The Atlas Portland Cement Company, based in Northampton, Pennsylvania, was one of the largest cement companies of the world. Founded in Northampton in 1895, Atlas operated there until 1982 when it was bought out. It manufactured Portland cement, the most common type of cement in the world.
In the early 20th century, Atlas Portland Cement Company produced eight million barrels for the construction of the Panama Canal (1903-1914); its product was the majority of cement used on that project.[1] For the construction of the Singer Building in New York City, 22,600 barrels of cement were used. Some 151,000 barrels of Atlas cement were used in constructing the Empire State Building,[1] completed in 1931.
Atlas was among the dozens of cement companies that operated in the general vicinity of Northampton County, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Changes in technology and automation mean that in the 21st century, 150-200 workers can do the work that used to take thousands of employees in the plants. The company's legacy is remembered and interpreted in the Atlas Cement Memorial Museum, which was founded in 1997 by Edward Pany, a former employee at the company and a history teacher.[1]
Managementedit
Benjamin Franklin Affleck was president of the Universal Atlas Cement Company, after its merger with the Universal Portland Cement Company, from 1930 to 1936.[2][3] He was noted by colleagues and area residents for his rise from humble beginnings in the company as a machinist to the head of sales, and later to presidency of the company.[4][5] Affleck retired from the position just six years later, in 1936.[6][7]
On March 2, 1921, Affleck and thirty-nine other officers of cement corporations were indicted by a federal grand jury under the Sherman Antitrust Act for restraint of trade and attempts at monopoly. The companies involved were alleged to have tightly controlled the supply of cement, refusing to sell any builder more than the amount needed for a single job, and preventing them from using any unexpected surplus on other jobs; prices quoted on cement were invariably the same to the penny.[8]
Referencesedit
^ abcDuck, Michael (20 May 2006). "Cement museum nurtures nostalgia in Pennsylvania". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
^"Benjamin Franklin Affleck", The Christian Science Monitor, p. 13, February 15, 1944, retrieved March 27, 2008
^Audrey, Theodore (April 27, 1913), "He Made Himself a 'Profit Bringer': How B. F. Affleck Rose from a Machinist to Sales Manager", Chicago Tribune, p. E3, retrieved March 27, 2008
^Lesley, Robert Whitman; Lober, John Baptiste; Bartlett, George S. (1924), History of the Portland Cement Industry in the United States, International Trade Press, Inc., pp. 228–9
^"Benjamin Franklin Affleck", The Christian Science Monitor, p. 13, February 15, 1944, retrieved March 27, 2008
^"Indict 40 Officers and 74 Companies in Cement 'Trust'", The New York Times, p. 1, March 2, 1921, retrieved March 27, 2008
External linksedit
Atlas Cement Company Memorial Museum website
April 17, 2024
atlas, portland, cement, company, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Atlas Portland Cement Company news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Atlas Portland Cement Company based in Northampton Pennsylvania was one of the largest cement companies of the world Founded in Northampton in 1895 Atlas operated there until 1982 when it was bought out It manufactured Portland cement the most common type of cement in the world Atlas Portland Cement CompanyThe Empire State Building center in Midtown Manhattan was built with 151 000 barrels of Atlas Portland cement in the early 20th centuryFounded1895Defunct1982 1982 HeadquartersNorthampton Pennsylvania United StatesKey peopleBenjamin Franklin AffleckProductsPortland CementIn the early 20th century Atlas Portland Cement Company produced eight million barrels for the construction of the Panama Canal 1903 1914 its product was the majority of cement used on that project 1 For the construction of the Singer Building in New York City 22 600 barrels of cement were used Some 151 000 barrels of Atlas cement were used in constructing the Empire State Building 1 completed in 1931 Atlas was among the dozens of cement companies that operated in the general vicinity of Northampton County Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania Changes in technology and automation mean that in the 21st century 150 200 workers can do the work that used to take thousands of employees in the plants The company s legacy is remembered and interpreted in the Atlas Cement Memorial Museum which was founded in 1997 by Edward Pany a former employee at the company and a history teacher 1 Management editBenjamin Franklin Affleck was president of the Universal Atlas Cement Company after its merger with the Universal Portland Cement Company from 1930 to 1936 2 3 He was noted by colleagues and area residents for his rise from humble beginnings in the company as a machinist to the head of sales and later to presidency of the company 4 5 Affleck retired from the position just six years later in 1936 6 7 On March 2 1921 Affleck and thirty nine other officers of cement corporations were indicted by a federal grand jury under the Sherman Antitrust Act for restraint of trade and attempts at monopoly The companies involved were alleged to have tightly controlled the supply of cement refusing to sell any builder more than the amount needed for a single job and preventing them from using any unexpected surplus on other jobs prices quoted on cement were invariably the same to the penny 8 References edit a b c Duck Michael 20 May 2006 Cement museum nurtures nostalgia in Pennsylvania tribunedigital chicagotribune Chicago Tribune Retrieved 4 April 2020 Benjamin Franklin Affleck The Christian Science Monitor p 13 February 15 1944 retrieved March 27 2008 Hadley 1945 The Magic Powder p 261 Audrey Theodore April 27 1913 He Made Himself a Profit Bringer How B F Affleck Rose from a Machinist to Sales Manager Chicago Tribune p E3 retrieved March 27 2008 Lesley Robert Whitman Lober John Baptiste Bartlett George S 1924 History of the Portland Cement Industry in the United States International Trade Press Inc pp 228 9 Benjamin Franklin Affleck The Christian Science Monitor p 13 February 15 1944 retrieved March 27 2008 Hadley 1945 The Magic Powder p 261 Indict 40 Officers and 74 Companies in Cement Trust The New York Times p 1 March 2 1921 retrieved March 27 2008External links editAtlas Cement Company Memorial Museum website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Atlas Portland Cement Company amp oldid 1183271515, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
