THE JONES STORY (1845 - 1958)
CHAPTER SIX - Stanley P. Benton, President, 1928 - 1945
February 28, 1928, prior to going away on his annual Spring vacation, E. A. Jones completed his will, a very long document in which he remembered many institutions, relatives and friends. The next day, February 29th, E. A. Jones died, at the age of sixty-five.
He had served the Company continuously for forty-one years, twenty-three were at the helm. During this period he had multiplied the worth of the Company many times and he had brought wealth to the stockholders. Like his father he was jealous of the good name of the Company. With master salesmanship, he helped to spread it throughout industry and to many foreign lands. Although his will made a public display of his wide interest in schools, colleges, and charitable organizations, his generosity in their behalf and to individuals in one way or another during his lifetime remains forever his untold story.
Stanley P. Benton, a nephew by marriage (son-in-law of Harley E. Jones), was elected President. There was no change in ownership, shares were approximately equally held by three branches of the family: Mrs. Margaret Jones Benton, Mrs. E. A. Jones and in trust from the estate of E. A. Jones, and Mr. S. Ralph Jones (a short time later by Mrs. Ralph Jones and her son S. Harley Jones). Stanley Benton graduated from Williams in 1910 and started his early career in the field of finance. In 1919, following service in the Army, he was persuaded by the family to enter the business. His initial exposure was limited to cost accounting under supervision of the Company Treasurer, who had a distinct desire to make the job as boring as possible, and in a relatively short time Stanley P. Benton accepted a position in the Pittsfield National Bank which was more to his liking. (It is suspected that the Company Treasurer was relieved at his departure.) In any event he was a Vice President of the bank at the time he was called to take the top spot in the Company. This was a job which he had not expected, E. A. Jones never made any effort to train him after the initial encounter in cost accounting. At one time E. A. Jones commented to Mr. Benton that the job of President would kill him.
Regardless of intent, there was no one in the organization that had been close to E. A. Jones in a manner that would make his selection as successor obvious to the family. Within the family circle Stanley P. Benton was the only one available and so for the first time since the Company started there was a man in control who by his own training and experience was not in a position to perform the wide variety of tasks that his predecessors had.
Photo
at left- Stanley P. Benton Click photo to enlarge.
During Stanley P. Benton's first year, the major problem
was production to take care of the backlog of business. All of this changed after the stock market crash of 1929. Orders melted away, either through cancellation or shipment with few new ones to fill their place. In 1931 an issue of eight percent preferred stock was retired. At this time the Company was in excellent financial position and the theory of this retirement was one of eliminating the preferred dividend. Little did anyone realize the agonizing years which lay ahead.For the first time in its history the Company came face to face with panic, demand for capital goods had all but disappeared, and repairs or replacement orders shrank to a fraction of normal requirements. In addition to the almost total disappearance of business, the Company had very little product line that merited serious consideration by those who were in a position to buy. All of a sudden, the ordinary beater with all the efforts which were made in the twenties to make the pulp run around the tub faster, was an extinct machine never to be revived. The entire line of Jordans was hardly acceptable in competition and the Leith Walk screen had not done well, even though in England it had fine acceptance.
S. Harley Jones, third generation in direct family line, joined the business in 1929. Previously he held various assignments in the Company during school vacations. At twenty-three, fresh out of a variety of schools, fun came ahead of books; he was not yet ready to be too serious about business. Regardless, he had many exposures to a whole array of problems. In 1931 he was made a Director and he took on the responsibility for advertising, which he gave a fresh look. He gained experience in sales, in the late thirties he took over the purchasing function, and was made Assistant General Manager. In 1938 he was elected Vice President. The story has flashed ahead mainly to let the reader know that Stanley P. Benton had his cousin on his management team. S. Harley Jones was heir apparent -- but at this stage it was a long way from being accorded that distinction.
Only those old enough to have experienced the middle thirties can know the agonies of trying to operate a business when business has almost quit. One measure of retrenchment followed another, in an effort to survive. People were laid off, wages were cut, hours were reduced, salaries were slashed. Mr. Benton stopped drawing pay for himself and asked his staff, after all previous reductions, to take one week off in four -- without pay! Vendors carried accounts payable on an extended basis and it was necessary to get a bank loan. These were indeed dark days, but not without rays of hope. The essential organization was retained including the younger technical and sales personnel recruited by E .A. Jones. Design work proceeded slowly to achieve product improvement, patterns were made. The few takers were enticed because of innovation.
