OCTOBER, 1958
PAGE 5
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SOFTBALL CHAMPLONS
Girls softball league champion,ship o{ 1958
went to the Firestone adult girls team, shown
here with self-appointed mascot little Debbie
Creasman. front row, left. Team members in
this row are Pat Crawley, Marion Turner, Vickie
Bolick, Lillian Deaton, Brenda Rawlins, and
Juanita Rawlins. Second row, from left: Starlene
Crawford, Shirley Costner. Emily Edison, Vivian
Robinson, Marlene Nivens, Betty Travis, Carol
Stines, and Earlene Creasman. Doris McCready,
Andrea Barnes, Katherine Edwards and Tommie
Sue Atkinson were not present for the picture.
WARP AND FILLING
Of The Passing Scene
The scarcer an article (goods or service), the higher the
price of it becomes. The more plentiful the article, the low
er the price of it. This principle of supply and demand is one
of Nature’s laws and cannot be set aside by man. Govern
ment efforts to suspend or ignore this principle have always
led to disastrous consequences.
56 Millionth Tire On The Way
Seven years before Firestone
began operating its textile plant
in Gastonia, it began producing
tires in a new factory at Los
Angeles, Calif. Now, after 30
years of operation, the plant
there is well into production of
its 56 millionth auto tire.
A ceremony in late summer
marked the 30th anniversary of
the Firestone Tire & Rubber
Company of California, a sub
sidiary of the parent company
with headquarters in Akron,
Ohio. On the plant’s 30th birth
day, it produced the 55 millionth
auto tire.
Among dignitaries on hand
was Los Angeles county Board
of Supervisors chairman Burton
W. Chance, who honored the
firm’s president, Leonard K.
Firestone, by presenting a reso
lution passed by the county
supervisors. It set forth the com
pany’s contributions to the in
dustrial and civic growth of Los
Angeles.
In addition to tires and tubes,
the California plants manufac
ture the Corporal guided missile
and other weapon systems, fab
ric aircraft fuel tanks, molded
rubber goods; and process re
claim rubber.
NC Is A Leader
In Industry
Firestone Textiles of Gastonia,
having the distinction of being
one of the world’s largest tire-
fabric producers, plays a lead
ing role in making North Caro
lina one of twelve foremost
industrial states in the nation.
This fact on industrial leader
ship in the North State is among
those presented by a professor
in the sociology department of
the University of North Caro
lina, in a recently-published
book, “North Carolina; An Eco
nomic and Social Profile.” Some
other interesting facts pointed
out by the author. Dr. H. S.
Hobbs Jr., are:
The “average” citizen of the
state is 25 years old, native born,
and has 7.9 years of formal
schooling.
The Tar Heel State ranks first
in 1) Furniture production, 2)
Cigarette production, 3) Hosiery
manufacturing, as well as being
outstanding in other textile
production, 4) Number of miles
of paved highways. North Caro
lina in 1958 has upwards of
80,000 miles of paved roads.
One out of every 35 North
Carolinians goes to college.
Most of the food consumed in
Tarheelia comes from other
states, because, despite the large
farm population and the great
number of farms, the state de
votes its farm output mainly to
“money crops,” such as tobacco.
North Carolina raises 41 per
cent of the total tobacco supply
in the United States.
North Carolina has excellent
physical assets — fine forests,
good water resources, and un
excelled tourist attractions.
Quality, Fair Prices—They Encourage Sales
Square Dancing
On Play Schedule
The Fall-Winter schedule of
athletic-recreation activities
which got underway at the plant
in late September will continue
into mid-January, 1959.
Included on the roster of or
ganized recreational activities
are: Bowling, shuffleboard, bil
liards, volleyball, target shoot
ing, checkers, basketball, and
square dancing.
Many of the sports activities
here are engaged in by both men
and women from all depart
ments and all three shifts at the
plant. Inter-departmental com
petition is especially keen in
bowling, shuffleboard, billiards
and checkers.
Some outside games, like
volleyball and basketball, are
played on an inter-industry
league basis. Those participating
are employees and their chil
dren.
Outstanding on the recreation
program this season is the Fire
stone Square Dance Team, now
in its third year of organization.
Since the team made its ap
pearance in 1956, its members
have won wide acclaim for
their performance at outstand
ing athletic contests and other
special events throughout North
and South Carolina.
Share...
through your UNITED FUND
In-Plant solicitation
continues through October
For the want of a nail the shoe was lost,
For the want of a shoe the horse was lost,
For the want of a horse the rider was lost.
For the want of a rider the battle was lost,
For the want of a battle the kingdom was lost—
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
—Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanac
Most of us remember from our school days Ben
Franklin’s poem on the subject of carelessness,
and we know the thought expressed is often ap
propriate when something big goes wrong.
If a tire becomes dangerously-worn it may be
because we have not corrected the poor wheel
alignment. If the refrigerator goes bad, it could
be because someone in the factory left out a few
small bolts and screws.
Little things like these can make the difference
between efficient, economical operation of home
equipment, and unsatisfactory service with ex
pensive replacements and repairs.
THE SAME is true—on a much larger scale—
in the factory where you work, and in the prod
ucts you turn out for the customer.
It is well known that the company which has
the lowest labor costs per unit produced, the best
cost and waste controls, and the most efficient
operations, can keep its costs down to provide
attractive prices for the customer. Thus, more
sales and more profits.
More sales, and more profits in turn, provide
more jobs for more people, more security for the
people already working, and more opportunity
for advancement as the company expands. More
sales and more profits also provide money to be
put back into the business for better equipment,
and up-to-date plants to make better products at
less unit cost. This brings more sales and thus
continuing success for the company and its em
ployees.
Business goes to the company with the great
est “know-how” in methods and machines, and
with the employees who work the most efficient
ly.
HOW CAN Firestone Textiles people do their
best on the job? Of course, there are many
answers. Here are a few:
1) Quality Workmanship. Avoid careless mis
takes, such as allowing stray oils and greases to
touch the cord and fabric, or materials earlier in
the manufacturing process. This results in dam
aged products and lowered quality. Another ex
ample of thoughtless workmanship is mixed
identification on yarns.
2) Reduced Down-Time: Through greater care
in operating equipment and reporting minor
equipment “ailments” before they become major
repair jobs, employees can help to avoid costly
repairs and down-time, with wage payments
without production.
Any time lost because machines are idle, or any
loss through scrapped products, results in a great
er cost per unit of production. Where does this
lead? To higher prices and less business. Work
ers who do a conscientious job are penalized along
with those who overlook this principle.
3) Good Maintenance: Failure to do a good job
of repairing a machine not only can cause further
damage to the machine, but also additional idle
time for it.
4) Saving on Utilities; The company has tre
mendous expenses for electricity, hydraulic pow
er, steam, air and water. Failure to report a steam
or water leak can result in great loss. Even
neglecting to turn out lights or turn off air con
ditioners and fans when no shift is working, can
increase cost considerably.
5) Careful Materials-Handling: As example, a
roll of fabric is allowed to fall and become rup
tured. Damaged materials not only waste the
goods, but creates a bad housekeeping condition.
6) Proper Use of Equipment: Using a hook or
other piece of equipment for a purpose for which
it is not intended, makes for poor efficiency. It
may damage the equipment on which it is used.
Such a simple thing as a pipe wrench used on a
square-headed set screw will destroy the ad
justment on a machine.
The list could go on and on, couldn’t it? These
are just a few illustrations of how to work ef
ficiently. Each worker knows many other ways
that lead toward better production at less cost—
factors which help make jobs more secure.
If s not just the
hours we put in...
But what we put
into those hours I