(Registered with U. S. Patent Office)
Volume VII
HIGH POINT, NORTH CAROLINA, MAY, 1954
No. 18
^fSSAGE
PROM THE
PRESIDENT
Purchasing Responsibilities Great
TO MY FELLOW WOHKKKS:
Surprisins developments some- |
limt's come from quite modest be- '
Siiinin"s. !
!!;ick in (he luition’s early days
an employee in a paper mill for-
S t to add to a batch of paper
j)ii!p the sizing ingredient used for
I r ating a smooth writing surface.
'I'he finished paper was porous,
absorbent, useless for writing. Hut
i; was the world’s first blotting
paper.
'I’his year’s fall and winter An
vil lirand lines include a group of
garments which also represent an
unexpected development. They are
not a result of oversight or error.
But they illustrate how a minor
item, made attractive by good
workmanship, can become an im
portant seller and result in as
sured employment for a great
many people.
1 refer to those garments «e
catalog as "plaid backs.”
In the fall of 1952 we heard of
this novel cloth, twill-like, solid
color material on one side, with
a bright plaid, napped surface on
the reverse side. We knew that
such a unique and inviting gar
ment would add further sparkle to
the winter line, and one lot num
ber ill boys’ longees was designed.
When dealers realized their sales
possibilities in such a specialty
garniBnt they snapped up all we
could make from the limited yard
age available.
With that experience as a guide,
last year we offered eight plaid
back numbers. Thousands of An
vil dealers sold them from last Au
gust up to this spring.
So in planning the 1954 fall line
we felt that such public favor
should be rewarded in two ways:
He would offer more plaid back
styles, and we would improve the
garments.
Meanwhile a cloth manufacturer
had been impressed by our exten-
(Contimied on Page Two)
THE MOUNTAINS IN THE SPRING — Mt. Mitchell as seen from
Buck Creek Gap across the Blue Ridge Parkway. The photograph
and informaiton on the parkway was sent to Sew It Seams through
the courtesy of Margaret Fishier, publicity director, Chamber of
Commerce, Asheville.
li Feet Itch Try Mountain Trip
W^hen spring- rplls around mem
bers of the Anvil Brand family are
known for their “itchie” feet. If
it’s a Sunday drive—or overnight
trip—you’re thinking about, we
suggest the mountains.
During the month of May spring
is racing up the mountain slopes
and by mid-month there will be
plenty of azaleas, rhododendrons,
and mountain laurel to see. Also,
you’ll find native shadblow', dog
wood, redbud, mountain magnolia,
and silverball among the numerous
flowering trees. Already you’ll
find the section around Tryon and
Chimney Rock, in the therminal
belt, in full bloom.
From mid-iMay through June
the Blue Rigde Parkway is at its
best. A new conception in roads,
the parkway is designed especially
for the leisurely tourist. Commer
cial vehicles and road signs are
b'anned from this road that follows
the crest of the Blue Ridge range
of mountains. Not only does it
climb more than a mile high near
Mt. Mitchell, but it also burrows
through eight tunnels, the longest
near Craggy Gardens being 775
feet. The road is so well engi
neered that speeds up to 45 miles
are permitted, and speeds are
marked on all cui-ves.
The parkway, open April to
November, has been finished to
Asheville. , Between Asheville and
Buck Creek Gap, the mountains
are spectacular and jumbled,
reaching their greatest height in
the Black Moutnain Range at Mt.
Mitchell. The parkway leaves the
Blue Ridge at Black Mountain
Gap, following the Blacks and
Great Craggies, an lthen dropping
down to'ward Asheville.
Grandfather Mountain, one of
the oldest, shaggiest mountains in
the world, dominates the scene
just north of Linville. Near here
is the Linville Falls Recreation
Area which was recently added to
the parkway through the generous
donation of John D. Rockefeller,
Jr.
North of Grandfather Mountain,
near Blowing Rock, are the Moses
H. Cone and Julian Price proper
ties which have been donated to
the National Park Service as me
morial parl:s in the Blue Ridge
Parkway.
When traveling the parkway it
is well to keep your gas tank
full. If you find you’re running
, low, watch fo rthe signs along the
roads which direct you off the
parkway to nearby communities.
All parkway accommodatioiijs are
scheduled to open May 1 and, of
(Continued on Page Eight)
Worries Range From
! Buttons To Brooms
' Have you ever stopped to think
Ilf the hundreds of items Anvil
i Brand must buy ? Things needed
to go into the making of the com
pany’s products and other items
it is necessary to keep on hand
just to keep the plants open?
For instance there are those
things caled “trimming”—things
that are needed to go into the
actual making of our work ’n
play garments. These include but
tons, thread, pins, webbing, zip
pers, labels, tickets, and tags—and
many others. For the shipping de
partment the company must buy
such things as cartons, wrapping
paper, twine, steel tape, glue,
I shipping labels, bills of lading. The
I sewing rooms need needles, ma
chine parts, oil, electric lights,
sweeping brooms, toilet supplies,
and equipment, and many other
items.
Consider the office for a mo
ment. They must have stationery,
envelopes, pencils, carbon paper,
general office equipment, type
writer ribbons, al kinds of forms
such as invoices, order forms, pay-
'I'oll forms, and checks. The main
tenance department needs coal to
keep the plants warm in winter,
brooms, soap, towels.
All in all it seems that the list
of items that must be bought
through our purchasing department
is a never ending one. Requisitions
for anything bought by Anvil
Brand, with the exception of cloth,
must go throug-h the purchasing
department which is headed by
Earnest McCall. Fabric purchases
are many through the firm’s pro
curement program which requires
a constant study of market trends
and which is headed by Executive
Vice President Floyd D. Mehan.
In order to keep operations run
ning smoothly the purchasing de
partment must keep a perpetual
inventory of every item needed
by the company. McCall keeps the
inventory cards on a chart on his
office walls where he can tell at
a glance at the chart pegs just
about how much of each item we
have on hand. A flick of the finger
(Continued on Page Three)