Ohio Brass sales and income up

O-B Sales,

Income Up

Ohio Brass Co. officials today reported increases in sales and income during the first half of the year, compared to the same period in 1964.

Sales jumped from $25,171,683 last year to $30,176,090 this year, while income rose from $1,205,584 to $1,591,497.

Net income per share of stock also has increased, from $1.53 during first half 1964 to $2.02 this year. Dividends paid per share remained at 80 cents.

The higher income and sales reported this year is attributed to Ohio Brass Co. participation in an electrical utilities construction boom.

B. H. Little, secretary-treasurer of Ohio Brass, reports the Mansfield and Barberton plants are furnishing insulators and hardware for several of the nation's extra-high voltage transmission lines, including the 600-mile Keystone project which will carry power from western Pennsylvania coal fields to eastern metropolitan areas.

SHARP RISE

Officials at O-B have reported a sharp rise in their suspension insulator production. Second quarter shipments of 10-inch and larger suspension insulators were 60 per cent ahead of the same period in 1964. First half shipments were up 54 per cent over last year, and current and future production is expected to meet or exceed this pace.

The basis of this expanded porcelain production goes back several years when it was decided that Ohio Brass porcelain making facilities would be mechanized and expanded in a move to achieve a three-fold improvement in capacity.

Included in these improvements were mechanization of the malleable iron foundry in Mansfield, which doubled O-B malleable capacity; and a half dozen porcelain driers at the Barberton insulator plant with related handling equipment, plus several trimming lathes. The lathes and driers were added to gain more post insulator capacity.

Additional studies of Ohio Brass' future needs for post type insulators are being made. These facilities will be further increased if this can be justified under present conditions, officials predicted.