THE NORWEGIAN MILK-CONDENSING INDUSTRY A party touring in a remote mountain disstrict in Norway met a peasant from a mountain croft. As the crofter was going their way the tourists invited him to join them. After walking some considerable distance the party halted for a rest and a snack of food by the bank of a rivulet. Coffee was boiled over a brush-wood fire, and the kettle was then passed round, along with a tin of condensed milk in the lid of which a hole had been punched. The milk tin was first handed to the hillman, who appeared to accept it with some hesitation. One of the tourists therefore suggested that he should turn the tin upside down and press both the bottom and the lid to get the milk out. «Oh, I see», said the hillman, «I can also manage to milk a cow of this sort». The fact that Norwegians themselves use tinned milk, although ample supplies of the natural product are available, serves to show how widely this product is employed at the present day. The first milk-condensing factory in Norway was of very modest dimensions, with an output of only some few thousand litres a day, and its equipment was primitive. All the more credit is therefore due to the heads of this concern for their success in winning already in 1878 a gold-medal award at the Paris Exhibition. This industry had however to overcome many difficulties, both technical and economical, before it attained the necessary stability. The works at Hamar suspended operations at the close of the eighties, the plant being sold to a new company, The Anglo-Scandinavian Condensed Milk Co. Although this company had also a hard struggle, it gradually succeeded in strengthening its position. The annual output was increased to approximately seven million kilos. about the year 1890, when the factory was extended and reconstructed, and subsidiary works were erected at Sandesund. In 1885 a new factory for the production of sterilised milk was built at Drammen, and in 1891 works for the preparation of unsweetened condensed milk were opened at Kap in the Toten district. The Kap factory was owned by The Norwegian Milk Condensing Co., whose product subsequently became so well known under the Viking brand. This company had both technical and financial difficulties to grapple with, and it was no doubt largely owing to lack of capital that the company transferred the works to the Swiss firm of Henri Nestlé in 1898. A few years previously the condenseries at Hamar and Sandesund had been sold to another Swiss firm, viz. The Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co., who installed modern machinery. The condensery at Drammen was removed to Holmestrand a few years later, where it also took up the manufacture of cream. Nestlé and the Anglo-Swiss amalgamated in 1905 under the name of Nestlé & Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co., who purchased also the Holmestrand condensery in 1911. Since that time the company's Norwegian branch has been carried on under the style of De Norske Melkefabriker. In 1918 the company took over another condensery, viz. A/S Egron's Tørmelkfabrik, Kløften, which was removed to Hamar. This milk-powder product is sold under the name of Molico. Two new milk condenseries were established in this country in 1916, viz. the Verne Kloster Melkefabrikker A/S at Moss and Levanger for the production of sweetened milk, sterilised milk, and cream. The condensery at Moss has never been in operation and that at Levanger was sold to De Norske Melkefabrikker in 1925. Total exports of sweetened, unsweetened, and sterilised milk and cream were 19 600 tons in 1913 and 19 900 tons in 1914, but they fell off in the succeeding years in consequence of the various restrictions then in force. The export trade has, as yet, not nearly reached its prewar figure, the average exports for the last three years averaging only 8000 tons. AKSEL HOLMSEN Cable Address <<Speilemalj OSLO NORWAY DIPLOM d'HONNEUR EXPORT SILVER-FILIGREE & ENAMEL-FACTORY WORLDS EXHIBITION RIO DE JANEIRO 1923 THE EXPORTATION OF BERRIES FROM NORWAY Agricultural Adviser to the Norwegian Legation, London. For a number of years Norwegian bilberries, and black and red currants have found a ready market in England, where they enjoy an excellent reputation for their quality. The export, which grew rapidly until the year 1913, when it reached the total of 370 000 chips or about 1100 tons, suffered a setback during the war years, but is again increasing. Thus the quantity both of bilberries and of currants shipped during the past season was about double the amount of last year. Norwegian currants are usually ready for export in the latter part of July, when supplies of British and other nationalities begin to fall off. The season is, however, of short duration, and is generally over by the end of August, while bilberries are being consigned from the middle of July till late in September. The exporting centres are the western and southern parts of Norway, where bilberries grow in abundance, and the soil and climatic conditions are admirably suited for the growing of currants. In addition, these parts of Norway have the advantage of a fast steamer service by which consignments can reach the markets in Newcastle and Hull in about 30 hours from Bergen, Stavanger, Kristiansand, and Arendal, which are the principal shipping ports. Quite a number of firms are engaged in the export trade. A special feature is the formation of associations among small growers for the purpose of co-operative export of currants. These associations have proved to be a great success, due to the close attention paid by the growers to all details in connection with the gathering