DEPARTMENTAL MANAGERS
1. JOHN REID,
Productive Manager, Clydebank.
2. ALLAN STEWART,
Distributive Manager, Clydebank.
3. MALCOLM M‘FARLANE,
Delivery Manager, Clydebank.
4. DUNCAN M‘INNES,
Branch Manager, Belfast.
5. WILLIAM BELL,
Productive Manager, Belfast.
6. DUNCAN GRAHAM,
Branch Cashier, Belfast.
THE SOCIETY’S PROGRESS.
Notwithstanding the difficulties which the depression of 1908–09–10 had placed in the way of increased trade for the Society the progress made was substantial, and the yearly turnover, which was £480,000 at the beginning of 1906, had risen by the end of 1910 to £564,000, while the membership had increased from 143 to 171. At the beginning of the period the weekly turnover in sacks averaged 3,405, while by the end of the period it was 3,795. This was a much smaller increase than in the preceding period, and it was also a decrease of 125 sacks from the trade which was being done in 1907–08, but in view of the labour conditions which prevailed in Glasgow during the later years of the period it was very good indeed, representing as it did an increase in turnover of 10,000 sacks a year.
CHAPTER XVII.
PROGRESS CONTINUES STEADY.
BISCUIT FACTORY REMODELLED—COVER-PLATE OVENS—COMPLETION OF M‘NEIL STREET BAKERY—A SERIOUS FIRE—A NEW VENTURE—SUCCESSFUL CONTRACTORS—BLEACHED FLOUR—A BREAD TEST—ADVERTISING WORK—FRESH OVERTURES TO C.W.S.—A TESTING DEPARTMENT CONSIDERED—PROPOSED SUPERANNUATION FUND—THE INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE CONGRESS—THE HOLIDAY CAMP—THE SOCIETY’S PROGRESS.
The new offices of the Society were ready to be occupied in 1910, and in March of that year they were formally opened. In the course of the same year, the remodelling and bringing thoroughly up to date of the biscuit factory was commenced. This remodelling scheme had its origin in the fact that the old engine which provided the power for the biscuit-making machinery was wearing done; and after considering the whole position the members of the board decided that the interests of the business would be best served by transferring from steam to electricity as a motive power. It was therefore agreed that henceforth each machine in the factory should be motor driven. The cost of installing twelve motors and controllers was over £500; but it made for ease in working and also in controlling the machinery.
COVER-PLATE OVENS.
About the same time a new type of bread baking oven was installed. The ovens in the older part of the bakery were becoming worn out, and that section of the bakery also required remodelling in order to bring it into line with the newer ideas of the twentieth century. But the ovens in the old bakery had been built on the Scotch principle, and there was not sufficient space available to permit of draw-plate ovens being installed without a reconstruction of the premises which might have proved more costly than the provision of an entirely new building. Just at this time they had submitted to them for their consideration a new type of oven which seemed specially designed to meet cases of reconstruction like theirs. This type of oven, which has come to be known as the “cover-plate oven,” had much the same features, so far as the actual baking was concerned, as had the draw-plate oven, but it differed from the latter in that, instead of requiring a large space in front of the oven to permit of the oven sole being drawn out to receive the bread before baking and to permit of its removal afterwards, it had a moveable cover, which was raised to permit of the bread being placed on and removed from the oven sole, and which was lowered to retain the heat when the unbaked bread had all been deposited on the sole. The first of these ovens was installed about the end of 1910, and so satisfactory did the trial prove that first No. 5 bakehouse and then No. 11 bakehouse were entirely remodelled and ovens of this new type installed. Before deciding finally on the adoption of the new type of oven, however, numerous experiments and tests were carried through. The Bakery engineer (Mr Scott), the chief foreman baker (Mr Richard), and the master of works (Mr Davidson) were all requested to submit reports. These reports were eminently satisfactory, particularly that of Mr Richard, who reported on the saving in fuel and wages which was effected by the new oven.
At the time when the directors decided to install the first set of six of the new pattern ovens, they also decided to install one complete set of automatic baking machinery, manufactured by the same firm of baking machinery manufacturers, the estimated cost of six ovens and machinery being £4,000. This automatic machinery has proved so effective in the various processes of dough making and bread moulding that less than half the number of bakers are required to perform the work where it is installed as are required where it is absent. As indicated above, so effective did the combination of new ovens and new plant prove that in little more than a year after the first £4,000 had been spent on the installation it was decided to extend it at an additional cost of £7,000. Since then, additions have been made which bring the total number of this type of oven to twenty.