Oil Industry Expansion British Imperial Oil Company’s Enterprise Miramar Installation Officially Opened

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11012, 27 January 1926, Page 7

Oil Industry Expansion British Imperial Oil Company’s Enterprise Miramar Installation Officially Opened

THE PIONEERS OF BULK

It is not generally known that the British Imperial Oil 'Company who yesterday opened their new Installation at .Miramar, are the Pioneers of bulk distribution, nor is it generally known that 2b years have passed since the Shell Company inaugurated the bulk method of importation and distribution in Australia. Since 1901 tho British Company’s development and expansion has been rapid, and their latest enterprise doubtless will be welcomed by all, as the bulk scheme revolutionises the old transport facilities for petroleum IMPORTANCE. Monday's opening ceremony signalled the complettion of the first step cf the Shell Company’s comprehensive bulk scheme for New Zealand. Although the British Imperial Oil Company’s new works are situated at Wellington, it must not be assumed that the Company’s enterprise is one of purely local interest, and of benefit only to consumers in the Capital City. * The completion of the Miramar Works lays the foundation stone on which will bo built up a comprehensive scheme for the distribution in bulk from North Cape to the Bluff. This new era of the Oil Industry’s expansion will therefore benefit all consumers throughout the Dominion, whether they are distantly removed from the City or not, as by reducing the cost of distributing Motor Spirit under the Shell Company’s bulk scheme a reduction under case price can be anticipated. The ever-growing importance of the Petroleum Trade in this country, coupled with the National desire of consumers to support really British enterprise, renders the present moment particularly opportune to refer at seme length to the Shell Company’s organisation and their present extensive operations in Wellington and other Centres. The Miramar Works comprise a vast manufactory, developed on the most modern ami efficient lines, and an inspection of the site, well-known in earlier years as Miramar’s Wonderland, arouses every instinct of pride in New Zealand effort, as the Wonderland Recreation of old has certainly been replaced to-day by u Wonderland of Industry. A Visit to tin l Shell Company’s Works will he fennel interesting and educative.

A VISIT TO THE PLANT,

Visitors to the Installation are welcomed by a gate-keeper, who courteously takes into temporary custody any that may bo carried —■> thi.vy%r course, being one of the precautionary measures necessarily adopted by tlie Company to guard against the danger of fire. On first entering the Installation, the main offices are met with. These are built in brick and are occupied by the Superintendent Engineer, his Assistant and Executive Staff. A 40 foot roadway divides these offices from the Tin Factory building, an establishment which will he required for tinning and casing supplies for those districts which cannot immediately lie served by the bulk method. The Foctory building houses, the tin factory, the workshop and engineroom, the tin-plate store, the general store and the motor -lorry repair shop. The tin-plate store accommodates considerable stocks of tin plate from which the tins are made . HOW. TINS AEE MADE. When withdrawn from stock all tin-plate is minutely examined for rust or other defects' before passing into the Tin Factory.

When the tin plate reaches the factory it first enters the Trimming Machine, from which it passes on to the Hemming Machine, which folds over the longest edges so that two plates hook up to make one tin. From the Trimming and Hemming Machine the tin plate passes on to the Panelling and Bending Machine, where, in one operation, it passes through this process. Two plates, already panelled and bent to right angles are then hooked together and put through the Horn Process. The body is thus formed ready to receive the top and bottom plates necessary to convert it into a tin. These tops and bottoms are cut in special die propel!,,..which in one operation cut ti.oil? from the sheet; emboss them, cut filling holes, and turn the edges into grooves, into which the bodies are forced. The whole tin is now together and passes into the top and bottom squeezer or presser. The tin next enters the rotary squeezer, which supplies great pressure to the tans and sides, at the same time rolling the edges to a water-tight stare. As, however, the tins are to hold petrol, they are soldered, in special soldering machines, which are marvels of mechanical ingenuity. The tins pass to a belt conveyor, which oanics them to the various filling departments.

The Tin Factory, which is capable of producing 12,000 tins per day,, is a striking example of the modern and efficient lines upon which the whole organisation has been founded. In future, all -the tins, both Kerosene and Motor Spirit, sold by the Shell Company throughout the Dominion, will be made entirely by New Zealand labour in this factory. Crossing another street of this Industrial Centre, we come to the Case Factory- a huge building, commodious enfugh to store several months supply'Vf timber for cases. Inside this building is an area set aside to accommodate the case making plant, which is capable of turning out cases at the rate of four per minute. MEASURING- AND FILLING.—In tlie filling sheds 12. empty ; tins at a time pass on gravity conveyors to fillers, under which, they come to a stand still. A lever is then operar pours ib>g?fadtly'four,gallons ofi aPto-I cheeked con; t&nis l<?JgTh.e : A Operator ' then y swings '

