Document vBjk69Z2pGvBEzMwbk6doQ1Kw

Monsanto I MOM l HAMf A l.OCAt |i OAT t SUSJfCT Ef f.BENCt TO C. Paton - St. Louis January 2, 1973 DIELECTRIC FLUIDS/COMPLAINTS J.G. Bryant - 1650 D.R. Hansen - 1800 D. Mellon - 1010 H.R. Ford - 1070 P.L. Slayton - 1650 D. Goodwillle - 5080 I recently spent half a day at W.G. Krummrlch reviewing complaints on dielectric fluids. I thought you might be Interested In what came out of our discussions. 1. Through November, 1972 there were 15 complaints on dielectric ''Fluids entered against the plant compared to 9 In 1971* Interestingly, however. In 1972 only 8 of the complaints were formally entered by sales. I would ask that all complaints be formalized. If we don't consider it important enough to write up the complaint I think we are being unfair to Manufacturing. Generalized allegations of poor quality, bad order handling etc., will get us nowhere. Action can and will be taken on specifics. 2 In summary the complaints fall into the following categories: mi mi Quality 35 Leakage Bulk Drums 15 30 T/C Heating 2. 1 Communications on SSI 0 4 * 9 15 3. I attach the details of each 1971/1972 complaint. 0S\N 293338 STLCOPCB4065444 -2- Details Quality Nature of-Complaints: 1971 1 on polypropylene contamination 1 on acetic acid odor 1 on refractive index 1972 1 on P.P. contamination of transformer fluid 3 on moisture 1 on attapulgus earth contamination The P.P. contamination issue is now solved. On attapulgus earth contamination, this came through from the polishing filter. At one time we used to add this deliberately to drums of fluid to improve dielectric properties, WGK would like to know if the customer (Westinghouse-Sharon) found this troublesome. - Attention: D. Mellon Leakage - Bulk . Art Leisy and Bob McCutcheon are well aware of this one. Supervision is checking each car before it leaves WGK. In addition a new Garlock gasket is being fitted to the T/C dome on each shipment. This has been in practice now for 2 months. Attention D, Mellon: McGraw-Edison had requested a special teflon gasket be used. WGK think Teflon is a mistake as it could cold flow and hence the bolts work loose. Please check whether McOraw-Kdlson will give our standard procedure a trial and what their reasons for the change were. Leakage - Drums Since going to a heavier gauge drum, there have been no leakages reported. Early in 1973 we will be making further'drum improve ments: . DSW 293339 STLCOPCB4065445 -3- a) some heavy gauge b) color change--------------yellow c) PGB warning statements and handling" Instructions will be.silk-screen printed onto the drum In 7 or 8 languages. ' d) drum' lid seal compound will be changed. The change In sealing compound is expected to improve electrical quality when the material arrives at destination. This could be a plus in export sales where customers say competition's quality is higher than ours. T/C Heating 1. W. G. K. can ship T/C's at temperatures up to 125-130C. but WGK cannot be responsible for what happens after T/C leaves the plant. In other words Monsanto cannot guarantee the temperature at which the material will reach the customers. 2. Customers requiring T/Cs to leave our plant hot must have their own means of handling T/Cs if they arrive too cold to unload. We do not currently heat T/Cs for G.E. (who Bake Aroclor l||?4) or Westlnghouse. Therefore any customer going to bulk must take the need for heating into account, particularly if they locate, like Jard, in places like Vermont. 3. It costs Monsanto $50 to heat a car. 4. If the railroad delay a car or have to repair . it en route (rather rare) and the customer : wants this brought back to WGK for reheating all costs associated with the return and rehearing will be for."the customer's account. 5. Normally we load T/Cs at 95-100C. so it may require a further 24 hours to get the temperature up to 130C. WGK cannot load and get a T/C up to 130C. in one day, so allow for this on order lead-times. 6. A point to remember regarding heated T/Cs is the weight situation. An 8,800 gallon T/C of Aroclor 1016 will hold 101 M lbs. or Just over the 100M lb3. freight rate break. At 130C., this same' car will only hold 8,300 gallons Aroclor 1016 or 95 M lbs. OSW 293340 STLCOPCB4065446 -4- Please be aware of this because we can't ship at 130C. and meet the 100M lbs. freight rate on Aroclor 1016 in an 8,800 gallon car. Communications If SSI are heeded field sales should make sure the customer gives COP the agreed-upon wording for SSI. It's amazing but often the customer thinks he gave COP the correct SSI but in fact he didn't - or at least not in a form so that the plant could inter pret what was wanted. Also, this wording must be given with each order not Just once. Tank Car Fleet 1. We should be able to handle bulk orders for U.S.A./ Canada with around 45 T/Cs. In 1971 we had 69 T/Cs and as of 12/18/72 we are down to around 50 T/Cs. WGK say the situation is "snug" which is really how we must run a business to contribute to the profit goals that Cunningham sets for M.I.C.C. 2. All our present cars are in good condition: MCPX are the newest with MINX, GATX and ACFX being older but we should not equate age with bad condition. (Wine in old bottles, etc. - ask Paul or Ralph!) 3. We still have a few lined cars but they are in Pyranol service only. All Aroclor 1016 ships in aluminum cars. 4. Presently our fleet consists of 1 x 10M gallon car, 6 x 4M gallon cars with the remainder being 8Ms and 8.8Ms. (The latter in greater numbers.) 5. The size of our fleet will be kept under review so that customer demands are met. The plant agrees to notify COP if they cannot ship on the date requested in the size car requested. Customer Visits WGK personnel brought up the point that they feel they are regarded as "johnny-come-latelys" in the PCB business. They have in fact made PCBs for over 20 years although An niston normally handled dielectric grade. We utilized Anniston personnel (e.g. Jerry Miller et al) on customer visits on dielectrics. We have not done this too much with WGK personnel. I sincerely believe that WGK personnel are dedicated to providing what the customer wants. Art Leisy, the General Superintendent, Bob Mcutcheon, the Production Supervisor, and Ron Kuster, quality control labs, will make calls with you on customers If this can be help ful. The last thing we want to have is the image that WGK STLCOPCB4065447 DSW 293341 5 is a poor man's Anniston. Nothing could be further from the truth. . This memo is far longer than I intended but I hope you get the message that Manufacturing/Distribution/COP take their duties seriously and want to improve wherever they can. Above all, if you think you or the customer have grounds for complaint, please be specific and take the time to document it so that it can be properly investigated. I hope you find this analysis of value. /pep Cumming Paton STLCOPCB4065448