The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 21

A Home-Grown Industry Expands Wyatt Manufacturing into a New Plant By I SMITH Progress is a company which begins with eight employes, each of whom earns oxirmitc- ly $10 per week, nnd expands in 85 years to seasonal i employment of 130 and an annual payroll of ncm-ly $700,000. company is Wy- Smith att Manufacturing "home-grown" Salina firm tha has progressed from Immbl? beginnings as a foundry pnxlucin castings for small machiner manufacturers to its cm-rent sta us as an international supplier of grain-conveying equipment. In line with the continuing growth of Wyalt's was a move, beginning in November and to he completed by mid-January, into a new $80,000 complex in East North street. Since Frank Wyatt founded the company in 1903, it has been located at 500 N. 5th.

It has expanded from a single building that housed th; original foundry to a complex of 17 buildings at the location now beiag vacated. Not Efficient "It was difficult to improve efficiency of production in the present plant due the way in which these buildings were added to the foundry," said Tom Aird, president and general manager. "The first thing we look for in the new plant is a more efficient production process than we've ever had. It has everything under one roof with few obstructions which will enable a better flow of materials." The new complex consists of three buildings a 100,000 square foot manufacturing plant, a 25,000 square foot gray iron foundry and a small research and development building. The total square footage of these three buildings is approx- Id foundry.

Aird said the most ignificar.t change in the new oundny is an increased area for he continuous process at pour- iig into molds for Iron castings. Wyatt's foundry products include castings for many area arm equipment manufacturers such as Hesston Manufacturing and municipal manhole cov er castings. Aird said the volume of foun dry products had doubled in th last three years. The research and development building is used for testing new concepts in gain-conveying equipment or farm mechanization items. The manufacturing plant where the variations of these two items are put together.

The raw materials are brought into the plant via a railroad siding. Overhead conveyors and hydraulic lifts are to move the materials through the production process from fabricating, welding, the paint line through the assembly and storage areas. Aird said one section of the building would contain a $500,000 inventory of parts. The company's grain conveying equipment is especially usec in rice and corn drying opera tions. These two grains are usu ally cut at about 35 percent mois ture and require drying In stor age bins for substantial period of time.

The farm mechanization equipment consists of feeding system for hogs, beef and dairy caul Aird said production of these two items by Wyatt's has tripled in the past 10 years. production breakdown for Wyatt's is grain conveying equipment, 60 percent; farm mechanization equipment, 20 per cent, and foundry products, 20 percent. About 15 percent of the total production goes to foreign markets. Aird said the company ex- Under a New Roof Portion of Wyatt Manufacturing factory-warehouse. (Journal Photo) pacts an increased this percent- "There are a vast number oi items we could manufacture ourselves.

The question is one of economic feasibility, whether we can compete with established manufacturers of these goods, or whether we should concentrate not now on the market. age as foreign countries "begin imately a 35 percent increase realize wnat farm from the present plant, according to Aird. They are located on a 16-acre site on the north side of East North street about one-half mile east of the intersection with Ohio street. The firm plans to build offices on the.new site within two years. Until then, headquarters will continue on 5th street.

The new gray iron foundry con- gists of all new equipment and three times the capacity of the "We'll probably do both." Wyatt's planned expansion ization can do in building iip ex- production items is reminiscen ports." of a time when the company Aird said there would be pro- manufactured a wide range of duction changes as a result of products, moving into the new complex. When Frank Wyatt founded th More Volume "We expsct to increase the volume of our present line of pro- hay-baler' ducts and are interested in get-' ting into production of other items needed In the farm mechanization field," be said. company in 1903, there was onl the foundry. However, he soo acquired the patent for the Jay hawk haystacker and, until item was country. 1950) throughout th tto The haystacker could eith- er be operated by team of trained horses or a tractor.

And recalled a farmer in northern -Montana still using such a haystack- er and a team of horses in 1953. I farm implement accessories. i foreman for Frank Wyatt when It wasn't so much the pricethe company began operation. competition as the many different outlets these large manulac- jturers had," said Aird. Family Story The haystacker sold from $601 The history of Wyatt's lies $125, depending upon whether largely with the Spaeth family, was constructed of wood John gpaeth was foundry steel.

