Haulage Opportunities
Page 57
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AN occasional criticism of these notes is that they paint the trade situation in this country in colours which are too glowing. Any such criticism can only be the outcome of a misunderstanding. This is not a picture of the state of trade, but is actually an indication of those departments of industry which are doing well and therefore offer, as the title states, " haulage opportunities." There is no point in making reference to trades which are stagnant.
As a general indication. of retail trades which are worthy of special attention, the published figures for June are of interest. The most active departments are the furniture and clothing trades, which show increases, compared with June of last :year, of 9,3 per cent. and 4.7 per cent. respectively. The overall increase in the retail trades was 2 per cent,
Other data of interest relate to areas in which new factories are being planned or erected and existing factories enlarged. Several new factories are being erected at Letchworth, and others are being increased in size.. The British Tabulating Machine Co. has just completed some extensions, whilst Irving Air Chute of Great Britain, Ltd., and the Anglic Match Co. are building new works in Letchworth. .
The new works of British Titan Products, Ltd., Billingham, to which .reference was recently made in these columns, is now open. Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson; Ltd., Wallsend-on-Tyne, is preparing to manufacture aircraft, and a new factory has been opened at Howdon-on-Tyne for the production of portable wood buildings.
A new industry for Radcliffe is the manufacture of women's felt hats, and in Wigan three new industries have just been introduced, namely, basket making, slipper making and bleaching.
Considerable progress can now be reported concerning the great new steel works at Corby, Northants. A company manufacturing sand-faced concrete roofing tiles has just begun operations at Leicester, and in Glasgow a new factory is to be opened for the production of flocks.
Reports concerning the heavy industries are still good. Middlesbrough has good orders for iron and steel products; engineering firms in the Midlands are preparing for big business, especially motorcar manufacturers; Staffordshire wrought-iron makers are busy and deliveries of strip steel are regular. Shipbuilders on the Clyde, the Mersey and the Tyne report increasing activity.
Babcock and Wilcox, Ltd., Renfrew, has received a contract valued at 2750,000, Boilers for South Africa are to be manufactured at the concern's factories at Renfrew and Dumbarton, and continuous employment will be found for many workers. Some 5.000 men are on a three-shift system
at Renfrew, and a dayand night-shift .system is being employed at Dumbarton, where the company has 1,500 men working. The establishment is busier than at any time since the war.
Cotton and Wool.
The woollen mills are stilt quiet. Manchester reports a continuation of active inquiry from India and a series of steady purchases from home markets.
Boots and Shoes: Leather.
• The demand for holiday, footwear continues. From the leather markets the report is that orders are of the "
hand-to-mouth" variety.
• Drapery and Clothing. Prospects in the drapery and clothing trade are stated to be good. Wholesalers are, at the moment, taking regular deliveries of materials and goods from mills and factories, which they expect to have to redeliver to retailers as from the beginning of September.
Timber and Building.
There is no sign of• any decrease in activity in the building trade. Plans passed during June for buildings outside the London County Council area were in value 32.7 per cent, in excess of those for the same period of last year. Throughout the first six months of this year plans for factories and workshops related to building work costing 23,000,000, as compared with 21,800,000 for the corresponding period of last year.
There is throughout the country promise. of work in abundance for the building trade, for some time. The consumption of' timber is active.
It is now proposed to use for brickmaking purposes the waste material after oil and other volatile matter have been extracted from shale, and the production of building bricks utilizing this material is now proceeding at Pumpherston.
The following figures relate to large works which are contemplated :—An entertainment centre at Colwyn Bay, estimated to cost 241,911. Lewisham
(London) is considering erecting a swimming bath, etc., to cost 270,000, and, a bathing pool is to be built at Whitley and Monliseaton (235,000). Huddersfield is to spend 263,500 on college extensions, whilst Poplar (London) is to carry out road works (2133,000).
Schools are to be erected at Twickenham (230,650); Adwick (266,035); Bradford (245,000); Goole (230,436); Surrey (2160,962), and Bucks (2150,000). Croydon is to spend 2243,885 on rehousing schemes; 160 houses are to be erected at Slough (259,200); 110 at Annfield Plain, Durham, and 88 at Dundee (230,000).
Actual contracts placed include the following major items :—Gee, Walker and Slater, Ltd., Derby, is to erect a hospital, convalescent villas and extension to tile nurses' home at Burntwood (241,656). J. Gerrard and Sons, Ltd., Swinton, Manchester, is to build 40 tenement dwellings at Butler Street, Bethnal Green. London, E.2, for the B.C. (217,074).
J. McCretan, Ltd., 25, West Terrace, North Ormsby, Middlesbrough, is to erect 90 houses on Whinney Banks estate and 90 at Bramble Farm, whilst Messrs. J. and F. Buckle, 1, Bath Place, Stockton-on-Tees, are to build 24 cottages at Whinney Banks and 24 at Bramble Farm, for Middlesbrough T.C. J. W. Braithwaite and Co., Ltd., Heaton, is to construct 119 houses, and Messrs. W. D. Allison, of Whitburn, 145 houses, on the Fergusons Lane estate, for Newcastle-on-Tyne T.C. (234,554 and 242,412 respectively).
A school is to be erected at Wallington by Moss and Son, Ltd. (231,394). Messrs. W. J. Pople and Sons, High Street, Burnham-on-Sea, have secured the contract for the erection of a police station, courtroom, etc., at Westonsuper-Mare (223,600).
Hardware and Cutlery.
Hardware manufacturers are still well employed, one maker of enamel ware having put in hand considerable extensions to premises to cope with the flow of business. The nut and bolt and kindred trades. are active. It is almost amazing to be able to report that, notwithstanding the enormous output of razor blades from Sheffield, further increases are being experienced.
London Docks.
The following is the number of ships arriving at the London docks, wharves and jetties named from August 3-7 inciusive:----Docks: King George V, 6. Royal Albert, 5. Royal Victona, 2. Surrey Commercial, 5. West India, 3. East India, 3. South West India, 1, Tilbury, 8. Tilbury Stage, 3. Millwall, 4. London, 4. WHARVES: Hays, 5. Middleton's, 1. Mark Brown's, I. Regent's Canal, 1. Tilbury Jetty. 2.