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From Textiles to Metals Manufacturing in Philadelphia

From Textiles to Metals Manufacturing in Philadelphia. Stephanie Johnston Zublick Senior Development Chemist Harry Miller Corporation August 22, 2016. Harry Miller Corporation. Founded in 1936 as the Haas-Miller Corporation by Harry Miller and Charles Haas

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From Textiles to Metals Manufacturing in Philadelphia

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  1. From Textiles to MetalsManufacturing in Philadelphia Stephanie Johnston Zublick Senior Development Chemist Harry Miller Corporation August 22, 2016

  2. Harry Miller Corporation • Founded in 1936 as the Haas-Miller Corporation by Harry Miller and Charles Haas • Formulated chemicals for the textile, leather and paper industries • Began to transition into metalworking during the 1940’s with the advent of WWII • In 1946, became the Harry Miller Corporation • Today we manufacture lubricants, coolants, NDT fluids, rust preventatives, cleaners, pickling inhibitors, rinse aids for the steel mill and metalworking industries

  3. City of Manufacturing • Philadelphia has a rich history in manufacturing • From 1880’s to 1940’s textile manufacturing was at its peak with nearly 700 independent textile manufacturers • Both natural and synthetic fibers were being fully processed into yarns, threads, clothing, carpets, hats, stockings, ropes, upholstery, laces

  4. Textiles

  5. Many textile manufacturers in Philadelphia purchased their processing chemicals directly from Philadelphia based chemical companies such as Harry Miller Corporation, Quaker Chemical and Houghton to name a few • Chemicals were custom blend, multi-functional products designed to meet the needs of Philadelphia fabric manufacturers

  6. Chemicals for Textiles • Anti-static agents • Dye assists • Sizing compounds • Enzymes for sizing removal • Lubricants for winding, carding, combing, drawing, blending • Cleaners and rust preventatives • Water repellants

  7. Fabric Lubricants • Often emulsions of water and oil • Provide cooling and lubricity to the combs and needles as well as the threads • Reduce surface tension • Reduces breakage of yarns by increasing tensile strength of fibers • Eliminate static, ball-up or gumming with use of non-ionic surfactants • Improved efficiency by reducing needle burns and breakage

  8. Wool • Wool retains heat and has poor heat transfer • Water soluble processing lubricants were ideal to reduce friction and fires • Wools are naturally water resistant • In order to use water to provide cooling, emulsifiers and surfactants are used

  9. Protecting the Machines • Water was often used as a coolant and diluent for processing lubricants • Machines needed to be cleaned and protected from corrosion • Iron oxides were extremely damaging to machine life if not prevented • Water soluble, non-hazardous rust preventatives were added to machine coolants or cleaners

  10. Slow Decline of Fabrics • Fabric manufacturing began to leave the city of Philadelphia slowly, with most fabric processing ceased by the 1970’s • Fabric processing moved to the south and then eventually overseas • Increased stringency of labor laws and reduced import tariffs allowed fabrics to be produced at a lower cost overseas

  11. Transition to Metals • World War II saw a significant increase in steel manufacturing • There was a demand for specialty rust preventatives, lubricants, Non-Destructive Test Fluids and cleaners for steel and alloys as Philadelphia manufacturers such as Midvale Steel increased production

  12. Midvale Steel, Nicetown Plant in Philadelphia during World War II

  13. Chemicals for Steel Mills • Pickling- Acid inhibitors for HCl and H2SO4 • Rust Preventatives for indoor or outdoor storage • Non-Destructive Test Fluids • Solvents for degreasing • Soaps and cleaners • Lubricants

  14. Meeting the Demands • Chemical manufacturing companies began to add products to their lines to meet the increased demands of the steel mills and metalworking shops during war time • Rust preventatives, NDT fluids, fabric waterproofing • Products used for military applications had to meet MIL Specs set by the US Navy and Army • Post-war, manufacturers, including Harry Miller, began to expand their line of metal processing chemicals

  15. Disston • Founded as Keystone Saw in 1840 by Henry Disston. • Disston Saw Works manufactured the first crucible saws in 1855. • By the early 1900’s, the leading saw manufacturer in the world • Still manufacturing in Philadelphia today as Disston Precision

  16. Chemicals for Saw Manufacturing • Synthetic grinding fluid for sharpening blades • Contains water for cooling, surfactants to carry away metal fines from tool-workpiece interface, synthetic lubricant, biocides, antifoam agents, rust preventatives and amines for reserve alkalinity • Immersion cleaner to remove soil, lubricants. Contains a rust-preventative for long term protection

  17. Philadelphia Manufacturing Today • Very little textile manufacturing in Philadelphia. Most mills are in the south or overseas • Midvale Steel closed in 1976 and demolished in the 1980’s • Sharp decline in city manufacturing observed in the 1970’s • Many smaller family owned manufacturing facilities still remain

  18. THANK YOU Stephanie Zublick, Senior Development Chemist Harry Miller Corporation szublick@harrymillercorp.com

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