Kimble to expand into television bulb field

Glass Firm Here to Expand

Into Television Bulb Field

With the announcement yesterday that the American Structural Products Company of Muncie, a subsidiary of the Owens-Illinois Com­pany, will acquire all of the industrial and electronics manufacturing formerly centered in the Kimble Glass Division of Toledo, O., com­pany spokesmen last night foresaw "the opportunity for expansion of business by the local plant.

Stanley J. McGivern, vice-president of Owens-Illinois and general manager of the Kimble Glass Division, who will become president of the American Structural operation here, explained that the expansion will be in the electronics field rather than in the physical lay­out "because we have a larger capacity in Muncie than is cur­rently needed."

The American Structural Prod­ucts Company will also continue to manufacture and sell Insulux glass block. With the change of the operation, the Owens-Illinois Com­pany will acquire from American Structural Products the latter’s facilities for manufacturing Kaylo insulating materials. The Kaylo business, with offices in Toledo, will hereafter be operated as the Kaylo Division, according to J. P. Levis, president of Owens-Illinois.

T. A. Collins will become general manager of the Kaylo Division, Levis said.

These changes, which group the manufacturing of all pressed glass items of the Owens-Illinois Glass Company under one management in the American Structural Prod­ucts Company, will permit expansion and development which was impractical before the change, ac­cording to Levis.

In commenting on the change last night, McGivern pointed out that there can be no hard and fast rule for growth of the plant here, inasmuch as "business is business", but he said that he foresaw a definite expansion in the electron­ics field. The local plant now em­ploys 325 persons, and no lay-offs while the change is made or after­ward are anticipated.

Pressed glassware items of the company include television bulbs, Insulux glass blocks, Hemingray insulators, and a variety of other industrial and electronic products.

Under the regrouping of the various industrial phases, only the Muncie firm remains as an Ameri­can Structural Products Company, with two New Jersey firms being transferred directly to the Owens-Illinois Company. Carl Smith is plant manager for the local sub­sidiary.

"Manufacturing and marketing of Kaylo insulating materials will be concentrated in one division of the company, which should make possible greater efficiencies and more widespread use of these products," Levis said.