Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

11 DeClfOnicS Reports: Electronics will be $10 billion industry by 1960, in terms of annual value of factory sales, with commercial electronics becoming increasingly important segment of the business. This prediction is part of study of commercial and military electronic fields being conducted by Stanford Research Institute for Hoffman Radio. Analysis is being made to determine best direction of expansion in non-household fields, Hoffman’s goal being to develop line of commercial electronic products which might some day represent $15-$20,000,000 annual sales. Institute estimates 1953 electronic factory sales at $5.5 billion, 1960 sales at $10 billion. The 1960 prediction, broken down (with comparable 1953 estimates in parentheses) : household products, $3.75 billion ($1,675 billion) ; mdlitary equipment, $5 billion ($3.4 billion) ; commercial products, $1.25 billion ($425,000,000). Component sales in 1960 — excluding tubes — may total $2 billion, compared to 1953’s $1.1 billion. In commercial electronics, “the greatest promise immediately ahead appears to be in the electronic dataprocessing field, and more research dollars are now being spent in that field than on any of the other commercial markets.” Recommended for further investigation were these possibilities: (1) data-processing machine market; (2) commercial communications market; (3) prospects for a major electronic components manufacturer on coast. Analysis of branches of commercial electronics market showed these anticipated factory sales for 1960 (estimated 1953 sales in parentheses) : Data processing equipment, $500,000,000 ($25,000,000) ; laboratory & service equipment, $200,000,000 ($100,000,000) ; industrial control instruments, $150,000,000 ($65,000,000); X-ray equipment & tubes, $90,000,000 ($60,000,000) ; broadcast equipment, $80,000,000 ($60,000,000); mobile & amateur radio, $60,000,000 ($35,000,000) ; heating apparatus, $50,000,000 ($20,000,000); radiation instruments, $50,000,000 ($20,000,000); industrial TV, $40,000,000 ($6,000,000); microwave relay, $25,000,000 ($12,000,000); marine equipment, $15,000,000 ($9,000,000) ; aviation equipment, $15,000,000 ($7,000,000). Trade Personals: James M. Skinner Jr., Philco v.p. in charge of distribution for last 2 years, appointed v.p., TV div., coordinating product planning, manufacturing, engineering, advertising, sales promotion & sales; he reports to Frederick D. Ogilby, div. v.p.-gen. mgr. . . . Paul E. Burks, ex-mgr. of Philco southern California div., succeeds Skinner as mgr. of distribution . . . John F. Gilligan, Philco adv. v.p., retired this week after 32 years with company; Morgan Greenwood, recently named gen. adv. mgr., will supervise all Philco progi-ams and campaigns . . . Frank Sleeter, ex-du-ector of plant engineering, elected RCA v.p. in charge of facilities administration . . . Herbert A. Gumz resigns as exec, v.p., WebsterChicago . . . R. T. Calmer named export mgr., Crosley appliance & electronics div., replacing T. M. Lett Jr., resigned . . . Sidney A. Standing, ex-mgr. of tube divisions of North American Philips Co. and Tung-Sol, appointed mgr. of Raytheon CR tube div. at new plant in Quincy, Mass. . . . Maurice S. Hartley promoted to product mgr. for Raytheon industrial electronics equipment . . . Herbert Kabat, Olympic Radio gen. sales mgr., promoted to sales v.p. . . . \Vm. F. Hafstrom promoted to mgr. of sales, GE light military electronic equipment dept.; Charles W. Nelson, mgr. of product service; Benjamin Parran, mgr. of marketing research & product planning; Kobt. W. Pennington, mgr. of marketing administration . . . Philo T. Farnsworth, Capehart-Famsworth v.p. & technical director, is patient at Parkview Memorial Hospital, Ft. Wayne, Ind., after undergoing surgery this week; his condition reported good . . . Leonard A. Bayer appointed to new post of mgr. of product engineering dept., DuMont communications prod Boasting full line of industrial TV equipment. General Precision Laboratory is putting heavy emphasis on remote control. At last week’s IRE convention, GPL’s entire exhibit was devoted to ITV. Items demonstrated: GPL-Pye remote controlled industrial camera which permits control of lens change, iris, focus, pan & tilt from distances of 1000 ft. or more; new GPL-Pye industrial camera complete in small package including internal sync generator, using English station tube said to be “roughly equivalent to the 6198 vidicon” and capable of more than 500 lines of resolution; new remote control pedestal utilizing fast servos manrrfactured in collaboration with Kearfott Co.; small GPL-built low-priced camera with its own simplified remote control pedestal. Skeletonized defense materials system, cutting out much of the paperwork required to obtain military materials, was announced by Commerce Dept.’s Business & Defense Services Administration this week. As spelled out in new amendments and directions to DMS Reg. 1 & 3, new system requires only largest prime contractors and suppliers to keep materials allotment accounts, but retains basic format of defense materials system, so that controls may be quickly imposed when Defense Dept, and Atomic Energy Commission need so much material that their orders threaten civilian production. Atomic battery demonstrated in Boston this week by Tracerlab Inc. employs tritium, an element used in Hbomb. Battery shown recently by RCA (Vol. 10:5) used strontium-90. Alexander Thomas, Tracerlab physicist, reported that beta particle emanations from battery are so weak that danger is practically non-existent. Device produces up to 400 volts, was demonstrated firing standard photoflash bulb and lighting small neon lamp. Printed circuit IF strip for monochrome TV receivers with 41-mc IF and intercarrier sound is being offered by Allen D. Cardwell Mfg. Corp., Plainville, Conn. Dr. Ralph J. Slutz, former National Bureau of Standards computer & mathematics consultant, named asst, chief of Bureau’s Central Radio Propagation Laboratories. ucts div. . . . Charles F. Faison, ex-Federal and Link Radio, joins DuMont as southwestern sales supervisor of mobile communications dept, headed by Fred M. Link . . . Frank H. Russell succeeds Edward M. Bland, recently named adv. mgr. for Philco TV div., as director of Philco sales training under Raymond B. George, merchandising v.p. . . . Harold F. Beale, ex-partner in Los Angeles securities firm of Lester, Ryons & Co., named asst, to pres. Glen E. Swanson, Standard Coil Products Co. . . . Edward W. Stone, ex-Graybar southern district mgr. of electronic sales, named Standard Electronics Corp. Chicago district sales engineering mgr. . . . Jacob I. Miller named Capehart-Farnsworth regional mgr. at Charlotte, succeeding Cliff Lannin . . . Caleb A. Shera appointed Hallicrafters district sales mgr. in midwest . . . King P. Ray, ex-Raytheon, now phonograph div. sales mgr., Rock-Ola Mfg. Corp., Chicago (coin-operated phonos) . . . C. F. Sullivan promoted to controller. General Instrument Coiq). . . . Stephen F. Tremmer named pres, of new Gotham Audio Development Corp., subsidiary of Gotham Recording Corp., N. Y., formed to make custom-built equipment for broadcasters and professional recorders. ■ Arthur F. Miller, radio supervisor, Atlantic Refining Co., elected 1954 chairman of telecommunications committee of American Merchant Marine Institute, succeeding Eric A. Roberts. Robert C. Smalley, 74, who retired 10 years ago as supt. of Federal Radio labs in Nutley, N. J., and who is credited with various radio and electrical inventions, died March 26 at his home in Bloomfield, N. J.