TISBURY FACTORY

Southland Times, Issue 19396, 10 November 1924, Page 6

TISBURY FACTORY

ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT UP-TO-DATE MACHINERY One of the main items in every dairy factory company’s balance-sheet is the cost of fuel, and many questions were asked at the various annual meetings about this item of expenditure. In every case directors have all sorts of experiments to reduce this annual charge, which causes so much debate. Several factories have installed experimental motors, but the directors of the Tisbury factory have thrown over steam for electricity, and five motors, varying in size from j h.p. to 2 h.p., provide the necessary power to run the machinery. The old boiler has been retained and it is used to provide hot water for pasteurising and washing up. A GREAT SUCCESS. “The installation of the motors has been a great success,” said the manager, Mr J. Clarke, to a Times reporter who visited the factory on Saturday. He said the 4 h.p. motors were used to drive the agitators and curd mills, and one was erected over each vat. When they were put in many predicted that they would not provide sufficient power for this work, but they have always been equal to the tasks allotted them. The 14 h.p. motor was used for driving the pasteuriser, and the 2 h.p. the separator. The motors have done all that was asked of them, and they have made work in the factory more pleasant, while they were also much cleaner than the old steamdriven plant. The old boiler provided an abundant supply of hot water, which was very essential around the factory. COST OF RUNNING. “It is too early yet to make any comparisons in running costs,” he concluded, “but as far as I can judge our coal bill will be about half of what it was last year. The new plant will have to finish the season before we can estimate its cost correctly, but there is no doubt about its success in the actual manufacture of cheese.” The Tisbury directors deserve credit for their venture, and the experiment will be closely followed by other factories throughout Southland, more especially those that are situated some distance from the railway.