and handling, and to the control exercised by the management, whose duty it is to see that the class of goods sent forward are suitable for export. This is most important as being calculated to maintain the good reputation already enjoyed by this fruit on the English market. In consequence of the extra demand which Norwegian black currants have had, the cultivation of this speciality is increasing, and to meet market requirements such varieties are being planted as yield large berries and bunches. Given fair crops and favourable weather conditions during harvesting time, a growing export trade in black currants may therefore be looked for. HISTORY AND ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF THE NORWEGIAN By Sigurd Risting, Secretary of the Norwegian Whalers' Association. It will be evident from this brief survey that Norwegian whale-fishing is a large and comprehensive industry, and that it has also grown to be of considerable economic importance. It primarily benefits those special districts which fit out these expeditions mainly the Vestfold province but the capital this industry contributes to the national trade-balance is so considerable that whaling may be said to constitute a valuable factor in the economic life of the country as a whole. companies approximated 54 million kroner. These companies have, however, sunk so much of their surplus earnings in their works that the total capital investment may be taken to exceed 70 mill. kroner. The selling value of the works and ships is still greater than this sum, but is naturally subject to strong variation. The progress of whale-fishing and the market value of its products of recent years will be seen from the following table, which, for the sake of completeness, also includes world production and its estimated value. The figures At the close of 1924 the aggregate amount of share capital invested in Norwegian whaling The prices of the main product of this industry, whale oil, have varied considerably in the course of years. This oil is graded as No. 0/1, 2, 3 and 4, mainly according to its content of free fatty acids. In the years 1900 and down to the outbreak of the Great War the average price was from £ 18 to £ 20 per ton for No. 0/1. It sometimes fell to £14 and went up to £24 per ton for No. 0/1, and the general tendency was an upward one. The war brought about an enormous increase of prices, which culminated in 1920 at £90 per ton for this grade. This was followed by a total collapse of the market, and the oil was practically unsaleable for a time. When finally a price level was established the oil was sold at approximately one-third of the top price in 1920. Since that time prices have continued on the upward grade, so that sales were effected in the autumn of 1924 at £40 for No. 0/1, £37 for No. 2, £33 for No. 3 and £30 for No. 4. In the years 1906-1924 the earnings of the Norwegian whaling industry have approximated 567 million kroner. This figure, however, applies only to oil, the main product. Adding the value of other products such as guano, fertiliser, bone meal, baleen, and ambergris, the *) The great increase in the number of boats as compared with the number of companies in 1918-1919 is due to the whaling operations carried on along the Norwegian coast by the Government. Average per year Kr. 31 200 000 52 200 000 To what use has this money been put? The proceeds of the sale of whale products have not of course all remained in the country. Again, it is not possible to say what share of these earnings has remained in Norway, and what sums have in one form or another found their way back to foreign countries. Broadly speaking, the largest and the majority of the items in a whaling company's working accounts benefit the home country. Expenses abroad include the entire coal requirements of the whole fleet and a certain share of the provisioning account. But a considerable share of the provisions is purchased at home, so that the trading profits, at any rate, accrue to home traders. It is only when the ships call at ports on their long outward and homeward voyages that they purchase provisions, stores, etc. abroad. CHR. HOLTERMANN OSLO, NORWAY EXPORT AGENT WHALE OIL, HERRING OIL, SEAL OIL, COD LIVER OIL. Consequently, several of the shipbuilding and engineering works in this country have during the whole of this period been to a great extent employed in building, repairing, and overhauling ships for the whaling industry. Also many minor trades, e. g. rope and harpoon makers, have had important contracts for whaling companies. In this connection it should be borne in mind that many foreign whaling expeditions are fitted out in Norway. A number of foreign floating factories have been fitted up at Norwegian yards, permanent land stations have been erected by Norwegian specialists, and a large number of whaling vessels have been built in Norway. Foreign companies also buy most of their harpoons, lines, etc. in this country. Whaling ships are manned mainly by Norwegians. This applies not only to Norwegian companies, but also to those of foreign registration. About 4000 Norwegians are employed on the average in whaling ships and at land stations. Whaling gunners all the world over are almost exclusively of Norwegian nationality, and so are the works managers and the other experts. In view of these circumstances the world's whalefisheries may in a certain sense be regarded as a Norwegian industry. It is also a significant fact that most of the large whaling companies run on modern lines have their <<representatives» in Norway. ALKALINE WATERS The most famous alkaline radio-active mineral spring in Scandinavia