ware
No story about Eljer would be
complete today unless it contain
ed a brief outline of the splendid
work being produced in enameled
cast iron ware at the Salem and
Los AngelaS plants. The process
ing of enameled cast iron is a
matter of real skill. Workmen
must be well trained and equip
ment must be of modern design
and construction.
Production begins in the foun-
dry. Patterns for all models of
tubs, lavatories and sinks are
made by craftsmen from carefully
prepared drawings. Molten iron
is poured into sand moulds, which
faithfully reproduce every detail
of the piece and being made. Five
ton jolt machines and air ham
mers are used to assure perfect
reproduction.
When the iron has cooled, the
top mould is lifted off and the
rough casting is transferred to a
carrier to begin its journey
/ Al A Il Il L