Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1921)

2190d Motion Picture News Pioneer Projector Manufacturers and Their Personnel Some of the Officials in the Enterprise Company It is frequently said that the progress and poHcies of a business institution is but the reflection of the personnel that is responsible for its existence. The Enterprise Optical Manufacturing Company, the pioneer in the industry and the only maker of moving picture machines that has continued active as a manufacturer during the past twenty-three years, is fortunate in having as its directing executives a number of men of broad experience in their respective lines of endeavor. The President and Treasurer, A. C. Roebuck, has had a very unusual business career, com Charlcs Halm, Sales Retrescntalizr bining as it docs a broad experience in commercialism in addition to a varied experience in mechanics and mechanical engineering. While beginning his career as a mechanic in a line which required a very high degree of skill, he soon engaged in business for himself and later with Mr. Scars organized the well known mail order house of Sears Roebuck & Co., where for many years he devoted himself to commercialism exclusively. Before having disposed of his interest in the mail order business, the Enterprise Optical Maiuifacturing Company was established for the manufacture and sale of optical projection apparatus and supplies, such as motion picture machines, magic lanterns, etc., since which time it has become well known for the high quality and artistic finish of the goods it manufactures. A few years ago Mr. Roebuck became president. Treasurer and Manager of the Woodstock Typewriter Company, where he was^gain associated with his former partner, Mr. Sears. In this new undertaking he developed a new, standard typewriter called " The Woodstock," which is known as one of the most artistic and at the same time, ihost simple and efficient standard typewriters on the market, and which is rapidly growing in popularity. Recently Mr. Roebuck has turned practically all of his time and attention to the Enterprise Optical Manufacturing Company and especially to the development of a new model projector called " The DeLuxe," which represents one of his most important engineering accomplishments, which is described elsewhere in this magazine. In addition to the DeLuxe Projector, it is understood that he is developing t)ther important improvements in connection with Motion Picture projection machines and accessories, which are to be announced later. With Mr. Roebuck's varied experience in both merchandising and manufacturing, it can readily be seen that as President and Engineer, he is qualified to use the best judgment in his mechanical developments, his endeavors at all times being governed by the commercial rc(|uircments rather than having simply the mechanical end (if the business in view. (). F. Snahr, who is Vice-President and Mana'^cr of the Enterprise Optical Manufacturing Company, has been connected with the concern for over ten years. During that time he ha-; watched the sales as well, as the concern grow steadily. Mr. Spahr has traveled extensively and is well and favorably known to the trade for in his travels he has endeavored to keei ill close touch with not only the Enterprise Optical Manufacturing Company's dealers, but also with the purchasers of their machines. He i-.' well acquainted with the several sections of the county and has made a close studv of ■hcse sections. He explains that it is a peculiar ibing that the buyers in these several sections !)U\ very dififcrently and in view of this, he har s;lccted sales methods which are fitted to meet ;hc peculiarities of these respective sections. Mr. Spahr believes that there are two things besides care in designing which have made the company so prosperous. First: The care and watchfulness which is exercised in the manufacturing department to see' that nothing but the best of material and workman.ship is used in the production of their projectors and a rigid system of inspection to see that the adopted standards are adhered to. Second : That the companv stands for " SERVICE." Mr. Spahr is a great belie\ er in " SERVICE." In fact, he states that when a purchaser buys one of their machines, the Enterprise Optical Manufacturing Company sees that he gets " SERVICE " regardless of the fact that its product is sold through dealers and not direct from the Enterprise Optical Manufacturing Company. During the past ten years, Mr. Spahr has made every effort to irnpress upon each and every one in the sales department the meaning of the word " SERVICE " and each of thedepartment heads is so thoroughly convinced that service is the predominating feature that he has the most harmonious co-operation and each one is working to see that every user of the Motiograph Machine gets " SERVICE." W ith this strong and efficient force supplementing the excellent qualities of the. machine, Mr. Spahr believes, that even with facilities, their greatest trouble will be to supply the demand. H. A. Larsen, who has been connected with the Enterprise Optical Manufacturing Company for more than fifteen years is the Superintendent of Construction, having worked his way up successively from workman to foreman of departments, assistant superintendent, and superintendent. Mr. Larsen, in addition to having developed a high degree of efficiency throughout the factory is very popular with all of his employees, believing as he docs that one of the most important roads to efficiency is to have the hearty co-operation of all who have anything to do with the production work, with the result that the cost of production is kept as low as possible, Jra D. Jackson, Traveling Sales Representative consistent with the standards of material and workmanship, and in this line, Mr. Larsen has shown himself fully equal to requirements. Through the co-operative methods emploxed, e\cry one connected with projection, feels a personal interest in the finished product and with this object in view% each and every detail connected with the production work is given the attention . that is not only essential but indispensable to the production of a machine, the requirements of which arc so exacting. Exhibitors: Projectionists: " How a model projection room is opcrated." This story will appear in next v.eek's NEWS. An interview with the projection chief of a large Southern house. Read it and send in your opinions.