Evening star., 1954-11-28
Factories

The third category sought by EDO
Is flight industry. research groups
and similar organizations" Like
wholesale and distributive busi-
neSses, "market-oriented light in
dustry"-whose output goes largely
to nearby consumers-should find
Washington an ideal place to settle.
AS far as industry is concerned, the
accent is on the word eight"
A good example of such an in
dustry, EDO says, is cookie factory.
Washington now gets its CONNER
cially packaged crackers and cookies
from Richmond, Baltimore and
Philadelphia. But national figures
indicate that the District area could
consume the output of factories
employing 600 to 700 workers. At
prevailing wages, the payroll of
such concerns would be in the neigh
borhood of SIS million year. And
using the non-basic to basic yard
stick of II to 10. the appearance Of
700 new industrial employees on the
scene would result in a total en-
ployment increase here of nearly
1,500 jobs.
Considerable research has gone
into the problem of-attracting mar
ket-oriented light industry here.
EDO officials think the best bets"
would be the following. In addition
to cookie factory:
Paperboard containers and boxes
(now 260 employees; present poten-
tial, 1900 employees; motor vehicle
assembly (none now: potential. A.
OOO; toys and athletic goods (15
against 10000, and fabricated plastic
products (also Is against 10000.
EDO also believes an expansion
OF scientific instrument manufac-
turing (Which is, of course, not
market-oriented) also is feasible.
Other Plants
Other types Of manufacturing
considered likely prospects for the
area are candy. mems suits, metal
Office furniture, cosmetics. comput-
ing machines, cash registers and
vending and amusement machines.
Except for As workers engaged in
the making of candy. these types
OF manufacturing are not repre-
sented in metropolitan Washington.
Advantages to such light indus
tries. cited by EDO, are the pres
ence Of large market, high per-
capita income in the area, and the
general availability of labor.
Factories such as these could To-
cate almost anywhere in Greater
Washington, according to EDO. It
is more than likely that they would
choose sites in the suburbs. Almost
every section of the Metropolitan
Area contains suitable locations for
factories.
Advantages to the communities
concerned would be obvious: "a New
sources of tax revenue; (2) new
sources of basic employment; 60
new justification for expansion of
services and trades.
Reseorch Factor
Research groups and similar
organizations are told of Washing
toms Importance to their line OF
work. edo points out that last year
the total research bill of the coun-
try amounted to about 81 billion dol
lars. The Federal Government
picked up SIS billion of this check.
A research unit, located here, could
be in close touch with Government
needs, and would have readily avail
able the research facilities of the
Federal Government, such as the
National Bureau of Standards.
One such organization is Melpar,
Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of
the Westinghouse Air Brake Co.
Third biggest manufacturer in the
Washington area, Melpar does
pilot-line production as well as re-
search for its parent company.
Though Melpar was established in
Washington long before EDO came
into being-and EDO does not take
credit for Melpar's presence here