Undaunted by the flood of adverse criticism which they provoked, the
inventors requested the industries to which soap is essential, and
which were being harassed by the lime-soap bugbear, to subject the
discovery to a commercial test. They did so, and were so surprised at
the results obtained as to ask promptly for further supplies! It not
only offered them the means to reduce their consumption of soap, but it
performed the desired functions more efficaciously, and proved to be a
complete panacea for the many ills which had heretofore afflicted the
trade. So impressed were they by what the new detergent accomplished
that they established its use in their works there and then, and to
this day have never reverted to the article formerly used.
In the powder form the application of the cereal soap was somewhat
restricted. Accordingly the inventors decided to produce it in the
familiar tablet and bar form, to enable a wider appeal to be made, even
to the home. As events proved it was far easier to attain the meal
stage than to pass therefrom to the solid cake. In fact, at one time it
seemed as if this desired end would never be consummated. It was only
by dint of unflagging effort that success was ultimately secured, and
the soap in tablet and bar form introduced to the market.
As the manufacture of soap from waste vegetable bases represents
something entirely new, so do the actual methods of production. The
revolution is complete. In preparing the conventional soap from 10
to 16 days are necessary. By the new process the cereal soap can be
made in sixty minutes! Furthermore, the operation is clean, absolutely
free from odour, and cold, no heat whatever being required, except to
warm the factory during the winter for the comfort of the employees.
The machinery necessary is also of the simplest and most inexpensive
character. Under these conditions there is not only a very marked
saving in time, but of fuel and labour. In these high-pressure days
wastage of time is as criminal as the wastage of material, and one
logically asks why spend ten days in consummating a specific end when
one hour will suffice for the purpose?
The saving in capital expenditure is very impressive, being at least 75
per cent. below that demanded for equipping the conventional factory.
In other words, £10,000--$50,000--will provide an installation capable
of turning out as much cereal soap as could be recorded with a plant
costing £40,000--$200,000--devoted to the orthodox system.