The Brussels Post, 1974-04-03, Page 18NEW BUILDING -Ford Dickison Ltd., the largest poultry equipment manufacturer
in Canada have expanded from their original Brodhagen plant and have just
constructed. a new plant in Mitchell.
Fuel saving ideas for.
farin machinery
111101l -.4111n 1111",
171, . 4174' am=id alp tug `saaiad aan214 nuiptnoad papnis puu stuna2oad
ut pannsai icitnanTiu annh snq ?ye pool six jo lsn iqt atp, pauntja pu-euiop pasnaIom 3 S1311 _
.
2Inouapad-xa _itpnann aan
-/CiSutoxoaan nanx
2a--SPRING' SUPPLEMENT SUPPLEMENT to THE HURON EXPOSITOR, THE BRUSSELS POST, 197A Poultry cages spell success Brodhagen industry is biggest in Canada get all of this that 'it needs. But in spite of the shortages that have slowed down some aspects of Ford Dickison's business the company is steaming ahead. Ford Dickison has distributors all over Canada including one in B.C. who does $200,000 to S300,000 in business every year. Ford Dickison does export to -the U.S., "we have a big dealer in North Carolina" Mr. Davies says, but is quite content to be the biggest company in their field in this country. Mr. Davies says that over the years Ford Dickison has driven
most American competitors right
out of the Ontario poultry
equipment market, an interesting
switch in these days t when
American industry seems to
usually 'dominate what is
Canadian. '
It's quite a success story ---
from a one man hardware store in
the late 1940's to a two plant
operation employing 25 to 30
employees in two shifts and an
additional 30 - 40 when the
Mitchell plant is opened.
The- best thing about the
success story is that it happened
in our own neighbourhood. It
should give a real boost to
Brodhagen and area to know that .
the largest poultry cage 2)
manufacturer in Canada is tight
here at home.
As an aid ter farrnets. faced- with
tight fuel supplies, this list of fuel
saving tips for operating various
types of equipment wilt be
helpful.
These suggestions have been
made by the men who: service
equipment and who -are
experienced: in the operation of
machines in the field.
Hay Baler
Probably the most power-con
suming area of the- baler is the
slicing knives on the plunger in
the bale chamber. If knives are
not kept as, sharp as they should
be or if the clearance between
them is not proper,. -excessive
power is used resulting in
excessive consumption of fuel,
along with mechanical problems
such as excessive flywheel shear
bolt breakage,.
1.Keep slicing knives sharp- at
all: times.
2. Maintain, proper clearance
between the slicing knives. 3_-Ralie as -fight a,s -rxecessarY for' the purpose leftcknxica.. boa-V 2ler.2"
than to shut it off particularly if
the engine is hot. It takes less fuel
to leave an engine running at an
idle than it does to stop a hot
engine and then try to get it
started again a fa minutes later.
Tire Pressure
The tires of the combine should
always be inflated to the
spec'if'ications outlined in the
operators manual. If -tires, are
under' inflated more fuel- will be
consumed in, propelling . the
machine down the field..
Mower-Conditioner
1, Keep sickle sections sharp at
all times.
2. Replace guards when ledger
surfaces, become rounded.
3, Keep hold-down clips in
proper adjustments.
4.. Keep guards in good
alignment.
5.. Keep-engines properly tuned
with frequent check of points,
plugs and timing. (self-propelled)
6.. Keep tires properly inflated.
7_ Service air cleaner
as recommended by engine
manufacturer.
3. Service air filters regularly
as recommended by manufac-
turer.
4. Check fan belt tension as
specified in. Owner's. Manual.
5. Engine operating tempera:-
ture should be within specified
range. Hot or cold engines are
inefficient. Engines are basically
heat pumps.
6. Store fuel properly to
exclude water, dirt and dust.
Underground storage for safety.
7. Open and close throttle
gently rather than violently.
8. Keep all fuel line connec-
tions tight to prevent leaks and
induction of air. .
9. Avoid long idling period.
10. Avoid engine overloads.
Gas
1. Keep engine ignition tuned:
points, plugs, condensor and
timing.
2.. Service fuel filters regularly.
