Brothers’ pipe dream

Press, 18 June 1982, Page 7

Brothers’ pipe dream

■ Humes. Ltd. the largest manufacturer of concrete pipes in the Southern Hemisphere. was founded by two Australian brothers in 1910. Walter and Ernest Hume abandoned city life in 1892 after becoming disheartened with industrial conditions existing in Australia at that time.

After many changes in fortune. the brothers settled in Adelaide and manufactured steel fences and gates. As a result of research carried out by Walter Hume, they took out a patent for centrifu-gally-spun, reinforced concrete pipes. The brothers formed the Humes Patent Cement-Iron Syndicate, Ltd, in 1910, to develop the new process. In a prospectus appealing to the South Australian public for funds to establish the company, the brothers stated:

"Owing to the novelty involved in the present invention, particulars can not be freely given until protection is obtained. The promoters admit that they are offering a “pig in a poke,’’ so to speak, but are, however, quite prepared to take the responsibility of reticence." The money was fully subscribed and the brothers proceeded to develop the centrifugal spinning process. The patent, which was one of 350 resulting from research by Walter Hume, .swept aside all the older methods of making concrete pipes.

The new technique was developed at a time when Australia and much of the world required large numbers of pipes to service a rising civilisation. The Hume process was cheaper, faster, -•more efficient and provided stronger pipes and created more uses for them.

Demand was so great from Australia and throughout the world that by 1920 — when the Hume Pipe Company (Australia), Ltd, was formed — there were Hume factories in every Australian state and also New Zealand.

Hume factories operating under licence from the parent company in Australia also existed in the United States, England, Japan, Germany, South Africa and Hawaii.

The Singapore Hume Pipe Company was established in 1922 and is now known as Hume Industries (Far East), Ltd.

Having ■ virtually conquered the reinforced concrete pipe market, Walter Hume turned his attention to steel pipes. In 1923, he obtained patents for a method, of curving sheet metal to form pipes and other tubular products, and for an improved automatic arc welding machine.

As a result of this research, the company of Hume Steel. Ltd. was formed in 1923, which originated the concrete lining of steel pipes, now an accepted practice throughout the world. Within a few years, Hume Steel rose to the same position its sister company, Hume Pipe, had in the concrete field, and became the largest manufacturer of welded steel and concrete lined welded steel pipes in Australia.

The two companies merged in 1952 to form the present company of Humes. Ltd, and in 1970 the steel pipe-making activities were amalgamated with another organisation to form Steel Mains Pty, Ltd. Humes has a long history with the development of New Zealand and has supplied pipes for several big hydro and irrigation. schemes. In 1934-35, the company lined with concrete the steel E being used for the . ori hydro scheme being constructed by the Dunedin City Council, and in 1940 supplied steel pipes and reinforcements for the Rangitata diversion race. After the Second World War, Humes did the initial construction work on the Cobb hydro scheme in Nelson. From the Christchurch factory, Humes has supplied pipes for the Christchurch Drainage Board for about 60 years. Many of the original pipes are still in use, and the board, along with other local bodies and Government departments, are the company’s main outlets for its products.