Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1959-01-23, Page 9sr: ar THE,ATTRA,.CTIVE ail pearance oto the new. Sea- =. forth Shoes_Lplait_-is_hown_ in the' artist's draw.ing'. above: - Brilliantly, lighted", . the interior provides the late,< est in ,pr-oduetion' facilties<""' Top' left slows a line of machines with: operator s -- busy helping ,.'.to produce.`: xuore ,t=han 12,000 ,Lpaixs shoed each day,;: Lower:lef,t, Angus Lean and Alvin. Sinale.are admiring, the• output of a new cutting machine. They' are among the. more,;: ua, f 6emp oyees :who bate a .= pzrt`in producing Seaforth Shoes in. town. In• addition to the :'new' factory,'::'•Sea- forth '" Shoes ::operates •a -; large warehouse in • the former .public 'school "The completion: of the new Sea- 'forth -Shoes ',factory is: a great thing MAYOR B. F. 'CHRIS'. for the citizens of Seaforth;". May 4or B. F, - Christie said, as he ex tended congratulations on behalf of, the community to the Company. 'i`he industry brings a lot ..of business here, and lots of people Colne to Seaforth , to • Work in the. plant': he Said. "That s means there is more 'money in circulation and everybody in town benefits, Mayor, Christie, suggested one of, the big benefits was that employ- ment opportunities were 'available in- the town. It provided employ- .2rient. for young people, _ -"One time a•=, yotng-fellow--•hail- to go away top get work, : but that ars ail -changed ".now." Mr. Christie recalled themany hours that,ha:d been spent by interested' groups leading up to 'the decision of :the company to build here. Everyone concerned was anxious' to do everything necessary to en- sure that Seaforth would have the. benefits of a new factory in town. and of the increased Seaforth shoe 1preduction that would result, he said; He paid tribute to the .CO - ration that •w a s extended roughout the negotiations." Mr. Christie pointed out that in providing_ streets and services for the new factory, an entire new sec,. tion acomes;available ;fordustry;when a:heating systernwas 'purposes: Se 'believed this.:in'turri .needed,. for ",the :new. shoe .factory" mil could.-: make ossible` a lowered they -didn't -have to�Iook�,an , farther PY crease in assessment. as new haus-. :es were erected, which, in turn,. (Continued on Page 1>I) 'would - make possible a lowered tax rate; C. of C. President Comments In; a statementissued in:'' con- nection` with the , opening of the :new Seaforth Shoes 'Plant, F. C. J. Sills, president of the Seaforth" Chamber of Commerce said:. `With the recent erections of,the: Seaforth -Shoes .Company plant a new plateau .leas been. reached in the industrial expansion of Seafor And district, It started a few year ago; when',Seaforth Shoes put 'a new addition to'their' oldplant Topnotch Feeds erected a fine: Ftew mill after a,: di'sa'strous fire;' 'Sea forth Sewer Tile cothntenced 'oper- ations;the ' Co-op 'enlarged. their mill. and • egg • "fa cilities, and all around the district poultry houses were. built °so •that We are now sec- ond to none';.in this .field. "Our other : industries have ',remained quite :busy, with John..Boshart: and fficialsStof iew-Plant a Informal 1a SEAFORTH, ONTA IO FRIDAY ;TAW-TAR-Yr23; .1959 =SECOND . SECTION—Pages 9 to' 18 • Ceremonies in'connection with. the-ofhcial opening of the e�w=,Seaforth.' hoes-Limited-plant•'on West' William Street will > take place on Wednesday afternoon.: of next week' three o'clock.. according to Fred R. P,ee1,'general mans er of_ the company, At the san e. bine, Mr.'Peel extended ail invi- tation to the public to Visit the new factory and attend the ceremony.. .Open.' honse is being held on ' two afternoons, Wednesday- and -Friday January. 28 and. from two o'clock to four o'clock,. *henthe publicwill have an, opportunity to examine. the Modern facilities and to watch actual "Manufac- ture of Seaforth:; Shoes. All ::phases:: -of :production be` uncles• way:_ during the open house, periods. An informal reception, and, dance: ,on ;the evening. of. December. 