is the Farris Spring near Larvik in southern Norway. This spring seems to have been known for centuries, but it was not until some forty years ago that steps were taken for its rational utilisation by the erection of Larvik Spa. The spring was visited by King Haakon twenty years ago, on which occasion permission was granted to call it «King Haakon's Spring». The water from this spring, which probably rises from postglacial strata, has found ever-increasing employment for both table and medicinal pur poses. Of all natural mineral waters the alkaline are the most numerous and the most extensively employed for therapeutical purposes. They possess, indeed, a wide range of usefulness. Appropriately administered they exert extremely beneficial curative effects in all functional diseases and disturbances of the digestive apparatus, especially those associated with hyperacidity. In virtue of their alkaline reaction they are greatly resorted to in the prophylactic and curative treatment of gout, rheumatism, renal and vesical calculus, catarrhal affections of the genito-urinary canal, prostatic troubles, chronic arthritis, arthritis defermans, and the like. These waters are employed with success in all catarrhal states of the mucous membranes, dilatation of the stomach, chronic Bright's disease, contracted kidney, enlarged spleen from malaria, etc. Their depurative and neutralising action renders them of unquestionable efficacy in the treatment of many diseases of the skin, especially of the eczematous class, although their curative effects are not limited thereto. Farris is obtained from the famous «King Haakon» spring in Larvik, long regarded as the chief attraction offered by that Mecca of the seeker after health-giving recreation amid the charms of Norwegian scenery. For untold ages it has gushed forth from the rock, presenting mankind with an easy remedy for many of the ills to which flesh is heir. Farris, with its wonderful properties, may truly be described as a typical product of the all-embracing wisdom of Nature, and scrupulous care is taken to ensure, by absolutely upto-date methods of supervision and distribution, that it is sent forth unsullied by contact with any influence that might detract from its natural advantages. Farris comes to the table crystal-clear, sparkling, refreshing, invigorating and health-giving. There is not the faintest hint of «medicinal taste» about Farris. Yet it has a flavour which is all its own, a soft, pure, and eminently palatable taste which cannot be mistaken. This it is what makes Far ris so delicious a thirst-quencher and so perfect a beverage. It is entirely free from any objectionable flavour. In Norway, Farris is well on the way towards ousting all competitors. The export trade is of considerable importance. BORREGAARD A NORWEGIAN LARGE-SCALE ENTERPRISE The whole of the assets of The Kellner-Par- Kellner-Partington was formed early in 1918 tington Paper Pulp Co. Ltd. of Sarpsborg, Norway, comprising factory works, forests, and other properties, were purchased by a Norwegian company in 1917. There had been a great influx of capital into this country during the War, and the favourable rate of exchange ruling at that period enabled the new company to secure the whole concern for only about one hundred million kroner, in spite of the purchase price being more than seven million pounds. The Kellner-Partington Paper Pulp Co. Ltd. was an old-established firm of chemical pulp and paper makers. It was founded in the late eighties by the then Captain Edward Partington afterwards Lord Doverdale, and Herr Kellner, an Austrian engineer. In addition to the Barrow Paper Mills in England, the firm owned large mills in Norway, viz. the Borregaard mills and a part-interest in the Hafslund Cellulosefabrik, also two chemical-pulp mills at Hallein and Villach in Austria. Further, they held interests in the Edsvalla Bruk in Sweden, and above eighty per cent. of the shares of the Mølnbacka-Trysil mills, which also produce chemical pulp. Moreover, the company owned extensive forests in Norway and Sweden totalling approximately 375 000 acres, the greater part of which is in Sweden, and, in addition, 10 000 acres in Austria. The Norwegian company that purchased the under the name of A/S Borregaard. The share capital was originally 50 million kroner, and was subsequently increased to 75 millions. The interest held in the Barrow Paper Mills by the new company has been sold. These mills had become a separate concern before the other properties were transferred, 55 pct. of the shares being English-owned. On the other hand, the A/S Borregaard have purchased two sulphate mills, Hurum and Bamble, and the large Waterfalls Paper Mills in the U. S. A., as well as the remaining shares, 33 pct., in the Hafslund company, and about 22 500 acres of forest in Sweden. As already mentioned, the A/S Borregaard is engaged in the manufacture of chemical pulp and paper. The constant aim of the KellnerPartington Co. was to turn out high-grade products, and this policy is being continued by the A/S Borregaard. These mills supply bleached chemical pulp superior to the ordinary bleached product. All the mills owned by A/S Borregaard are now producing bleached pulp. The Austrian mills serve those markets on the Continent which are too far from the coast to be reached from Norway and Sweden. In Sweden the manufacture of sulphate pulp in connection with kraft paper features quite as prominently as the production of sulphite, and an exceptionally high grade of finished kraft paper, in point of both strength and finish, has been obtained. Tidens Tegn Oslo The leading Newspaper of Norway. |