Document e6VyYmO7x4o5LZOoVo08za5G

: .-r 'f'/.''' * <K*<*' ' ' *W'''>' * + *> ( 'report on visit to cement asbestos products company, f, ' WOODWARD, ALABAMA, U. S. A. ON 29TH SEPTEMBER, 1970 V ti Those present: Mr. Charles Cobb, Production Mr. Roy Jackson, Purchasing Agent, Ragland Plant. Mr. J. R. Owens :3 General 1 ACTION Cement Asbestos Products are owned 51 % by Woodward Iron, who ' manufacture iron pipes and PVC pipes, .and 49 % by Asarco. They s have one four metre Voith machine at Regland, 50 miles North East of Birmingham Alabama and a PVC pipe plant at Van Buren, Arkansas which is 500 miles away. Mr. H. Beasley their Vice President and General Manager is at present starting up this plant where they have built a new Asbestos Cement pipe machine. Calsoni quoted for the supply of this machine but they decided to use the basic equipment of the two pipe machines they originally bought from Hardies in Australia, and the remainder of the machine they have engineered themselves and procured locally. This new plant is likely to start up in the next few weeks. Blue S80 They forecast a requirement of 1,800 tons of Blue S80 for 1970 delivery. In the event they are likely to take only 300 tons. Their purchases since 19^8 have been as follows: - 1968 1969 1970 1, 300 tons 800 " 300 " The 1970 figure is the result of three factors: CAP 134346 (1) A three month strike at the Ragland plant. (2) Delays in the start up of the new plant at Van Buren. (3) Poor demand for Asbestos Cement pipe. (4} Above all, however, the reason that we have obtained leeo of their requirements this year is that for the first time Central Asbestos have obtained a share of their requirements. They aze obviously very friendly with Bob Carlsson of Special Asbestos, Chicago, who used to work for NAAC. Special Asbestos are now the agents of Central Asbestos and Cement Asbestos Products have decided as a matter of policy to purchase from two suppliers. In addition Central Asbestos are supplying a grade of fibre which they call L8 and which they claim is technically equivalent to S. 80. Mr. Charles Cobb agreed to send to us at Uxbridge a 2 lb. sample of this fibre so that we I could carry out Bauer-McNett surface area and re-inforcing teats to --___________-- - f* ft A A A.tl 1m #Vae a aa Ka v-. S' &: . w , '.V a*y. v 7* >' -2- Mr. Jackson said that the price of the Central's fibre 1*8 is $20 per short ton below our own price. .1 c,Q 1 told Jackson that the price of fibre for 1971 would increase to VA ^ $285 per metric ton. C1F New Orleans, an increase of 5.75 % H c ^oh the 197j3r price. I tolcThim, however, that he corild-asve J$3l. 1 D C^per ton if NAAC agreed to purchase the dollars against thi'scomracT^ . *1 ^ in Chicago. Jackson said that their requirements for fibre from us < i for 1971 were only 400 short tons. I will take up this matter further J^-wlth Asarco, in the meantime NAAC should offer 400 short tons at - $282 per short ton ClF but should hold ouThopes of >. slightly lower price for a larger share of their requirements. He mentioned that their opening equipment at Van Buren is air opening by Willow and then blending, therefore it is possible that they may need a cruder grade of fibre than at Ragland. At Ragland they simply blend Blue and Chrysotile fibres in a Kollergang with about 5 % of moisture for one minute and then add to a turbo pulper where they claim further fibetisation takes place. They use 20 % Blue to 80 % Asarco 4T3 Chrysotile which is the only grade they use. The fibre to cement ratio varies from 15 % to 22 % depending upon the diameter of the pipe. They claim that Certainteed are able to use lower percentages of fibre because they employ Cassiar fibres. _Cobb suggested that Mr3, Holtzo talks to Mr. Hora_cje_Bea8ley-jyho_co-ordinates the fibre requirements ~ for both their plants in-order to establish more accurately 1971 requirements. Amosite Cobb was very familiar with the advantages of using Amosite and if he requires any quantities for trials he will contact NAAC. Diatributton: Dr. R. Gaze, Mr. W. Scott, Dr. A. A. Hodgson, Mr. L. A. Van Roose, Mr. J. G. Mackeurtan, CASAP Mr. 1*. N. Kuyper, CASAP Mi> J. J. Polizzi, NAAC ^^kirs. J. Holtze, NAAC. JRO:ag 5. 10.70. CAP 134347