Document B5nzqyL54wpzbxx2b74k5eoqX

1 BESTWALL GYPSUM COMPANY SEMI-ANNUAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT JULY 1, 1963 TO DECEMBER 31, 1963 Table of Contents Page 1 ................................. Foreword Page 2 ........ Market performance of new products, patent information Page 3 Projects Completed - Thincoat Plaster - R & D 219 Page 4-5 ........ Dens-Cote Pictures Page 6 ................... .... Pre-Fab Panels - R & D 223 Acoustical Si Ceiling Tile Products R & D 246 Page 7 ........ One Hour Rated Wood Floor &Ceiling R & D 256 Page 8 ................................. Predecorated Wallboard - R & D 215 Owens Corning Projects - R & D 210 Page 9 ................................. Grinding Industrial Plaster - R & D 250 Page 10 ........ Accumulation of Fire SiSound TestData R & D 249 Page 11 Projects NearingCompletion - Joint System Textures - R & D 261 Page 12-13 ........ Texture Pictures Page 14 ................... .... Ready Mix Joint Compound - R & D 211 Hof-Kor Panel Fire Tests - R & D 257 Page 15 ................................. New Ribs for Hummer Systems - R St D 209 5lFt Projects with Donn Products Fire Rated Columns - R & D 270 Page 16 ................................. One hour rated concrete floor & ceiling TABLE OP CONTENTS (COMT'D) Page 17 ........ Projects Underway Extrusion Method of Penning Board * R & D 21 Tooling Densite - R & D 132 High Expansion Densite - R & D 132 Raa Process Plaster - R & D 132 Page 18 .. Owens Corning Projects - R & D 210 Synthetic Gypsua - R & D 221 Page 19 ... Radiant Heating Panel R & D 235 Strong-Scott Calciner - R & D 236 Page 20 ........ Voluaetric Stucco Feeder - R & D 240 Continuous Calcination - R & D 253 Imrerfora Paper - R & D 254 Page 21 ........ Lightweight Gypsua Board - R & D 253 Insulation Board & Gypsua Board R & D 260 Page 22 ........ Density Gauge - R & D 262 Calcination & particle size studies R & D 263 Water Resistant Board - R & D 264 Page 23 ........ Moisture Recorder - R & D 265 Pirestop 120 Ceiling with openings R & D 266 Wood Grain Paper - R & D 268 Page 23-24 ................................. Plastic Coated Wallboard - R & D 269 Page 25 Sunaary FOREWORD ! This report covers the activities and accomplishments of our research program for the last six months in 1963. Our personnel was changed somewhat when Mr. E. A. Smith left the Company in August to attend medical school. Mr. N. F. Morrone was transferred from the Quality Department, bringing the Research Division back to six men including the writer. He believe that Mr. Morrone*s talents can be put to broader use in the Research Division. On the basis of the record of last year's R&D expenditures, projects presently underway and future projects being contemplated, a budget for 1964 was prepared and submitted to Management. The purpose of the budget is to have a record of the expenses, and to see that our money is wisely spent. Our total 1964 Research expendi ture is expected to approximate $150,000. Included In this report fife the market performance of products which have been developed through research. The fire ratings and other technical information developed for Sales and certain product Improvements cannot be elearly assessed. However, we trust that these accomplishments have made us more competitive and therefore have favorably affected our Sales. The major portion of the report Is devoted to the progress of the various projects. For clarification. It is separated into three sections: (1) Projects Co-pleted (2) Projects Nearing Completion (3) Projects Underway -1- MARKET PERFORMANCE OP NEW PRODUCTS JULY TH^TT DEOEMBBR 1963 ' I PRODUCT 1. Firestoo 120 Tile 2. Grabit Adhesive 3. One Day Joint Compound 4. Ready Mix Joint Compound . Dena-Cote Plaster 6, Dens-Cote Tape 7. Dens-Cote Base (T.C.Lath)* 8. lfc" #8 Drywall Sorews SALES VOLUME MILL BASE SALES 9$,000 sq.ft. * 13,572 37 tons 6,699 388 tons 64,501 482 pails 2,136 67 tons 3*894 1452 rolls 1,452 240,000 sq.ft. 9,720 372 boxes 1.098 103,272 estima: GROSS vri $ 4,372 3,977 18,293 61 1,220 591 3,620 284 32,418 *Araount of Dene-Cote Base which normally would he sold with 67 ton of Dens-Cote Plaster. Actually, increase in volume of Dens-Cote Base over the first half of 1963 was 220,000 sq. ft. PATENT INFORMATION Patents Issued - None Patent Applications Submitted (Method of Processing Synthetic Oypsum (One Day Joint Compound (Grabit Adhesive Patent Applications Being Prepared* Synthetic Gypsum (Canadian) Continuous Calcination (2) 2 ! 