13th.' -marked the npofficiall in openg of= the new; Seaforth :,Shoes Limited: plant on West William Street. Tlie event combined,the em:; ployees' annual Christmas ,party _with.: a preview=-of--the--iiew- facili, ties to which 'were invited muni cipal officials, ,.members' of the' Chamber, of Commerce and local service clubs and, representatives' of Seaforth' industries' and nessmen The `guests • were enter-` tained a_ t ;receptikn in the • -Main.: Street planta, laterj,attending a dance in the new: factory, Receiving -were. °,G R,—Johnston;; of ' :Brockville, president of the parent comps y; • J. A. Johnston' Company Li„ ed; -H `'R., Peel, -of. Preston •Fresident of •''•Seaforth. Slides limited, and:. red R. Peel. Others from out' of -town, whwere present included: George, John. ston, of Williams'. Shoes, 'Brame ton, 2VIr slid Mrs.: •Robert Peel, 'Preston; Charles MacNaughton, MLA,' Exeter; ...Frank, Loan and Peter Hubert, of the United Shoe Machinery- Co , of Galt; • E. R. Tay- lor, . London; Norman Crombie, AmericanBuilt-Rite , Rubber -Co -, Toronto, William :Colville,~ Toron- to.,. oron-to, and Mr'. and :Mrs. Albert Hol land„ of. ;Preston. The 22'000square foot floor area of the new -plant -Was attractively decorated : for ' th-e occasion .The guests were;accommodated at -the perimiter of the finer, PRESIDENT'OF'SE7A'F,ORTH SHOES LTD; 1s H R :: Peel, :of- Galt, (left) , ' shown with G: R. Johnston; Brockville president of the -Parent com • anY J.'A. John - _p_. stop Co Ltd.; as they attended the Christmas party and" - reception in the new building in December. Duncan' stablished in = It is just fifty ,years ago`.since -the .business -that now -:has. become Seaforth Shoes blinded- was begun 'fn'• Seaforth. The W. • J. Duncan factory,. was, purchased by Seaforth Shoes -<in 1951, as started, in 1908 The � uusiness w a •. , d by Mr: Duncan. in a' 'small • store where ;the post': office is now'rloeat- us ness ed, and specialized in leggings "and..... -spats for children. At that- time hattime there was one employee, and Mr. Duncan sold his products to retail outlets throughout"•Western Ontario, .:returning after each trip to makeup "the shiPments In the intervening' years the busi tContinued on Page '13)'.. he.public iscordially-invited to visit our new ins inspect 'ourL-facilities fac`korY and P modern • A Y , 8- IEDNES FTER�100, J NU R 2 ! ..DAY A �1. �+:, ANDA FRIDAY AfTERIV00N ,� Y30:h R from `2 to'4nn•.m. P - The_ new ctory w ll -b opene officially• at.' a brief ceremony at YY 3' o'clock Wednesday afternoon' ' F. SixitS:._ Sons producing fine futniture, and significant of our diversity in an S`EA��RTN•° ;SHOES • Seaforth, ' On . LIMITE the J. A; . Johnston Company limited, parent cozrtlrany; of Sea- forth Shoes ,Limited; has a. proud - history rn the 'footwear. industry; extending over "a period Of Mere. an°fifty years : ,Tfie' :;completion. of ahalf century of 'successful op- eration Was marked in ;October; 1957,;; when _the Chamber of Com merce of Brockville arranged a. testaiYloival : dinaer�'m its ; ;honor: Leaders,. in Canadian .finance and ind'ustry'wer-e in attendance 'to -pay' tribute-. to the Johnston 'organize - The company was organized by John,, A. Johnston '• in 1907 ; as • a wholesale distributor of. footwear and -since :that time the co -innerly, has remained in the. Johnston far ily 'with the third generation now Assuming. executive: positions, ._.. Wholesaling. is -still a very im portant part of,,the Johnston.opei- atien', serying .more • than twelve hundred . retailers.tlrough out Ada., large -percentage :of C-tahnee- merchandise-- • distributed -by the. company :is the product .of: Cana dian. factories, but during ,recent years' imports from the 'United States, the United Kingdom; -italy, Hong 'Kong,; and other European countries,have been added' to the wide• rage: •of footwear, rubber footwear, popish andfindings that; is carried -in °stock at Mi times in the,',Brockville warehouse. Itis the Proud boast of, company officials that there are still a nuin-' ber' of