JSvcry innjor producing industry is tlcpcndcnt ultiniatcly upon sonic forin of cnginccring. That fact is lwconiing niorc insistcnt cnch ycnr ns thc rcquircnicnts for succcssful industrial opcrntion grow tnorc stringent. Tlic twin ncccssities of cost and quality govern production and if goods nrc to bc ninnitfuctr~rcd a t low cost and of tltc Iiiglicst quality, industry must call upon thc ciiginccr to design nnd rnanufncturc plnnt and tiinchincry that will bc cflicicnt, rclinblc :itid rcasotiril)le in cnpital cost-problcnis wliicli it rcqiiircs considcrnblc ingciiuity to solw. In wliritcvcr industry wc look, \vhcthcc i t bc tlic cotton looms of L:incilshirc, thc inills of Urndford, the gas retorts nntl cokc ovcns of tlic carbonizing industrics, tltc distribution of clcctricity, thc ninnufactucc of csplosivcs, tlic supply of w:itcr, tlic niining of coal or tlic distribution of goods, wc find a dcpcntlcncc, untlcr tiiorlcrn industri:il conditions, upon thc I);iclting of a highly orgnnizcd nnd skillcd cnginccring industry.
Thc cliciiiicnl industry is no csccptioti to this gcncrdizntion. It rcquires eflicicnt niid specialized pliint for cvcry opcr~itioii-filtcrs, stills, nutocluvcs, ccntrifitgcs, \vnsIicrs, furnriccs, tnnks, boilcrs :ind : i Iiost of othcr units --and nlso coniplctc proccss instnllntions for iiini~iifricturing fiitivltcrl products froin tlcfincd riiw nintcri:ils. A midc varicty of nintcrinls inriy bc nccdcd--nictallic, non-mctnllic or orgnnic-so tltrit tltc clicinicnl iniinufncturcr rcquires ii wcll-dcvclopctl pl!int ittdustcy to fulfil his rcquircnicnts. 'lllic cspcricncc of tlic last 20 or 26 ycrirs lias slio~vii clcarly that tlic Ihitisli clicniicril industry sliould linve n strong rind cllicicnt British chctnicnl plant industry bcliiud it, and tlint, JVC subniit, is cqually iicccssnry in tiinc of pcncc (is in timc of mnr.
'.rho rclationsliip tlmt csists or should csist bctwccn thc chcmicnl industry niid tlic plnnt niiinufncturcc is worth asploriitio~i in vicw of its iniportnncc. Sonic misconception csists rcgnrding tltc scopc iind potcnti:ilitics of tlio Ihitish chcntic:il plrint mnnufncturcr ; in .YOIIIU qunrtcrs it sccnis to bc bclicvcd tlint Iic shoultl bc tiblo t o producc nt diort noticc dcsigns for coniplctc proccss plniits for tiii~tt~if~ictiiriil~ tiny tlicorcticnlly possiblc product froin givcn riiw niiitcrids, or c~cu vritliout I)oing told wlirtt; riiw Iniitcririls iirc cLvniliiblc.' At tho otltcr ostrcnic riro tliosc \vho bclic\w t h n t Lltc 13ritish cl~cinicnl plnnt industry is so ncgligiblc t;Iirit, clicuiiccil pltint liiusb nlwiiys bc in1port;ctl from nbroiitl. Tho niitliors liopc iti this pipor to bring tltc work of tltc Llribisli clicniical plnnt inniiufiictitrcr into its propcr * 'J'liis pirp~r i w s writtuii iind dopositcd \villi tho Sccroliiry hitfiiro wnr irppoiirctl iriiiiiinuriL, Tho IIIILJIO~H linvo IIOL iiioililiod iriiy BLiiLuiiioiiL iiiirtlo in it, holiuving Lliut iiltlioiigli iL iiiay i ~o t IIO usiiotly iipplioiiblu to wiir uo11ditioIw, llio Iiiirioiploa tlisuiinHctl will again fiinutioii crl'lor Lliu w i r .