BIRD'S EYE VIEW
Page 43
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By The Hawk
Described as Britain's oldest active oil man, Lewis Wallach (whose death is recorded on page 29) was certainly a shining example of the triumph of willpower. When he died last month he was 93: Yet at three years old, stricken with polio, doctors had given him only three years to live. But by treatment, operations and later, a tremendous effort of will he overcame his disabilities and by his late teens he was a sportsman of considerable calibre.
He was founder of the National Fund for Poliomyelitis —taking the view that, with help and encouragement, others could do what he had done.
Mr. Wallach was still working right up to the time of his death and until 1963 was still travelling abroad widely on business. As technical adviser to Sternol he was well known in the motor trade. Effort of Will Monday was moving day for the first of 2,000 members of the Ford company's central staff. From Dagenham, the City, the West End and various parts of Essex, the staff were being brought together under one roof at a huge, luxurious, six-storey office block on one of the highest hills in Essex. The place is Warley village, only a couple of gear changes from Brentwood, which is on main road and rail to London. Into the 39,000 sq. ft. of what is claimed to be Europe's most modern office block will move the company's directors and central staff—a mammoth operation that can be compared with some 500 families moving house.
Ford at Warley
Nothing has been spared by the company to ensure that only the most modern working facilities have been incorporated into the building, and as an example managing -director Mr. Allen Barke himself tested more than 100 types" of office clerks' chair after this had already been done by the planners before he gave the final O.K.
An ultra-modern air-conditioning system ensures that in the bitterness of Winter the offices' interior will be comfortably warm, and in the heat of summer, cool and refreshing. A series of rest rooms on all floors have been provided for female staff.; male stair even have a hairdresser's salon. And there is a fully equipped medical unit with a doctor and trained staff. Directors, often m their desks late at night and early a.m., can sleep on the premises if necessary. Staff rooms are equipped with facilities to dry out wet clothes, and from the bus station and car
Ultra-modern
park opposite, a brightly lit pedestrian subway leads to the office. It seems that everyone will be very happy..
Glass Fibre for Tyres In recent years glass fibre has
become an increasingly popular material. It has tended to be used in static applications, I understand, because difficulties are met with in trying to use it in dynamic applications, involving twisting and flexing. But now, according to a report I saw recently in an American publication, it is to be used in the U.S. tyre industry. Tests have been carried out on a Texas track and some test tyres have recorded a life of 60,000 miles. Dr. Alfred R. Marzocchi, manager of Industrial Textile Products Development, Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corporation, has tried these tyres on his own car—and found that after 20,000 miles the treads showed little signs of wear.
A Problem Solved Glass fibres used in tyre cord
arc only a few thousandths of an inch thick, and Since the flexing of the fibres together would destroy the cord, the glass has been coated with a non-abrasive material. Apparently this problem of glass fibre abrasion has been solved by using new types of plastics which not only Protect the glass but also adhere to both glass and rubber. Most of the improved qualities of glass fibre tyres are due,. it seems, to one characteristic of glass—it doesn't stretch. As Dr. Marzocchi explains, " Basically what you've got is a very stable material, glass, stabilizing a very unstable material, rubber. Everything that's been clone in tyres is aimed at that ". The new tyres =are to be made available in the U.S. after they have been tested under all circumstances They are shortly to be issued to American fleet operators.
Interesting to see how long it takes before these 4r.es are available in this country.
Birth of "Pointer" I must say that I thought that the first issue of Pointer" the Pointer Group's news letter was a pretty good effort. The group previously issued a six-monthly news shed which was pinned on the company's notice boards from time to time. Now they've become more ambitious. Issue No. I of " Pointer " was a fourpage effort which was very brightly presented. It is to appear at regular intervals and will be distributed to every employee of the group.
This, to my mind, is an excellent idea.