RAYON INDUSTRY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18538, 8 April 1930, Page 13

RAYON INDUSTRY.

ADDRESS AT ROTARY CLUB. An interesting address on the rayon industry was given at the weekly luncheon of the Timaru Rotary Club yesterday by Rotarian B. L. Blodorn. The speaker was introduced by Rotarian E. D. Mcßae. Rotarian Blodorn said that his reason for taking the rayon industry as his subject was that the invention and development of artificial silk was one of the romances of the trade which he represented. It was unique in at least one respect, tha(; it was the first successful attempt to produce a yam other than from purely natural sources. He was further prompted to deal with it because of the ‘influence the introduction of rayon had had on existing fibres, and the possibility of an extension into other fields. The industry, which had been in existence for 46

years, had its origin in an attempt to imitate the product of the silk-worm. The essential materials for the production of rayon were wood and cotton. It was anticipated, however, that science would discover possibilities of deriving cellulose from other cheaper materials; in fact, there had already been some talk of obtaining artificial silk from the air. The first definite suggestion towards the possibility of producing an artificial silk came from a French scientist, Reaumur. “Silk being nothing but dried-up liquid gum,” he wrote in a book published in 1754, “why cannot we make silk with gum and resin.” He was said to have experimented with various kinds of varnish, forcing them through tiny holes in tins, thus forming glutinous filaments which hardened in the air. While it was true his crude methods met with no success, they were the basis on which all subsequent experimenters worked. Rotarian Blodorn stated that the processes used for the production of rayon differed chiefly in the nature of the raw material used, and he then proceeded to enlighten Rotarians on the methods employed. He then asserted that there was no end to the uses to which rayon was being put. Very few textiles had not experienced its influence. Fabrics from wool were frequently enhanced in

appearance by the introduction of rayon in the design. A combination fabric of rayon and wool had already been marketed. Rayon and cotton, of course, was most commonly met with in fabric weaving, but a combination of the whole three was made in several cases. So high had the standard of production risen that it was frequently difficult for one constantly in touch with fabrics, to determine the composition of various cloths submitted. It was extremely difficult to enumerate the garments of apparel which came within its circle. Rather would it be easier to supply a list of those which did not. The figures in regard to production of rayon and art silk yarns during the past 20 years gave some indication of the tremendous popularity of this new yarn, and perhaps supplied, in part at any rate, the reason for the falling off in wool consumption. In 1910, the world’s production of art silk was 18.000.0001b5. In 1922 it had reached 78,000.0001 b. In 1926, four years later, 219,000.0001b5, and in 1929, 412,000,0001bs were produced. These figures represented as fascinating a romance as could be found in any industry. The amount of money involved in the rayon industry was estimated at £170,000,000. Of this amount the major portion was accounted for by the United Kingdom.

the actual capital invested being £44,000,000 in the United Kingdom itself, while an additional £23,000.000 represented British capital in overseas concerns. Britain then had a total of £67,000,000. America was second with £30,000,000, Germany came next, then Italy, Holland and France. “One point of particular personal interest to us,” the speaker concluded, “is the New Zealand imports from the United Kingdom in periods of 11 months for the past three years. In 1927 we took 969,000 square yards, in 1928, 2,259,000 square yards, and in 1928, 3,158,000 square yards' of piece goods made from rayon, and rayon and cotton mixtures.”

A vote of thanks was passed to the speaker.