retailers doing':business with Johnston's today who were, listed on the -records as original Custom ers, in"1907. John A. J`ohnston' the' founder FRER.rR: ]PEEL of this old'- Canadian company, ated`.Info the new Seaforth Shoes spent his .entire life in -the foot, wear industry as -+ha=ve the' follow. plant, designed' by Mr. Peel and ing'twoa•generations: of• his, family.; Assistant:Ceneral.Manager;Joseph 2viacartney, in; consultation with .E. He startetfi-1>,is career• as; a shoe ... ,, . R . Taylor•. Cortstruction clerk hi Ca m ion's retail store and: later inanag d : clic ,shoe depart» -London,-; general.- designed menu of D. W. Downey, Brockville,, "The plant was signed to, give Ontario In 18.96 he: joined the :J. maximum, effnien[cy.:_atid.ase ...in D. King. Company, 'shoe wholesal- `the fxow of production,'' Mr -e. feel ors in' Toronto,' and covered: East- said- ernv,Ontario• for, this. firm:: The plant is designed, in such a ...Prom this humble. ;beginning 'a: .way that additions may" -be added :, ivi h u di ni ' da Mighty ..•empire . within the foot= ix' future tot s ptmg y wear;industry greiy in Canada The 'to -day operations. Reused in the' last „half :century has placed. Can- machinery.. •the' latest in shoe building ada in an enviable_ position,. among Product oil s e is' briTliantl the great nations of the world, and' Pae y the J,' A, Johnston C'ompanyLtd.has ' tel Large tearea`s of .win played, an important • part' rn the dews ensure maximum use of day - growth of a great country, expand- light, Onitheleast side a projec- ing year"after year to become' one:; tion contains`•• a servicing area l=and. -of the largest-indepenuently own attractive office .accommodation. ed companies in the industry. It The office area is finished in pan - is one of the fewCempanies in ar}y elled. wppd: The entire arrange- : Canadian industry which has re- meet is designed hot only to re-.. r�iainad m tl e hands of_thP original adlt-tii.d ittoce efficient -work- •flow, • family otvrers. 'but also- •tot provide More space•, The company continued •to• oiler- better lighting, heatnng,:ventilation : ate aswholesalers until 1933, when and 'other facilities for the firm's their first retail outlet was ' neer- employees. ed. ' By 1941 the,niitnber ,of retail Located on• an eight-acre,site at , stores had •increased - td 34 when the northwest corner -of Seaforth, wartime orders prevented further the factory, will centre a landscap- expansion :In 1942 the retaildivi- ed area, Work- of grading and sion was incorporated into 'a isep- planting ,the surrounding grounds crate company, Reward' Shoe will be under way as soon as wear Stores, Limited, and, the' number .cher permits; - •of. retail stores. have continually .increased and note number 60.• rhe E-xpasitorPhotos b� Phillips latest addition to the eltpanding ;. chain was':; opened 'on Danforth All photos In thisy Seafo 'ttii Avenue .in Toronto' in August of Shoes special section were this year.•taken : by Frank l hilli for (Continued onPage 13) The .iii;on Expositor, While •.there 'have been.' ad- dltions to existing plants,'the ne`cy: Seaforth.-Shoes buil.'ding represents:"Ihe first! complete , , ly • new- factory; constructed in Seaforth m many -:years. Construction on ,the'' brick,steel and concrete building began in ear= Iy = Septeinher. Production in:; the nearly,:.;20,000-foot building :began four"months later, On January 5.• The "company e.mploys'14O--nearly •three tines 'the 'number who were empkoyed when,Seaforth. Shoes.:. was 'formed eight years ago:: This •num .her will contir;i e to -increase as production moves . up, frons the_, present' 2,000 pairs a day By June cthe -daily, output is ."expected •tb tea ch:4,000,pairs,•according to=Mr Peel "This new__plant " he said, ` "is among the most modern and ;effic> ent 'layouts ._ bi . _Qanada _ to ay - •Scores. of shoe:, factories in, Canada and 'the,U.S: Werei studied for -four . years .before ,We, went ahead: to build." .A11.; the best features of other production, layouts were incorpor ,