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32 PENBERTHY INJECTOR CO. The Penberthy Injector Co. was or- ganized in 1886. The president of the company, S. Olin Johnson, was at that time the general manager of the Detroit Knitting & Corset Works, located at. the corner of Seventh and Abbott streets, Detroit, Mich. The inventor of the original Penberthy injector was one Wil- liam Penberthy, of Leadville, Colo., who, on his way east, stoped at the exposition at Chicago, held during that year, where he saw an exhibit of an automatic re- starting injector which so interested him that he devised what he thought to be an improvement. This injector was TARE MarRINE REVIEW This injector from its simplicity and reliability at once became a favorite with engineers generally and in the fall of 1901 business was at its best up to that time. In November of this year an ex- plosion of the boilers belonging to this company occurred, completely destroying the original three-story building, together with all tools and machinery, but the main building withstood the shock. Steps were immediately taken to con- tinue the business temporarily in the main building while the new factory (as shown in cut, extending 250 ft. on Holden avenue) was being completed and moved into in the spring of 1903. PLANT OF THE PENBERTHY INJECTOR CO. brought to the attention of Mr. Johnson, a test was made which proved fairly satisfactory and a patent was applied for and granted. Mr. Johnson set aside in the building of the corset works a room about 20 x 30 and installed therein a tool lathe and two brass lathes and be- gan the manufacture of the injector 'which was at the time of the organization of the company called "Penberthy." It is a matter of history unknown to- the general public, that the injector so called and invented by Mr. Penberthy was an absolute failure. There were 170 of these injectors made and within 60 days after they were sent out, they were re- called and melted up. In the meantime the company had improved on the orig- inal injector, manufacturing 4,000, which proved very satisfactory. Experiments developed another still better machine of which some 12,000 were made and sold. At about this time the superintendent of the company, Thomas J. Sweeney, in- invented the injector that has since then been sold by the Penberthy Injector Co. throughout the world, no changes having been made after the first 16,000 were manufactured as above mentioned. The business grew very rapidly and necessitated within two years the build- ing of a three-story factory, 50 x 100 ft. adjoining the corset works. At the end of three years, the corset business was sold and the building occupied by it was turned into the offices, stock and assem- bling rooms of the injector company. In 1886 they employed four men and now employ from 275 to 300, and are manufacturing more injectors than any other one, if not any two concerns, in the world. In May of this year they completed the manufacture of 500,000 Penberthy injectors which does not in- clude 50,000 under the brand of "Auto- Positive" a somewhat different type of injector. One may conceive of the popularity of this injector and the push and energy of its manager, S. Olin Johnson, when it is known that they have surpassed all com- petitors, including those who were in business years before they started. They claim that during the period of their bus- iness history no other concern has sold over 200,000 injectors. The business of this company extends all over the world. There is no country of any importance on the globe to which Penberthy injectors have not been -sent. In addition to injectors, this company manufactures a large line of boiler and engine room appliances, such as lubrica- tors, oil and grease cups, water gages, gage cocks, etc., all fully illustrated and described in a 70-page catalog which they publish. The present officers of this cornpany are: S, Olin Johnson, president and treasurer; his son, Homer S. Johnson, vice president and secretary. Homer S. Johnson took an active inter- est in the business in the beginning of 1905 and since that time has been largely instrumental in the development and large increase in the business. He has taken a large amount of detail and work from the shoulders of his father and his aptitude for looking after details of the manufacturing department has resulted in greatly reduced cost of manufacture and a system whereby the business is run like clock work. Until 1906 the president had entire management of the business and is proud to have built up during that time the largest injector manufacturing business either in the United States or any for- eign country in the world. The increase and success of any busi- ness is in a measure due to those men who sell goods on the road and to the general sales manager, George H. An- drews, credit is due for the many years he has brought the "Penberthy" injector before the large buyers by personal inter- views. His fine personality, together with his ability as a salesman, has in no small way contributed to the general success of the business. Another gentleman who should be men- tioned in connection with this company is A. Sheldon Lee, who for seven yearsi traveled exclusively in foreign countries. During that time he traveled twice around the world, visiting every country on the globe of any importance and through his energy built up a large foreign trade. ~ Within the last year the addition to the left as shown in the cut has been added to the main factory. This was erected as an Office, stock and shipping room, the front of the building being used express- ly for offices. The main office is in oak while the president and secretaries' rooms are in mahogany. The directors' room or den is in flemish oak, all offices being wainscoated to a height of 5 ft. The floors are all oak and altogether the build- ing is one of the handsomest office build- ings in the city. They are located at the intersection of Holden avenue and the Grand Trunk railway, the property cover- ing three acres of which fully 1% acres are occupied. : This company has a branch factory in -Canada where they have been manufac- turing for the past 18 years, during which time they have built up a large business, not only in injectors but in boiler room appliances as well. S. Olin Johnson and his son have general supervision over the business and hold the same offices as in the parent company.. Seth J. North is general manager and has shown himself _to be a careful, conservative business man and under his management the busi- ness is growing each year. The factory is located in Windsor, Canada, and being an independent Canadian corporation, is styled the Penberthy Injector Co., Ltd.