AUSTRALIAN STEEL

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 87, 6 January 1940, Page 14

AUSTRALIAN STEEL

Increased Eastern Orders

-How the armament production in Great Britain over the .past two years h-ad opened up a gireatly increased market in Malaya and Siam for Australian steel products was indicated by Mr. A. A. Coates, on arrival iu Australia from Kuala Lumpur, Federated Malay States. Air. Coates is a director of Anglo-Oriental (Malaya), Limited, the general managers of various’ tin mining comipanies opei’atinig over 50 dredges in Malaya, Siam and Burma.

Mr. Coates said that concentration by British manufacturers on armaments ano munitions work had resulted in considerable delay in the execution of orders—a position which had helped to divert to Australia the demand- of the tin dredging companies for steel and engineering stores. The outbreak o-f hostilities in Europe, with the subsequent shipping difficulties, had still further increased this demand for Australian products. The Broken Hill Proprietary Company, Newcastle, was shipping considerable quantities of structural steel and plates to Malaya, while large orders for manganese steel castings were being placed with Australian firms. Wire ropes, beltings, .packings and bearing metals were also being purchased in increasing quantities from Australia. These materials were necessary to the tin industry for repairs and replacements on dredges.

A.C.I. Subsidiaries Two new subsidiaries of Australian Consolidated Industries, Ltd., A.C.I, Refractories Pt. V.. Ltd., with a nominal capital of £lOO,OOO, and A.C.I. Casemakers Pty., Ltd., with a nominal capital of £50,000. have 'been registered. Mr. N. J. Barra-clough, assistant secretary of Australian Consolidated Industries, Ltd., said that the registration of the new companies meant the extension of manufactures in which the company was already engaged, and was merely a formality. The company had been nuaitufacturing its own refractories, which were necessary in the production of glass for some time. The extension of the company’s works to manufacture refractories as a competitor in the trade was a possibility which might be investigated. Gold Mining Returns Grey River Dredging Co., Ltd., reports a return of 566»0z. from 135,080 cubic yards worked in 177 hours. By Telegraph—Press Association. GREYMOUTH, January 5. Barrytown dredge December return was 10930 z. for l.»3,000 yards and 390 hours. Knnieri, 1092pz. for 192,000 yards and ■IOO hours. Arahlira, 1-1250 z. for 302.000 yards and 51 1 hours. The three returns make a total of 3000 ounces.