VanCamp, Ed - Expands canning factory - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Ed VanCamp, local representative of the VanCamp Packing Company received a cheering message yesterday from C.W. Mann, Treasurer of the organization to t he effect that it was definitely settled that the company was to increase the acpacity of the plant here to include the packing of the products at this point, and that the additional buildings were being planned and the plans would be forwarded at once.

"It has always been in my mind," said Mr. Ed VanCamp, "that the company intended to pack the finished product right here but I did not believe that we would do so this year." This message means, however, that we are to make, bottle, label and pack the famous VanCamp Tomato Catsup right in this plant and do it this year. This is to be a catsup plant and the product will be finished right here as it is to go on the market.

"We have never represented that we could make the finished product this year," continued Mr. VanCamp, "I thought we would do well to get a plant for pulp making this year, but it seems that we are to break the record and do it all right here at home."

A great many people are under an erronious impression about the plant that is being installed. The VanCamp company do not can tomatoes. They do however make a famous catsup and also a tomato sauce. They also make a tomato soup as one of their famous line of soups. It was thought at first that the local plant would simply make the pulp which would be canned in large cans and shipped to the main factory there to be made into other products but it is now determined that the finished product will be made here.

This means that more labor will be employed, and a longer period of work will be had since the bottling and labeling will go on long after the season has been closed.

The addition to the present plant will be located just east of the present buildings. THe present buildings are 75 % finished. Three large boilers arrived yesterday and are being unloaded. The comodious boiler room is 60 x 40 and has simple storage room for coal. The process room is about 40' square and provides for 12 pots and a central crane for handling the huge kettles that contain the tomato mass. The cooks is done entirely by steam.

South of these rooms is a great room that is fully 150' long and 75' wide. Here is where the tomatoes are prepared for the boilers. This room has a concrete floor and will contain all the necessary machinery for the business.

The whole plant is served by two tracks from the Vandalia and a concrete platform admits of loading and unloading at the same time. It is hoped that the Big Four may have a spur to the plant so that they can bring in the fruit and take out car loads of the finished products.

It will be gratifying news to those who have helped to get the plant located here. Mr. Ed VanCamp is very much elated over the fact that the company is going to make the matter thur permanent as it was upon his recommendation that the company decided to located at this point - kbz