back the lever, the nozzles rise, and the 12 filled tins, which are automatically replaced by empty ones, pass along on the gravity conveyor to the capping shed. In the filling shed, every possible precaution is taken to avoid the risk of sparks, and operators and visitors are required to wear goloshes. SEALING THE TINS. next shed men are engaged soldering the caps on to the filled tins. The soldering bolts used for this purpose are heated in fuel oil furnaces which are housed in a shed at a safe distance. The heated soldering bolts, after being quenched to a dull red, are conveyed to the capping shed in a specially designed carrier over an aerial conveyor. The tins having been capped and sealed are then packed in cases and are passed into store. Wandering on through the installation we next reach the loading platform, where motor lorries receive their loads of cased goods with great expedition. The Kerosene Filling Shed and Store are in the immediate ) vicinity of the loading platform, whilst 100 feet further on we come to the Spirit area which comprises substantially built concrete buildings completely .compounded. It is to these buildings that the tins and cases are canned over belt conveyors (each measuring 500 feet long) for filling, capping and casing. HUGE STORAGE TANKS. The Storage Tanks Compound presents a fortified appearance with its 8 huge tanks surrounded by an earth em'bankment 5 feet high. The capacity of the tanks is 26,560 tons, equal to million gallons. Inside the compound are three small but lofty tanks into which the spirit is pumped by means of compressed air and then allowed to gravitate to other tanks in the various filling Departments. WHAT THE BULK SYSTEM MEANS.—The Shell Company, who pioneered the bulk movement, have proved beyond doubt the economy which can be afforded consumers by importing • and distributing Motor Spirit and Kerosene in bulk, and the recent installation of this system into Inland Centres in the Commonwealth has achieved in most instances, a considerable reduction in the cost of petrol. The Shell Company’s operations in New Zealand will first be confined to the main seaport towns throughout the Dominion, and then be extended as rapidly as possible into the interior.

From Singapore to British North Borneo, vessels of the Shell Oil Fleet carry cargoes to all parts ot the world, and in the transportation, refining and marketing of these products. more British ships, more British capital, and more Briti'sn workmen are engaged than by any other oil company in the world. The whole of New Zealand’s requirements of Motor Spirit and Kerosene haye hitherto been imported in packages,, but the opening of the hew ShellWorks will enable these products to bo brought here in bulk. Where tins and cases are required these will, in future, of course, be manufactured in New Zealand. OTHER LINKS IN THE SYSTEM —Similar works to the Wellington' Installation are also being constructed in Auckland, and when completed they will comprise most modern facilities and equipment for the bulk handling of oil. The ships which will bring bulk cargoes from Overseas to tlie Alain Installation will be the Shell Company’s own tankers. Coastal Depots will be established at the chief seaports throughout the Dominion. These, in addition to deliverir.o- in hulk in their own area, will also distribute in bulk to Inland Depots by means of rail tank cars and motor vehicles. It is anticipated that in tins way,, bulk can eventually he supplied toevery country town in New Zealand. Where, however, it is riot possible to distribute in bulk, as lor instance, in the less populous districts where the demand is negligible, the tins and cases necessary for transporting Shell Motor Spirit from the main installation will be manufactured at the Wellington Works. AN ASSET TO THE COUNTRY.Permanent employment for. many New Zealanders will he provided in the main works and at the coastal and inland depots, and the numbei of employees will increase consideiably as soon as these depots reach their full working capacity and the system is further extended. . , , In the construction of the installations and depots preference is given to the use of local material, while Empire products are used throughout in the manufacture of packages m the Dominion for all Shell goods. A large fleet of rail tank cars and motor delivery vehicles for bulk ana cased goods will also be placed in commission, and, with th. 6 exception oif the motor chassis, these will be constructed in New Zealand Workshops. The rail tank errs—steel tanks mounted on bogey trucks —will transport Shell products direct from the principal ports to country centres. Each of tlie largest motor delivery vehicles owned by the- British Imperial Oil Company is able to carry in one load sufficient petrol to drive a car round tlie world.

SHIPS’ FUEL BUNKERING FACILITIES.—FueI oil, for steam iaisino- in ships, is not so extensively used in New Zealand as in Australia, where the largest. liners replenish their bunkers with Shell Fuel On at all chief ports of call. With the establishment of Shell Works at Auckland and Wellington, however, bunkering facilities will also be pi ovided for the supply of fuel oil w ships for burning under-their boilers, and for use in internal combustion engines. '' , , The establishment of -such extensive facilities for the hulk , handling of Shell products has' naturally involved an immense outlay_or in the Dominion, hut the British imperial Oil Company apparently or-, sees the wisdom of making available ■ the . mostmodprn .pqd v Q.fficien t men*, sure's- td; provide adequately-, lor-the : eveivfrier easing. growth of mot qnng uri tliis'-country. • .