Embedded Files
As the industry of slate began to change and lose some of its firm hold on certain aspects of fabrication such as roofing, "associations" began to form for a variety of different purposes, such as the increase of sales for roofing slates.
Strength in Numbers
Between 1912 and 1919, the number of slate shingles sold went from approximately 120,000 squares annually to 40,000 squares, or a loss of more than 65% (In 1915 continuous roll die-cutting was brought into the manufacturing process of tar roofing resulting in the rapid manufacturing of asphalt shingles). By the end of the first decade of the 20th century, many slate companies, especially those associated with the plunging slate roofing market, had begun to consolidate. As the economy for slate was changing, smaller companies had come to understand that there was strength in numbers and that competition with each other was more detrimental than beneficial. While most of the quarries maintained their own unique names, companies grouped together such that the name Genuine Bangor actually was the brand name of 8 subsidiaries that together were responsible for more than 13 individual quarries.
In turn however, there were the parents to them all. Large companies stood as the promotion, distribution and sales control for almost the entire Slate Belt industry which at the time was responsible for the production of more than 50% of the entire slate output for the nation. Between the Vendor Slate Company, representing roofing interests, the Natural Slate Blackboard Company (which represented 35 large quaries in the district) and the Structural Slate Company (founded in 1918 and branded with the name Pyramid), representing other types of slate products, many of the quarries and companies in the district were involved. This domination ultimately controlled pricing for not just the district but for the nation as a whole.
The Largest Shipper of Roofing Slate in the World
Although presented not as a monopoly or a trust, but more a service or unified broker, The Vendor Slate Company was organized to "coordinate the activities, consolidate the products and increase the output of its component companies", which consisted of Genuine Bangor, Albion or Jackson Bangor, No. 1 Pen Argyl and the combined Big Bed Companies. In other words, it was created to improve sales. As is quoted from a Sweets Catalog from 1920, "The Vendor Slate Company became the exclusive selling agent for about 30 companies which were quarrying roofing slate, with the goal of eliminating unnecessary competition between companies which was hurting everyone. In addition the hope was that its formation would help to standardize the output resulting in improved quality as well as reduced costs." 1.
Along with profit though, the Vendor Slate Company was created to identify and provide clear specifications of recommended practice with respect to the best methods of utilizing slate as a roofing material. To give credit where it is due, the Vendor Slate Company understood that the process of quarrying should be given to those who know how to quarry, the means of installation should be given to those who install and the means to design should be given to those who design, and that all of it should be managed by those who manage. The quarriers should not have to provide the drawings and written specifications for the use of their material and they should not all individually have to hire people to identify and draw architectural detailing. The intent was to improve standard approaches to the way slate was installed and used, which in turn helped to limited the number of dissatisfied customers who felt that the supplier might be offering inferior product. In actual fact the problems were in the hands of the installers. Vendor Slate provided clearly written specifications as well as quality control managers to ensure that the product they sold was as good as the manufacturer claimed.
Source: The American Architect Specification Manual, 1921
The Vendor Slate Company worked hard to sell itself to contractors as a friendly and helpful service instead of a supplier and promotional agency for an entire industry.
The following is quoted directly from The American Contractor of 1918.
"It pays you to build a roof which will stand up for years without repair costs, for one satisfied customer makes many more for you. A satisfied customer is the very best kind of an advertisement for your business. He is, you might say, a permanent improvement in your business. 'Vendor' Service will help you build up a host of satisfied customers, for when you order 'Vendor' Roofing Slate you get exactly what you order, and it will be shipped when you want it. Our large organization, composed of over forty quarries assures this.'
A slate calculator from the Vendor Slate Company. Found in Easton PA in 2011, the inside number is the length, the middle number is the width and the outside number is the number of pieces needed to make the "square" . The length and width are in inches.
Courtesy of the Friendly Metal Detecting ForumWas it a Trust?
