Big Dairy Business Developed Around Road Transport
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AWAY back in 1900 Mr. F. L. Dobson Berwick Road, Levenshulme, near Manchester, was delivering 18 gallons of milk per day by horsed transport from his Small dairy. To.clay his four sons, Messrs. E, L., V. L., Herbert, and Harold Dobson, have one, of the most up-to-date dairies in the North, the quantity of milk handled being 18,000 gallons daily. The progress which this concern has made, and which' is Mainly due to the foresight ,and hard work of the four brothers, has been continuous, and, after making various moves, the year 1924 saw the Company in the premises it noW Occupies in Lloyd Road, Levens
One Of the first things realized by the Dobson brothers was the need for quick, dean and reliable transport, both in respect of retail and wholesale delivery work, and in the colleetion of Milk from the Surrounding country districts.
Rail transport was found to be too slow for collection from such areas as Cheshire Derbyshire, and Westmorland, and the most satisfactory alternative naturally lay in road transport. The first'motor vehicle to be acquired by the DobiOns was aModel T Ford and this was purchased in 1925. Some idea of the extent of the growth of the business sinCe those days can be gauged from the fact that tn-day,'the, concern operateS eight Seddon oilers; an Albion oiler, three Albion petroldriven. vehicles ; 20 electric's (Morrison and Midland Makes), and 16 hoses.
The big problem in the building up of this extensive business has centred around transport, and although in 1983 the company was operating 16 motor Vehielei, it Was necessary, froth the aspect-of economy, to go back t'o horses for local house-to-house deliveries. In 1938 it was decided to purchase a
number of electrically driven vehicles, and these have proved to be the ideal" means for carrying out local-delivery
work. With this type there is, of course, no difficulty in starting, it is smooth running, clean, and hygienic, and can be easily managed by women drivers.'
As As is usual with battery-electriCs, the Charging is carried out over night, because not only is this more:' conveniEnt from the operator's point' of view but it is usually more acceptable to the electricity undertaking, as it helps to balance out the mains supply..
The introduction of the electries did
not mean the complete ahandonment of horsed transport, as. the company still uses a number of animals for local work.
Oil-engined tankers are. used for the collection of milk in bulk and for wholeside cleliVery purposes, the steel-lincd type being preferred to the heavier glass-lined form. A vehicle which has proved invaluable is a Seddon oiler with a low-loading platform body, this being used for collecting full churns of milkfrom the farms. In connection with this vehicle it is found that one than can handle such a churn with ease, whereas, with a platform of the usual height, two men are necessary. This type of Machine will carry 100 10 gallon containers. •
Dobsons Dairies, Ltd., has a wellappointed ,laboratory attached to its business and here the milk which is collected from the various farms is subjecte.d to tests twice a month. Mr. Eric Dobson's daugkter is the head of the laboratory, and she takes a keen
interest in this specialized side of the business.
In order to ascertain whether the correct vitamin content remains following the pasteurizing and sterilizing processes, the milk is subjected to further tests, and, in this way, it.is possible to keep a check on the pasteurizing and sterilizing plants.
The pasteurizing process involves heating the milk to 145 degrees Po at which temperature harmful bacteria are destroyed without affecting the valuable properties of the milk. After this process. the milk is cooled in a special dirt-proof chamber.
As a further safeguard, frequent samples are taken to corporation officials to ensure that the milk is processed to conform with the Ministry. of Health's standard as laid dqwn for
licensed pasteurizers. After the milk leaves the cooling room, it flows into tlse liottle,filling machine, which not
only performs this function, but automatically fits the sealing discs. At no stage is the milk touched by hand, and it has no opportunity of making contact with the air until the bottles are opened in theconsumer's home, Dobsons Dairies, Ltd., was amongst the first concerns in the North of England to install pasteurizing plant, and, in fitting out its dairy with themost modern machinery for washing, filling, and other processes, which go towards milk distribution on a large scale, it antieipated the public's need for clean milk. Incidentally, large deliveries are made to many schools which, to-day, form an important side of any large dairy business.
As an instance of the degree of thoroughness with which the hygienic side is watched, it may be mentioned that churns • cleaned by machine are subjected to a cold-water rinse, the effects of two soda jets, a hot-water rinse, and lastly to two hot-air dryers. In 1935 a cheese-making depot was opened in Barnohlswick, Lancashire, and it is to this depot that any' milk surplus, such as occurs in the summer period, is taken, At the concern's dairies in Levenshulme there is a modern milk-drying machine and butter-making plant, both of which are also used when there is a milk surplus.
It is unnecessary to emphasize the importance of the maintenance of clean milk supplies, foe doctors and scientists are agreed that it contains all the vitamins necessary for growth and the maintenance of health. Such an important part of the Nation's diet demands the utmost care in its trans port and processing, and it can be said that Dobsons Dairies, Ltd., is playing a most valuable part in ensuring that all the milk with which it deals conforms to the highest possible standards of quality.