Industrial Research

Industrial Research by Companies.

The largest research establishment in the United States is the Bell Telephone Labo ratories, Inc., in New York city, which employs about 2,000 phys icists, chemists and engineers for original investigation and de velopment of new forms and improvement of existing forms of apparatus and equipment for electrical communication. Next in collective size are the twenty-three laboratories of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., Wilmington, Del., wherein about i,000 chemists and engineers are studying problems of the heavy chemi cal, paint, lacquer, solvent, plastics, textile, dye, rubber, and ex plosive industries. Other great laboratories are operated by Aluminum Company of America, New Kensington, Pa. ; Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich. ; Eastman Kodak Co.. Rochester.

N.Y. ; General Electric Co., Schenectady, N.Y., Lynn and Pitts field, Mass., and Cleveland, 0. ; General Motors Corporation, De troit, Mich. ; Gulf Research and Development Co., Harmarville, Pa. ; Hercules Powder Co., Wilmington, Del. ; Monsanto Chemical Co., St. Louis, Mo.; RCA Manufacturing Co., Harrison and Cam den, N.J.; Standard Oil Development Co., Linden, N.J.; and Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co., East Pittsburgh, Pa., and Bloomfield, N.J.

In the last 3o years numerous companies have taken advantage of the industrial fellowship system of Mellon Institute of Indus trial Research as a means of solving problems in manufacturing practice. In 1939, 78 fellowships were being sustained by as many different companies, largely chemical manufacturers, while 7 more fellowships were being supported by trade associations.

About II o individual companies in the field of chemical industry are making research grants to educational institutions. Chief among them are E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., supporting 24 fellow ships. Other firms making many grants to universities are as fol lows: E. R. Squibb and Sons, i 7 ; Merck and Co., 14 ; Standard Oil Co. of California, 13 ; Upjohn Co., 11 ; and Standard Brands, Inc., 10.

There are about 200 college laboratories that are used not only for purposes of instruction, but also to a considerable extent for industrial research work and for commercial testing.

A considerable number of companies, mostly small concerns that have no laboratories of their own, or larger companies that encounter few problems or are engaging in research for the first time, are regular or occasional clients of consulting laboratories. There are about 25o of these commercial laboratories in the coun try, and some of them are strongly staffed and excellently equipped for scientific investigation, particularly in specific indus tries. For example, a firm of consultants, which has a main

laboratory and also four branches in other cities, employs 70 sci entists and their assistants for varied research. Another firm op erates twelve laboratories. Most of these commercial organiza tions do testing as well as research work.

Trade Association Research.

The U.S. Department of Com merce has expressed the opinion that "among constructive activ ities of trade associations none is more fitting nor more profitable than scientific research." The study of production and distribu tion problems to evolve more efficient and more economical meth ods has in fact become a leading association activity. We shall describe here associative industrial or technological research, and not commercial or economic investigations, which, while entirely different in nature, are often related to the former.

Five different procedures are being applied with success in con ducting associative industrial research. (I) A number of associa tions are co-operating with Government departments and bureaus in accordance with the research associate plan. (2) Other asso ciations are sustaining scientific investigations in Mellon Institute of Industrial Research at Pittsburgh, in Battelle Memorial Insti tute, Columbus, Ohio, or in other research foundations. (3) Some associations are supporting fellowships or scholarships in educa tional institutions. (4) Still other associations are carrying on research in commercial establishments, such as the laboratories of professional consultants. (5) A few associations have founded their own laboratories.

The Research Associate Plan.

For many years the sci entific and technical research facilities of various Governmental departments have been available, by legislative enactment, to duly qualified workers (Supp. Rev. Stat., 2, 71-2, 1532; Stat. L., 27, lobo; Bureau of Standards Circular No. 296). This plan has been developed especially in the National Bureau of Standards, where there were in 1939 8o research associates employed by associations or specific groups. Each associate is subject to the bureau's regu lations and has most of the rights and privileges of the members of the bureau staff. The investigational results are immediately accessible to the industry concerned and are published by the bu reau. Specialists on the bureau's staff of over 9o0 may be con sulted by the association and its research worker, and the latter is also permitted to use the scientific equipment, special labora tories, and shops of the institution.