Trade Information Bulletin No. 338

Supplement to Commerce Reports

Price, 10 cents

INTRODUCTION

The Industrial Machinery Division of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce some time ago submitted to American consular officers throughout the world, questionnaires calling for particulars of ice-making and refrigerating installations in their districts. These questionnaires embodied valuable suggestions from Louis Baron, chairman of the committee on trade extension of the American Association of Ice and Refrigeration. The replies from the consular officers are being compiled in a series of Trade Information Bulletins, with the object of revealing, as far as possible, the extent of ice-making and cold-storage development in foreign countries.

Ice making and cold storage have reached an advanced stage in the United States. The efficient solution of the technical and merchandising problems involved has developed equipment meriting the careful consideration of foreign purchasers. Although American manufacturers have furnished considerable ice-making and refrigerating machinery to other countries, undoubtedly this trade can be expanded. The present publication should prove of value to firms planning to promote or develop business in Canada, as well as to concerns and individuals interested in ice making and cold storage generally.

The following trade information bulletins of this series have been issued to date: Nos. 209, South America; 229, Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies; 280, Australia and New Zealand; 330, United Kingdom. Copies of these bulletins can be obtained from the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce at Washington or any of its district or cooperative offices.

JULIUS KLEIN,

Director, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce.

APRIL, 1925.

ICE-MAKING AND COLD-STORAGE PLANTS IN

CANADA

ALBERTA DISTRICT

Consul Samuel C. Reat, Calgary, July 6 and August 25, 1923

ICE-MAKING PLANTS

The long, severe winters in the Province of Alberta provide natural ice, approximating 70 inches in thickness. Artificial ice is not manufactured, and there is no interest in the establishment of an ice-making plant.

COLD-STORAGE ESTABLISHMENTS

The Province of Alberta has 20 modern cold-storage establishments-8 located in the city of Calgary, 6 in the city of Edmonton, 4 in Lethbridge, 1 in Medicine Hat, and 1 in Cardston. Most of the plants are in close proximity to railways or connected by spurs of tracks. Present facilities are sufficient to handle the business in the respective districts, and no extensions are contemplated. A description of some of the stores follows:

The Merchants Cold Storage, Calgary: A public concern; general products stored; mechanical system of refrigeration. Capacity 164,715 cubic feet; between 32 and 40° F., 16,632; 10 and 32° F., 60,201; 0 and 10° F., 23,742 ; lower than 0° F., 16,119; lowest temperature obtainable, -16° F., 1,620.

The Swift Canadian Co., Edmonton: A private store; beef, hogs, calf, and sheep carcasses and cuts; fish, eggs, butter, poultry, and cheese handled; refrigerated space consists of 535,659 cubic feet storage and 854,280 cooler. Capacity, 40° F. or above, 21,924 cubic feet; between 32 and 40° F., 5,940 freezer and 322,153 chill room; between 10 and 32° F., 298,029; between 0 and 10° F., 25,004; lower than 0° F., 145,486; lowest temperature obtainable, -12° F., 160,086.

P. Burns & Co., Edmonton, and Calgary: Private abattoir at Edmonton with refrigerated space of 120,109 storage and 190,965 cubic feet cooler. Capacity between 30 and 40° F., 84,266 cubic feet; 10 and 32° F., 29,700; lower than 0° F., 107,053. Principal products handled are pork, beef, and mutton; private abattoir at Calgary has 512,900 cubic feet refrigerated space with cooler of 729,587 cubic feet for meat, butter, eggs, and poultry.

Gainers (Ltd.), South Edmonton: Private abattoir with refrigerated space of 9,488 cubic feet storage and 28,736 cooler. Capacity between 10 and 32° F., 4,640 cubic feet; 0 and 10° F., 4,000; lowest temperature obtainable, -10° F. Principal products, meat, fish, and poultry.

The Woodland Dairy (Ltd.), Edmonton: Creamery and city dairy storage with refrigerated space of 7,936 cubic feet. Capacity, 40° F. or above, 3,740 cubic feet; between 32 and 40° F., 1,352; 10 and 32° F., 4,150; lower than 0° F., 2,570; lowest temperature obtainable, -10° F., 2,570. Only dairy products handled.

The Alberta Produce Co. (Ltd.), Calgary: A public cold store; principal products handled, butter, eggs, poultry, meat, and fruit; refrigerated space of 35,000 cubic feet for general storage. Capacity between 32 and 40° F., 8,000 cubic feet; 10 and 32° F., 30,000, which can be held at any temperature. The Crystal Dairy Co. (Ltd.), Lethbridge: Creamery and city dairy storage with refrigerated space of 14,400 cubic feet. Capacity between 32 and 40° F., 10,300 cubic feet; 10 and 32° F., 7,000; lower than 0° F., 3,000; lowest

temperature obtainable, -10° F. Principal products handled are milk, cream, butter, eggs, and ice cream.

The Cardston Creamery Association, Cardston: Storage used almost entirely for butter. Mechanical refrigeration equipped with pump brine system. Refrigerated space of 6,400 cubic feet-One room, 32 to 40° F., 3,200 feet; another, 10 to 32° F., approximately the same size.

