This film “Conveyors Carrying Commerce” (1970s) was produced by Paragon Productions for the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association. It shows the use of conveyor systems in various industries, from mining and manufacturing to logistics and healthcare. It showcases how conveyors have become essential for modern efficiency and productivity. The film was directed by W.B.H. Legg, Jr. and filmed by Walter J. Dumbeck, Jr.

0:00 Conveyor systems are a critical component of modern industry, capable of handling materials from tiny electronic parts to thousands of tons of mineral ore. Importance of control systems, which range from simple devices to complex, computerized controls.

1:16 Log-moving operation in Canada where a conveyor system and a water flume are combined to transport logs over 7 miles.

3:02 Newspaper industry, where conveyors handle immense rolls of newsprint and move both the raw material and the finished newspapers to delivery trucks.

3:41 In public utilities, conveyors are essential for moving vast quantities of coal from mines to power plants and into boilers. Systems often include air pollution control devices .

4:30 Specialized enclosed screw conveyors in a cement manufacturing plant are used to remove dust and prevent air pollution, addressing a key environmental challenge.

5:13 Cement unloading and storage system that can handle 8,000 barrels per hour, lifting the product 140 feet vertically into silos.

5:48 Home building industry, an embedded track conveyor system is used to move large, 27,000-pound modular home sections down an assembly line.

6:46 Automotive industry as a major user of conveyors, using them to maintain high production rates. This is followed by a lighter example of a toy manufacturer using an overhead conveyor to deliver parts for toy assembly.

7:20 A large-scale industrial application is shown on the island of Jamaica, where a 3-mile-long conveyor belt transports bauxite from a mine in the mountains to a shipping port.

8:02 Other heavy industries, such as petroleum coke manufacturing and aluminum smelting , are shown to rely on rugged, dependable conveyors for handling heavy, abrasive materials like 900-pound carbon blocks.

9:37 Conveyors are also used in stone quarries to move huge volumes of limestone for road construction and steel production. The film emphasizes the economic benefits of using such extensive systems.

11:30 Conveyors improve working conditions and productivity, highlighting the collaboration between humans and machines.

12:14 Textile industry uses conveyors for moving fabric through printing, coloring, and finishing processes.

13:41 In the dry-cleaning industry , overhead conveyor systems move clothes through processing and into final storage.

14:08 The film introduces computer-directed controls in a high-volume warehouse for appliances. This sophisticated system uses color coding to sort and route heavy appliances to their correct destination.

15:59 The grain industry is shown using massive conveyor systems to unload barges and transport grain to storage silos for worldwide shipment.

17:15 A small-scale, specialized application is a screw conveyor system used in a poultry processing plant to move ice for refrigeration.

18:26 Bottling plants, conveyors are crucial for washing, filling, and packaging bottles and cartons.

19:54 Computerized control system in a manufacturing plant identifies and routes trays of small parts to the correct assembly stations.

21:12 In a large air freight terminal , a computerized conveyor system sorts and routes packages to their appropriate shipping lanes and waiting planes.

21:52 The future, showcasing a prototype for a hospital where a self-powered unit follows a wire guide path to deliver supplies between floors. It uses electronic sensors to navigate and open doors.

23:25 New challenges will lead to more advanced technology and that the conveyor industry exemplifies the American spirit of raising the standard of living by producing “more and better products.”

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