France. Italy. Japan. Exports of calcium acetate from the United States, by countries-Continued. All other.. Panama. United Kingdom.. North America: Canada... Asia: Japan. 376,943 Exported to Pounds. Value. Pounds. Value. Pounds. Value. Netherlands.. $39,615 85,589 $43,000 59,514 $36,650 22,745 8,600 21,595 9,322 258, 588 974, 707 410,316 1,425 168,388 333,641 169,005 376,633 193,507 The Of the foreign countries which possess wood distillation industries the most important prior to the war was Austria-Hungary. other foreign countries which have industries of minor importance are Germany, France, Canada, Belgium, Russia, and Sweden. The industries in these countries are by no means as large as the industry in the United States. The foreign plants, as a rule, are smaller than those in this country. Austria-Hungary produces the larger part of the foreign output. The industries in these countries are discussed briefly as follows: AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.1 Although reliable production statistics are not available it is known that Austria-Hungary ranked second to this country prior 1 The wood distillation plants are located in those parts of the empire which have been established as separate monarchies or republics since the war. to the war in the production of wood chemicals. Germany, a large consumer of wood chemicals, particularly of methyl alcohol for her dye industry, offers ready markets for Austria-Hungary's output. The export statistics of Austria-Hungary show Germany as her principal consumer. They also reveal that Austria-Hungary preferred to manufacture her acetate of lime into the finished products (acetone and acetic acid) and export these rather than exporting the raw material. Austria-Hungary's exports of calcium acetate decreased from 10,212,810 pounds in 1909 to 1,023,816 pounds in 1913. This decrease, however, was partially compensated by increased exports of acetone. The exports of wood alcohol from Austria-Hungary had reached 14,312,263 pounds (about 2,100,000 gallons) in 1913, which is greater than exports of this country with the exception of those in 1918. Table following shows the exports of wood chemicals from AustriaHungary from 1909 to 1913, inclusive. Austria-Hungary's imports and exports of wood chemicals.1 [From Statistik der Auswartigen handels der Oesterreichische-Ungarischen monarchie.] Size of industry.-In 1917 the total capacity of wood distillation plants in Canada was about 600 cords per day, or 193,616 cords per year. The actual consumption was 137,466 cords in 1917 and 128,097 cords in 1918, or 71 and 66 per cent, respectively, of the total capacity. 1 Abstracted from Wood Distillation, 1917, and press notice, "The wood-distillation industry, 1918;" Dominion Bureau of Statistics, Ottawa, Canada. The cost of wood per cord at works was $6.88 in 1917 and $10.30 in 1918. These prices for cord wood correspond closely with those existing in the United States. The total amount of capital invested in the industry in 1918 was $3,612,573, of which $2,321,881 was credited to Ontario and $1,290,692 to Quebec. Thirteen plants, 11 of which are distillation plants, and 2 refineries furnish the entire production and are, with two exceptions, controlled by the Standard Chemical Iron & Lumber Co. of Canada (Ltd.). According to location, there are 4 distillation plants and 1 refinery in the Province of Quebec, and 7 distillation plants and 1 refinery in the Province of Ontario. It can be seen that the wood-distillation industry of Canada is comparatively small, the total capacity amounting to only about 12 per cent of the capacity of the industry in the United States. Increased output. The production of wood chemicals in Canada has increased about 50 per cent from 1915 to 1918, as is shown by the production of acetate of lime. This product increased in output from 17,498,547 pounds in 1915, to 25,998,139 pounds in 1918. The value at works increased from $2.18 per 100 pounds in 1915, to $3.90 in 1918. The following table shows the production of wood chemicals in Canada for 1915, 1917, and 1918: Class of products, compared by quantity and value, for 1915, 1917, and 1918. The output of acetic acid in Canada has been greatly increased during the war by the production of acetic acid synthetically from calcium carbide. This process was developed at Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, by the Canadian Electro Products Co. Calcium carbide, which is produced at Shawinigan Falls in large quantities, is first treated with water to form acetylene gas, which is then chemically combined with water, in the presence of mercury salts as a catalyst, to form acetaldehyde. The acetaldehyde is then oxidized to acetic acid. The acid produced is of high purity and concentration in contrast to that produced from acetate of lime, which requires several distillations to concentrate and purify it. The original Canadian plant was erected with the idea of converting the acetic acid into acetone, which was in large demand for the manufacture of the British explosive cordite. The production of acetone by this method proved too expensive and only acetic acid was made. The original plant, with a capacity of 700 to 800 tons of acetic acid (100 per cent) per month, was destroyed by an explosion in the latter part of 1918. During the war the Canadian firm erected another plant with funds advanced by the United States Government. This plant was practically completed at the signing of the armistice and soon after was put into operation. The disposition of claims of the Canadian firm against the United States Government, amounting to over $1,000,000, has not been announced up to the present time (December, 1920). The Canadian firm, however, controls the patent rights on the process, and the necessary water power at Shawinig n Falls and is alone familiar with the technical details. The productive capacity of the present plant is about 650 tons per month of 100 per cent acetic acid. This is roughly equivalent to about 1.300 tons of acetate of lime, or about 15 per cent of the productive capacity of acetate of lime in the United States. GERMANY. Germany, prior to the war, was a large consumer of wood chemicals, and a large part of the exports from the United States were to this country. The prewar consumption of acetate of lime in Germany was, roughly, 77,000,000 pounds, of which about 44,000,000, or 57 per cent, was imported. The prewar production of 33,000,000 pounds of acetate of lime in Germany is about 17 per cent of the productive capacity in the United States. No information is available as to the development of the wood chemical industry in Germany during the war. It is reported that two plants have been established for producing synthetic acetic acid from calcium carbide, but the capacity of these plants is not known at this time. The extent to which Germany has become self-sufficient in wood chemicals will be an important factor in the future export trade of the United States in these products. SWEDEN. The wood distillation industry in Sweden is not nearly so large as that of Austria-Hungary or the United States. In 1915 there were 23 charcoal and wood distillation plants in Sweden, with an output valued at $1,088,771. The industry as shown by production statistics is confined largely to the primary products of wood distillation as the production of wood chemicals requiring further manufacture is relatively small. The production of formaldehyde and acetone was started in 1913 and 1914, and has increased since. Sweden was the only important producer of wood distillation products which was not engaged in the war. It is evident from the quantity of turpentine and tar produced in Sweden that a fairly large portion of the wood distilled is resinous. 1 Ullmann, Dr. Fritz: "Enzyklopadie der technischen Chemie," Vol. V, p. 9. |