Selling Wool According To Measurement

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30396, 21 March 1964, Page 8

Selling Wool According To Measurement

\VHEN he was in Christ-, " • church late last year a poted authority on wool processing,' Dr. Werner, von Bergen, said in an interview with “The Press” that one of .the most necessary developments in the wool industry was in the improved classification of wool for marketing. He noted that the present system •• of wool marketing . depended largely on visual appraisal. It is clear that more. and more people ate thinking along the lines that Dr. von Bergen has indicated and there is every reason to believe that if wool of a specified fibre diameter, yield, length and vegetable matter content could be offered in the auction sale room it would contribute to confidence in buying wool and would give wool advantages that are at present among the virtues of synthetics. It is probably too much to expect that all these measurements should be made available in the .first’ place and echoing Dr. von Bergen's sentiments at Lincoln College this week Dr. A. E. Henderson, professor of wool science at the college, emphasised that the most critical

measurement was that of fibre diameter in that it had the greatest effect on the manufacturing process and the feel and .softness • of the finished cloth. Dr. Henderson recalled that the United States Government had some years ago approved grades - for wool tops whichprovided for a difference pt about two microns in fibre diameter between' qualities, and limits to the distribution of fibre diameters. The United State Department of Agriculture had also brought down similar specifications for greasy wool that would make tops, of certain .fineness, and while these did not have offi l rial approval as yet they had been accepted by . the Ameri-. can Society 'for Testing Materials, The standards for greasy wool were finer than for tops because a proportion of the short, finer, fibres in the noil were combed out Dr. Henderson said that Dr., von Bergen had pointed flut that a very large proportion of American wool business was done on these standards and this was increasing all the time. There was also fairly, general evidence that use was being made of some form of measurement in the trade in tops in Great Britain and Europe. Dr. von Bergen had emphasised that the big mills were making thousands of pieces of the one doth and in these ' plants it was part of the increasing awareness of quality ■ control that they should be? certain that their raw 1 materials conformed to cer- > tain standards.

Dr. •' Henderson said that such manufacturers. were going to insist that the people who bought their, wool delivered it according to certain specifications, as the only' means by which they: could go on turning out standard products day after day without trouble..No onecould say -that- introduction of standards and measurements would not lead to greater ; efficiency in the trade, he said. It would certainly mean more- work but it was a fundamental part of business to give the customer what he -wanted.

Jn Australia, Dr. Von Bergen had found that top manufacturers, . keen to do export business, were manufacturing .to standards. Dozens of . people came to New Zealand to buy greasy wool for'tops and if the woo’ put before theih in the auction Worn had. been measured they would fie able to buy with confidenceknowing that the wool could be used to manufacture tops of the required specifications. “I. would.’ think that there are now odd -people who promise to supply tops of a certain specification but who find that , they ate an . odd micron, out and - are faced with reblending or 'finding an alternative outlet,.” said Dr. Henderson. Well-established procedures for making all these measurements were laid down. Samples were obtained by taking a small- diameter core out of. a certain number. of bales in a line. The. wool could thep be cleaned tn determine the yield and the clean.wool could be used to determine fineness. The latter measurement could be made in air flow apparatus, which gave; a mean diameter which was sufficient for requirements, or with a projection microscope .which also gave a measure of the distribution of .. fibre diameters. The same wool could also be used to determine vegetable content

■ If- .-yield had been - determined the amount of clean bone : dry wool was known and trading would be possible on the basis of clean wool plus’ the normal allowable regain of moisture. This was standard practice in dealings ' involving • semi-manu-facturedwool and for much scoured wool. < . New Zealand had to decide whether it wanted to accept overseas standards or.wished to set its oWn. The task of testing could be done by the Department ;of Agriculture, who had the knowledge, and tools to do .the job, blit the most satisfactory system would probably be the. establishment of a New Zealand testing house with branches throughout the country. Dr. Henderson said that this would cost money, but it would-tend to consolidate the market and would be expected to increase competition' so that it might be expected that any outlay would be recouped. Dr. Henderson said that the core boring tools which wouldbe needed would not be expensive. The scouring equipment would be the most expensive aspect of the work. The projection microscope was a quite simple piece of equipment, and the air flow apparatus was not. expensive, but fairly ' skilled technical staff would be needed for supervision of the measurements, and manpower could be a problem. ‘ • '