GALVANISED IRON AND SHEET METAL WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 221, 16 September 1921, Page 8

GALVANISED IRON AND SHEET METAL WORKS.

MESSRS. SAMUEL PARKER, LTD.

Probably j fciv people, when they see lorrugated iron roofs or fences, stop to ;hink how they are made or how essenial it is in the interests of the comnunity that there should be an adequate mpply of galvanised iron. The very act that its products are such common irticles in every day life alone shows ;hat the industry is a roost important jiie. Auckland is fortunate in this respect in possessing in the works of Messrs. Samuel Parker, Limited, near the Railway Bridge, at the foot of Parnell Rise, the largest, most up-to-date, ahd best known establishment of the kind in Sew Zealand. Indeed, the firm is the Dnly one in the Dominion, and there is only one other in the. whole of Australasia, that turns out galvanised iron sheets. Just now the factory is fast jetting back into its stride again after the interruption caused .by the war, when it was utterly impossible to get supplies from England with which to ?arry on. The process of manufacture of tho galranised sheet iron is extremely interesting. Pirst one sees the iblack sheets of varying weights and sizes which come from the mills in Engrand. These are packed into crates and are carried along to the pickling baths, where all rust, grit, and scale arc removed by strong sulphuric acid. After being brushed the sheets are put through the galvanising 'pot which is the most important stage of the manufacturing process. A charge of ten tons of spelter is placed in a melting pot 'built into a furnace, and this is kept in a fluid state by the fire, and the mouth at the 'back is filled with sal ammoniac, and is sufficiently broad to admit with ease the width of .a sheet of galvanised iron. After going through the galvanising pot, which, by the way is the old-fashioned process, 'but nevertheless, it has been proved by experience, the best, because it docs not reduce the coating of zinc at the expense of the durability of the iron, the sheets are dipped into a water bath to cool and aro then put throuirh the washing machine and drying oven. If corrugating is required this is done very speedily by a special machine, while the plain iron sheets are dealt with 'by a flattening machine which makes them absolutely Hat. f-'heet work is but a portion of the business of the factory. Spouting and ridging are made here in any shape or size required. Then trierc are travelling trunks, glistening in their japanned coats, and 'buckets, tubs, dustbins, water cans, tanks, chimneys, baths: and almost every other kind of general sheet metal work is also manufactured by the firm. "Southern Cross" brand which is the trade mark of Messrs. Samuel Parker, Limited, is indeed well and favourably known in this connection, and is recognised everywhere as being a guarantee of excellence. The manufacture of mud guards for motor cars is perhaps one of the most interesting of the many departments. The firm possesses the most up-to-date plant in New Zealand for this work, and motorists who through accident or general wear and tear have had to replace their mudguards with ones from Messrs. Parkers' factory are loud in their praises of the Auckland-made article