Document 2qNwvO9VLoJj0MQ8ow49e6bpN

' ' Cleveland (f. flurphey j j j j WERIN LLEETTTTEERR OOFF Fr o m Cleveland o f f ic e Executive Research OFFICE d at e' December 20, 1937 s u bj ec t Burgess Titanium DICTATED BY Ur, Martin, after deciding to make an official investigation of the possibilities of the Burgess Titanium process, instructed me to handle the proposition* Saving already had an opportunity to make a casual survey of the process, I realized that there would be many complications and therefore asked for assistance in making what started out to be a six months study of pilot plant operation* Mr, fiain generously loaned Mr. Saunders, who, with Ur, Roosevelt, an experienced titanium engineer, and Mr. Fairbank, a foremost patent attorney, formed an expert trio without a peer in the pigment industry. Mr. Saunders checked the chemistry, Mr, Roosevelt the engineering, and Ur, Fairbank the patent angle. Early in the investigation it became evident that radical changes would have to be made, for while the chemistry of the process was sound, the efficiency was very low, resulting in an over-all cost of more than $1.00 per lb. exclusive of labor. As a confirmation of our own findings we called for a report from an outside authority, who was able to show where most of the losses occurred. The major loss was due to corrosion of the steel apparatus, a source of loss not possible to correct in the present pilot plant; nor at that time were we certain that proper non-corrosive materials could be secured for two of the important pieces of apparatus. A later change in concentration of solution and direction of flow apparently has made correction possible. Mr, Fairbank supplemented the patent survey already made by Mr. Story, the Burgess attorney, and while we found as a result of his search two possible points of patent conflict, we were able to adjust the process to eliminate these so that we now apparently have a protect able process free from infringement, and one which is chemically sound and capable of operating at a competitive cost. EE7T:w 0007-SWP-000005291