3. Service air filter regularly.
4.. Check: fan belt tension as
The area immediately around Seaforth is not exactly an industrial heartland. That is the reason that it will come as a surprise to many people that the largest manufacturer of poultry equipment in all of Canada has it's plant located right in the village of Brodhagen, mew mi es north east of Seaforth. - Ford Dickison Industries Ltd. started as part of a hardware business operated by the late Ford Dickison in Brodhagen in 1947. His business really took off when Mr. Dickison invented a ventilating fan for use in poultry houses in 1956. The hardware
business had expanded to include
a plumbing and heating busineSs
and a sheet metal shop by this
time. By demonstrating his fan at
the- International Plowing Match
and at fall fairs throughout the
area, Mr. Dickison built up a big
market for the ventilation systems
and in 1959 expanded again.
Fromlrvin Leonhardt he bought-
a carriage and woodworking shop
to the east of the original •
hardware store. The building was
rebuilt and the whole structure
was covered with blue metal
siding. Here the fans were
manufactured.
In 1962 Mervyn Leonhardt,
who had ;been associated with
Ford Dickison Industries, bought
the Plumbing and Heating part of
the business.
In 1963 Mr. Dickison purchased.
Harry Tait's grocery store and
extended the blue siding, south to
'cover this brick building. The
1974 manufacturing plant is really
made up of several older
buildings, joined together under
one roof and covered with blue
siding,
In the Sixties the company
began producing brooding,,
growing and laying cages for
poultry, designed by Mr.
DickiSon. By the time of the
founder's death in late 1969 at 45,
Ford Dickison Industries Ltd. had
from 25 to 30 employees and sold
farm equipment supplies to
More than 250 sternwheeler
riverboats plied the Yukon River
front 1896 to 1944. Except for a
retailers all over Canada and in the U.S. About four years ago, John Davies, a Canadian from the Huntsville area who was working for the auto industry in the United States, bought the Ford Dickison Company along with H ugh Paterson, an Exeter accountant.. Under John Davies- management the company has continued to expand and in the near future will open a new 5,400 sq. ft plant in Mitchell which will
"In 1974 — and in fact the past
several years — there has been a
dramatic increase in the number
of home vegetable gardens,"
says John Htighes, horticulturist
with the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food. He sees
this increase as a result of the
increasing food costs.
"1973 was a year in which
increased food costs received a lot
of publicity over the .season.
`Inflation' gardens are one way
consumers can lower the cost of
their weekly food budget."
operate in conjunction with the 18,000 sq. ft. of working space that the company has in-Brodhagen. Less than a month ago, according to Mr. Davies, Ford DickisonLtd. bought out the Jamesway Company's poultry and hog cage manufacturing business. Shortages haye hit the poultry equipment business just like almost every other manufacturing industry that consumers are
Garden centers and roadside
markets confirm the rapid rise in
interest with the sale of vegetable
transplants — expecially
tomatoes, peppers and onion
seedlings.
Since gardening is a prime
North American hobby, it's little
wonder that 'inflation' gardens
are catching on. It doesn't take
much space in the backyard to
grow a row of corn„ tomatoes,
peas , beans, and potatoes; and
these and many other vegetables
can be stored or preserved in such
interested in these days, Mr. Davies says. "We've 'got orders from November that still haven't been filled", he added. Steel is - hard to get, even though Ford Dickison Ltd. is a fairly big user. "Stelco has limited us to 25 ton of galvanized steel per quarter and we could use 100 ton per quarter", Mr. Davies says. But because the Brodhagen based company is one of Stelco's biggest customers for "chicken wire" type steel, it can
a way that they will last well into
the winter.
Even apartment dwellers are
making use of 'the summer
growing season. Balcony gardens
with patio pots of tomatoes,
radishes, lettuce and peas are
becoming very common. Hanging
baskets of vegetables are also
being used to help conserve
space. And a wide variety of
vegetable plants will do well in
these conditions.
`It's not likely that this
popularity is going to decrease,"
- says John Hughes. "Consumers
are able to plant nearly all of their
summer vegetable needs. They
can cut their food costs and still
get the quality and freshness they
want."
Of course, there's work
involved in vegetable gardens
keeping weeds down and
watching for insect problems. But
all things considered, there aren't
too many hobbies that you enjoy
working with — and then eat.
IN THE FIFTIES - The late Ford Dickison stands outside, his expanded Ford
Dickison Industries Ltd. building about 1954. At that time the business included
hardware and plumbing and heating divisions.
Spring 74 is the year for gardening
op nitto triaTsva Jo vain 41-19c1 atp_ ur X.4stipu! sem °Jain lonj ii •-epeunD u.zalsra jo mauls