10 JOINT 5T5TEW SPRAY TFfTPFES - R & D 261 Objeotlvet To develop pre-aggregated textures far addition t o our line of Joint System products. Another objective is to eliminate the necessity for a printer over surfaoes whore One Day Joint Compound Is used prior to texture applications. Three new products and one improved product are our goal. The new products ares .1 Simulated Acoustic Texture 2. Sand Finish Texture 3. Masonry Spray Texture Our standard texture is to be improved so that it will hide One Day Joint Compound and Topping Confound and can be hand or spray applied. * Investigations All four products have been formulated and appear to give the desired finish. In addition. Laboratory tests show that all of these products will hide applications of One Day where a final coat of topping compound la used in conformance with specie ficationa. In addition, all of theae textures will ba whiter than competitive products and have excellent application properties. The plain texture, in particular, has been tremendously improved to the extent that it hides aa well as paint and has versatility in making a variety of textures possible from the one product. The tyne of surfaces possible with this texture, as well aa those from the slnvlated acoustic and aand finish products, are shown in the attached photographs. The masonry spray texture also requires that it have rust inhibitlve properties. There is no similar co-'oetitive uroduct, so this will be a first for Bestwall, if this texture is suooeSBful in actual use. Thus f8r, very few trials have been made. A number of trials which were scheduled were either postponed or cancelled during the re organization of the Sales Department. A limited release for the plain, sand finish, and simulated acoustic textures ia being considered, in order to exoedita the field performance evaluation. Texture produots represent only of our Joint System sa.ea, and it ia felt that this figure should be aa high as 10^. We believe these new textures will help bolster our Joint System sales. 11 5 Spray Orange Peel Plniah - 12 - '-1t AGGREGATED TEXTURES ' f ' -* 13 PROJECTS NEARING COMPLETION I 2. Ready Mix Joint Compound - R & D 213. Objective: To develop a ready mix or paste type joint compound to be competitive withoethiir similar products on the market. Investigation: A formula utilizing a dry binder was developed and field tested. The field reports were favorable. Fven though the economics were not completely favorable, a small facility in Akron was approved to furnish the requirements of a large Detroit job. Unfortunately the contractor ultimately decided to use dryjoint system on this job. As a result, only about 500 pails of ready mix were sold from Akron, whereas preparations had been made to furnish 3000 pails. We did not gain much from this limited experience, but It did tell us that there is very little potential for ready mix in the area'served by the Akron plant. The purpose of the dry binder as opposed to an emulsion binder was to eliminate the necessity for purchasing tanks, pumps, etc., to handle the emulsion. Other means have been found fee purchase and handle emulsion which do not require the large Investment for equipment formerly required. The enulslon formula offers a possible saving of 30/ per pall. Costs using this fornula have been worked out, and the economic picture la Improved but still is not too favorable. Some of the poorest areas economlcsll (Atlanta, Chicago, and Vest Coast) have the best potential marketwise, according to field surveys. On the other hand, the best areas economically (Akron and Acme) are the poorest market-wise. However, every year ready mix makes more impact on the joint system market and becomes more of a competitive factor. This competition Is important insofar as joint system sales are con cerned, but even more important Is Its Influence on board sales. The future course of this project is undecided at present, but It Is felt that It will be only a question of time before we are forced to meet this competition. 3. Cooperative Tests on Bof-Kor Honeycomb Panels - R & D 257 Objective: To test n partition of Hof-Ror prefab panels consist ing of a paper honeycomb core faced with 5/8" Firestor Eternawall to achieve one hour rating. Union Bag-Camp Corporation, the manu facturer of the honeycomb, is sharing In the cost of this test. Investigation: On the second try, the fire endurance test was passed. However, two hose stream tests have failed due to Inabili of the fasteners to hold the board in place. The probable causes are: the small heads of the Kolomln fasteners, and the trapping of moisture in the board core by the vinyl facing, and the limited number of fasteners. Larger headed Kolorpin fasteners have been located, but It has not yet been determined whether there is ratTleletit interest to make another try to pass the hose stream test. The Sales Department Is to advise us of their further interest. _ ilt -