As was the case with all of these large over-arching companies, the question was always whether they were trusts. In July of 1917, the granting of a charter of incorporation to the Vendor Slate Company, by Governor Brumbaugh, marked the consummation of what was at the time believed to be the largest move ever attempted in the slate industry in the Lehigh Valley. The Allentown Leader, a local paper, stated that "the new company was to serve as a selling agency or clearing house for all the roofing slate companies in Lehigh and Northampton Counties, which produce approximately 5O percent of all the roofing slate used In the United States." Although specifically denying the company was functioning as a "trust" it was responsible for the sales and production methods of such a vast amount of product, that it impacted the entire slate industry and functioned as a price controller. Not limited to just the Pennsylvania Slate Belt district, different promotional sources available, provided different lists of Branch offices for the Vendor Slate Company some of which were in obvious Pennsylvania communities such as Easton, Bangor, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, but also in other national slate districts such as Poultney VT, and Middle Granville NY. In addition, offices were located in major metropolitan areas such as Cleveland OH, St. Louis MO, Chicago IL, Boston MA, New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Washington DC, Detroit MI, Hartford CT and even London, England. In the publication Slate for the Roof Architectural, produced by the Vendor Slate company, the company is cited as having productions in both Pennsylvania and Vermont and being "without doubt the largest and most important slate organization in the world".
Companies like the Natural Slate Blackboard Company were created. In 1916, 35 companies that specialized in making blackboards joined together to create this one company. The argument in favor was that independent companies carried little stock and the products from each were inconsistent, resulting in "wasted effort in both sales and distribution". The company marketed their product under the name Pyramid Natural Slate Blackboards and agreed in principle to always have at least 1,000,000 square feet of blackboard on hand. In effect, it became the only source of slate blackboards.
Associations
In addition to these large suppliers were associations that were also acting in the best interests of the industry. The National Slate Association was first established in 1922 by slate quarriers with the first meeting held in New York in February of that year. The goal was to appear as a third outside party intent on promoting the use of slate for roofing and structural applications. Their standards set for slate and its installation are still adhered to today. Not surprisingly though, shortly after its formation the organization became inactive due to lack of cohesion in the industry. Its primary publication, Slate Roofs, remains a valuable resource, continuing to be reprinted and used by the quarrying, construction and design communities.
The function of the National Slate Association was evident in 1922 when, represented by W. S. Hays, along with leading figures from thirteen other industry associations, it appeared before the Senate Immigration Committee to highlight the need for increased immigration to help solve the problem of a 300,000 man shortage in the building industry. The association worked with the National Bureau of Standards to establish standard sizes for structural slate for plumbing and sanitary purposes, roofing slate and blackboard slate as well .3
At the first meeting of the Association, one of the big issues presented by the freight rates committee was the rising costs associated with freight train shipping. The case had been presented to the Interstate Commerce Commission showing that real discrimination existed against slate, and the railroads could not contest the fact. The strength of the Association was clearly having an impact at least one of the rising costs of slate production. 4 In addition to the lobbying elements of the association, testing laboratories were maintained by the organization through arrangements with Lafayette College, Lehigh University and Rensselaer University.
They would offer awards for the best new use of slate.
The National Slate Association went to great lengths to promote use and product development with slate. A simple contest was offered in an issue of Popular Mechanics in August of 1924 stating the following. "In Line with the efforts of the National Slate Association to promote and extend the uses of slate as illustrated by their slogan “Slate – Consider Its Uses,” the association will pay the sum of $200 for the best suggested new use received before May 1, 1925, the date of expiration of this offer. In addition to the above offer, cash payments in proportion to their value to our members in the industry, will be given for all suggestions having reference to the production, distribution, and use of slate products, not already known to our members, and which they adopt. Address, National Slate Association, 761 Drexel Building, Philadelphia PA."
In January 2002, a historic meeting took place in Saratoga Springs, New York. A steering committee of producers, roofing contractors, architects, building owners, and other interested parties convened to revitalize the National Slate Association. which plays a major role in supporting the continuation of the industry today.
Google Sites
Report abuse