The Union Packing Co. (Ltd.), Calgary: Private abattoir. Storage capacity, 64,000 cubic feet; cooler, 14,000, for meat.

The Calgary Abattoir and Cold Storage Co. (Ltd.), Calgary: Public abattoir. Refrigerated space of 8,700 cubic feet; cooler, 10,000, for meat.

The Calgary Brewing and Malting Co. (Ltd.), Calgary: Cold store of 205,000 cubic feet, at present leased by P. Burns Meat Packing Co., Calgary. The Central Creameries (Ltd.), Calgary: Creamery and city dairy, with refrigerated space of 11,500 cubic feet, for butter and ice cream.

CAMPBELLTON DISTRICT

Consul G. C. Woodward, Campbellton, June 14 and July 14, 1923

ICE-MAKING PLANTS

There are no ice-making plants in the Campbellton, New Brunswick, district, which comprises the counties of Restigouche and Gloucester, New Brunswick, and the Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec. Natural ice can be harvested and stored at a low cost and at present there are apparently no prospects for the manufacture of artificial ice.

COLD-STORAGE ESTABLISHMENTS

There are no cold-storage plants in Campbellton, New Brunswick, and immediate vicinity, but there are several in outlying districts. These, with the exception of the three small plants for which summaries are given, simply use salt and ice, commonly known as the brine method. As these establishments exist solely for the temporary storage of fresh fish, there does not appear to be a market in this district for the sale of cold-storage machinery. A description of the three plants follows:

Landry & Corbett, Bathurst, New Brunswick: Fish handled; no imported products. Located 100 yards from wharf and 100 feet from railway; no extensions considered, as present facilities are sufficient for additional business. Lowest temperature, -3° F.; capacity, 15,000 cubic feet.

Monarch Cold Storage Co. (Ltd.), Shippigan, New Brunswick: Fish handled: no imports; plant situated on railway siding and short distance from wharf, connected therewith by endless chain conveyor; no cartage, facilities sufficient for additional business and no extensions under consideration.

Wick Fisheries (Ltd.), Anse a Beaufils, Gaspe, Co., Quebec: Fish handled: no imports; cartage by motor truck, one-half mile to railway station; extensions are under consideration which will make it possible to handle 150,000 pounds instead of 120,000 as at present; otherwise facilities are sufficient for additional business. Capacity between 0 and 10° F., 2,000 cubic feet; lower than 0° F., 4,000; can freeze cod-liver oil.

CORNWALL DISTRICT

Consul Thomas D. Edwards, Cornwall, June 11, 1923

No ice-making or cold-storage plants are reported for the Cornwall, Ontario, district. Market and fruit dealers regard an icemaking plant as one of the city's necessities, but, so far as is known. none is contemplated.

FERNIE DISTRICT

Consul Norton F. Brand, Fernie, June 6, 1923

No ice-making or cold-storage establishments are reported for the Fernie (British Columbia) district. The Alpine nature of this section insures plenty of natural ice, and no interest is manifested in the erection of plants.

FORT WILLIAM AND PORT ARTHUR DISTRICT

Consul Dudley G. Dwyre, Fort William and Port Arthur, June 12 and 14, 1923

ICE-MAKING PLANTS

In the Fort William and Port Arthur (Ontario) district the summers are short, nights cool, and the majority of households have no refrigerators and require no ice, except, perhaps, for infants' or other food which must be kept in the highest state of preservation. The two cities, however, are important railway divisional and shipping points, with heavy vessel shipments during the navigation season, and trains and vessels must be stocked with ice. Hotels, restaurants, dairies, and confectionery and drug stores use it more or less extensively.

One concern in each of the cities harvests, stores, and supplies all ice requirements. In the past the long and severe winters afforded excellent opportunity for securing an ample supply of natural ice. The two firms, however, state that it is becoming more difficult each year to harvest this ice. Labor conditions are unsettled, and the authorities continually are forcing them to go a greater distance from the shore of Lake Superior, from which all ice is cut. The principal ice-cream manufacturer in the district, F. Scollie (Canadian), proprietor, 600 Catherine Street, Fort William, Ontario, has recently installed an ice-making plant and is using the product of his manufacture for making and packing ice cream. Clear ice is not required. Raw-water system and compression are employed. Ice blocks measure 28 by 15 by 7 inches and weight 100 pounds. Equipment was manufactured by Linde Canadian Refrigeration Co. (Ltd.), Montreal. Capacity of plant, 7 tons per 24 hours.

COLD-STORAGE ESTABLISHMENTS

At the present time there are only five cold-storage establishments in the Fort William and Port Arthur district, four of which are located in Fort William and one in Port Arthur. It is not expected that additional warehouses will be erected. Important details for the five plants are given in the following summary:

Swift Canadian Co. (Ltd.), 441 Hardisty Street, Fort William: Canadian subsidiary of the American firm; handles only Canadian packing-house products and produce; motor trucks used for cartage one-half mile from wharf, over paved street; facilities sufficient for additional business and no extensions contemplated; equipment made by Linde Canadian Refrigeration Co. (Ltd.), Montreal. Capacity, 40° F., or above, 15,000 cubic feet; between 32 and 40° F.,

1 In the questionnaires consular officers were instructed to state capacities in tons of 2,000 pounds.