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NOVEMBER, 1957
WHILE OTHERS SLEEP. . .
900 Men, Women
Work At Night
ItXOST glorious night, Thou wert not sent for slumber.”
This sentiment was expressed by the famous English poet, Lord
Byron.
This, too, is the feeling of many Firestone Textiles people who
work during hours of darkness on the second and third shifts.
Every day at 3 p.m. and 11 p.m., Monday through Friday and
usually on Sundays beginning at 11 p.m., approximately 900 em
ployees pass through the plant gates to put in their “day’s” work.
Night at Firestone is no “quiet time.” Those who work during
the day would be surprised to see the traffic and activity in and
around the plant during the second and third shifts.
WHILE the shades of night are drawn, production of fabric
for the Company’s tire plants and sales yarn products for the out
side market continues to 7 a.m., when the first shift begins.
Of the Cotton Division, carding, spinning, spooling, winding
and weaving operations continue through the night and around
the clock. In the Synthetic Division, twisting, splicing, weaving
and plastic dip treating continue through the night.
Too, there is the Quality Control department, keeping constant
watch over materials as they roll from the production lines. A
laboratory technician is on hand until the end of the second shift,
and inspectors are on the floor 24 hours a day.
In the mechanical department a “skeleton” maintenance crew is
on hand to keep machinery and equipment on-the-go. And don’t
overlook the oiler, who goes from machine to machine, putting
“smoothness” into every moving part.
The Refreshment Service operates its wagons two complete
rounds on the second and third shifts.
OUTSIDE and inside the plant are the loading and unloading
crews and the men who handle materials on the production lines.
—More on Page 3
INCOMING synlhelic filamenl, bought from suppliers, begins
long journey through twisting, winding, spooling and weaving
processes. It will emerge as fabric that helps give Firestone tires
their long-wearing, safety features. Here, William Holton, fork
truck operator, transports beams from warehouse to plant.
1m
LOOM FIXERS are on the job around the clock, to keep ma
chines turning out top-quality tire fabric. James Isenhour (right),
five years on third shift, makes adjustments on one of the looms
allended by 15-year, third-shift weaver, James Dobbins.
i,
H^||!
THE ROAR OF MACHINERY fills the air and
the pac3 of production continues through the
night. Fluorescent lamps light the way as the
Firestone Textiles plant keeps its flow of products
on the road to the Company tire plants and out
side sales.
SPLICING synthetic cord with automatic sew
ing machine: Marjorie Anderson, on third shift
for ten years.
FIRST AID is a 24-hour service. Frances Wil
son, second shift nurse, helps Kenneth Bell, Ply
Tv/isting doffer.
YARN must be transferred from packages to
large beams, to go to looms for weaving into
fabric. Cloe McDaniel, third shift for five years,
operates warper.
QUALITY Control lab testing goes on until
11 p.m. William Roberts checks roving. Nettie
Thomas, Twisting inspector, watches. Inspecting
continues all night.
MATERIALS for outside market are produced
all night long. Edward Matthews, third shift
Sales Winding, readies a package for shipment.
PROTECTION is especially vital at nighl*
Watchman Dave Smith prepares clock for routine
trip through his third-shift territory.