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Photo at left - Jones' products, between 1935 - 1937. These are either new designs or redesigns of the 21930s. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Photo at left - Typical Large Jordan installation (circa 1938). Click photo to enlarge. |
The Jordan line was redesigned with a split sliding shell concept. This was a definite forward step, it produced a rugged compact unit which eliminated the need of a telescopic coupling. A few minor troubles developed and it was decided to abandon the concept because of these difficulties and to avoid what appeared to be high cost. Only the small size (No. 1) was retained which was sold in modest quantities until after World War II when it was sold in large quantities. Tooling was developed to reduce cost. This machine achieved a span of popularity never before attained by stock preparation equipment. In one period these Jo-dans were produced at the rate of twenty-five units per month. Eventually too this became the most copied conical refiner in the European market.
A three bedplate (multi-beater) was introduced. This was a well built unity but unfortunately for all of its good appearance it lacked the productivity that it should have had. Several were sold and the experience with them set the framework that kept the Company in this type of business and on a profitable basis.
Not everything tried was good. A contract developed with an agent who was to generate a number of devices attractive to the industry. After an expansive start it was learned that most of his "brilliant" new products were untried and unwanted. This association proved to be a most unfortunate further financial drain. This experience cut deeply in the midst of a depression. Everyone knew the reasons, and so the group pulled together and resolved for better wisdom.
In the late thirties most of the Jordan line was again redesigned using round roller bearing guides, first in the industry, and years later copied by other builders. A license arrangement consummated with Bertrams Limited for their beater design gave fresh life to this business. These and other product line improvements gave the whole line of equipment better acceptance and by the late thirties and early forties business again took on a favorable complexion. With indications of an improved climate there was again a reinforcement of the organization. Also courage developed to start a program of plant and equipment rejuvenation.
World War II did more things to strengthen the Company in a shorter time than all the previous experiences in its history. It was recognized even before the all out war effort that war materials would be the major products to be manufactured. No one knew what the Company could make and in what quantities. Like many others, it was a scramble to find out how, what and when. It was soon learned that the most practicable contribution was subcontracting to larger organizations that held prime contracts. From strictly a job shop, there emerged an ability to deal on multiple quantities. New tools were acquired, skills were developed for tooling and workmanship under the pressure of rigid inspection was vastly improved. Methods developed for estimating that were never tried before. Men from sales organization turned to expediting
or, as many others, assumed assignments they would never have anticipated.The only prime direct contract was from the Navy for large bore gun rammers and for spare parts. This commitment involved materials and machining of considerable complexity never before required by the Company. Further, this job required difficult sub-contracting, elaborate testing devices and new skills of assembly. Delivery requirements brought the hot breath of expediters. All told this one order, and its following for spares, took more effort, gave more heartaches, and caused more cussing than all the others. But it was mastered!
Many jobs were taken in stride such as: drive shafts for merchant marine vessels, tank turrets, bearings for destroyer escorts and landing vessels, machine tool components. Every inch of plant space was utilized, changes were made in quick succession to accommodate shifting patterns of work. Machine tools were added by purchase, loan or rental, depending on circumstances. S. Harley Jones in his responsibility for procurement became well acquainted with the War Production Board and channels for getting both equipment and materials.
By the end of 1943 it became evident that the foundry had served its useful life and the space which it occupied could be used better for other purposes. Last castings made there were in January 1944 and on February 1st work was suspended, equipment sold, employees retrained for other types of work and the place was renovated for a combination fabricating and assembly operation.
About this same period the employees elected to be represented by United Electrical Workers (UE) as their
bargaining agent. This was the first union in the Company's history and with it came new problems. However, as with each new experience which confronted the Company in rapid succession during the war period, modifications in the organization structure were made to achieve understanding and to deal with personnel problems on a scale which few people believe possible.
World War II financial controls eliminated the possibilities of any build-up of reserves, yet for E. D. JONES AND SONS CO. the experience made it a better Company. Essential repairs, equipment replacements and substantial space adjustments were made to accommodate a much higher level of production than had ever been achieved before. Far more important than any physical changes was the training and the development of personnel. Under pressure they learned many new techniques and developed ability to handle a wide variety of assignments; the entire organization was stronger for the load it had carried.
Photo at left- At Company Outing1957.
Standing, left to right: Clark Noble, Joseph North. Walter T. Noble with Jones
64 years), John Kealey and Paul Koepke. Front; John Kane, Tuffel Fields and
Herbert Conant. Click photo to enlarge.