The economic success of haystacker caused an expansion of Wyatt's products to include a drill, an alfalfa renovator, plows, a washer and wringer combination, -a sewing machine and the Jayhawk drummer, a soil-tilling device. Wyatt's restricted its production to grain conveying equipment as large tractor manufacturers began producing many Shortly thereafter, Frajik Wyatt went to California for reasons of health. He.offered to sell the now multi-million dollar company to John Spaeth for $10,000. Spaeth raised the money with great difficulty interest in the firm in 1929. Controlling interest in Wyatt's still is owned by the Spaeth family, although all the male members of that family are now dead.

The Wyatt expansion into the new production complex was partly financed through a Smal Business Administration loan and finally obtained a controllin Salina, a local development corporation. The SBA approved loan was $350,000 with Salina, loaning Wyatt's an additional $87,000 provided by the four Salina banks. The remaining $362,000 was obtained from private and commsr made through the sponsordiip cial sources. Construction of the three buildings began in February, 1968 -an" was largely completed first of November. The buildings were by Giffels andRosetti, consulting engineers of Detroit, land lAiilt by Salina Steel Structures and Mullen Construction both Salina firms.

HOME TOWN BOY MAKES GOOD! Man and Metal Mean Production Dean Lcntz, 1014 E. Kirwin, Wyatt foundry foreman, shields face from heat as molten iron pours Into ladle. (Journal Photo) Hal Boyle Says; Some Great Names among Southpaws The sleek new Beeclicraft Duke is wowing the business aircraft community. Good looking, fast and pressurized, the Duke is completely built and assembled in the Beech Aircraft Corporation's 441.000 sq. ft.

Salina facility. In addition, the versatile Salina Division also produces wings for other Bcechcrafts from the single-engine Bonanza up to the 17-place Turboprop 90 Airliner. This contribution to General Aviation is balanced by important Government contracts: The responsibility of. producing the BccchcraCt Cardinal, a small, high-performance pilotless target plane that permits the U. S.

Army to sharpen the shooting eyes of its gunnery and missilcmcn. Also under production arc dispensers for the jctison of bomblcts for Army Ordnance. This constant activity has made Beech Salina's largest employer. Over 1,300 residents are currently on the Beech payroll and this mutually profitable relation-: sliip promises to continue. Beech is in the process of phasing in new and diversified operations which will call for increased manpower and increased efficiency.

The of Beech will reflect favorably on the entire Salina community. We are proud to be a part of Salina. It's a great home town. Salina Division Beech Aircraft Corporation NEW YOUK (AP a columnist might never know if he didn't open his mail: One tenth of mankind is southpaw. That about 300 million people arc left-handed.

Among the-most famous loflics In history were Alexander the Great. Leonardo da Vinci and Benjamin Franklin. The U.S. mint has scales so delicate they can weigh pencil mark on a piece o( paper. Dentist? are among the professional groups who have won most successful tn giving ip smoking.

Only one in Ihi'co now uses tobacco. But Americans are stil! the world's heaviest smokers. Last year the average was 3,860 cigarettes for each adult. It's no wonder yew sometimes feel nervous. Your brain hns some 10 billion nerve cells your Iwdy holds more than 00,000 mllos of nerve fibers.

Milk normally remains drink- iblc for about seven days under normal refrigeration--45 to SO iogrccs. fahrenhcil. Rut it can ast up lo seven weeks If kept cooled to a point just above freezing and up to 20 weeks If It is paslwmed nt temperature of 200, degrees Instead of the customary IPS to 172 degrees. Pcdoslilans who cross street: at inli'rscctlons have better of escaping death or to- ury than jaywalkers. National Safety Council figures show that only 23 per cent of pedestrian accidents occur at intersections, compared to 39 per cent between intersections, Quotable notnhlls: "Men have more problems than women.

In the first place, they have to put up with Francoise Other facilities in Wichita, Liberal and BouWcr, Colorado. 9.