210 



National Resources Planning Board 



decade the company has initiated production of many 

 chemicals not previously produced in Italy. Recently 

 the company allocated a sum of 20,000,000 lire for 

 expansion of research facilities in a new center called 

 the Institute Scientifico per Ricerchc e Spcrimentazioni 

 Chimiche. It is reported that the laboratory will be 

 the most comprehensive in Italy. 



One of the materials of which Italy has a serious 

 shortage is cellulose. Much effort has been directed 

 toward utilization of such cellulosic materials as straw, 

 cornstalks, and esparto, and in the development of 

 rayon including staple fiber and other fibers. Produc- 

 tion of cellulose from straw has been successfully de- 

 veloped, but the extent to which it has relieved the 

 shortage in cellulose is not indicated. 



Italy has been a leader in Europe in development of 

 rayon and new textile fibers. Chatillon S. A., Cisa, 

 and Snia Viscosa have conducted research in rayon 

 including admixture with other fibers. The latter com- 

 pany developed the woollike casein fiber Lanital, the 

 virtues of which as a substitute or supplement for wool, 

 both oconomicallj' and in practical use, have yet to be 

 fully demonstrated. Most of the requirements of casein 

 for this new fiber are imported. 



Societa Boracifcra di Larderello has acliieved con- 

 spicuous success in the development of boron and iodine 

 products and utilization of steam from volcanic fimia- 

 roles. Ufficio Tecnico Ammonia Casale, S. A., is noted 

 for its development of the Casale process of nitrogen 

 fixation. Film-Fabrichc Riunite Prodotti is also active 

 in research. 



The Pirelli Rubber Company has been engaged in 

 developing a process for manufacture of synthetic 

 rubber of the Buna type, but as late as last summer no 

 decision had been reached as to whether the German 

 process based on acetylene from calcium carbide would 

 be used, or the former German process now used by 

 Russia employing eth3'l alcohol as a raw material. It 

 would be necessary to import the coal for manufacture 

 of calcium carbide. 



Among other industries which have been developed 

 recently are aluminum, magnesium, cadmium, chemical 

 pigments, dyes, varnishes, pharmaceuticals, electro- 

 chemicals, and photographic materials. Plans for cul- 

 tivation of guayule to supplement requirements for 

 latex have been pushed. Engineering developments in 

 power, including use of natural steam of volcanic origin, 

 and clearing of swamplands, such as the Pontine 

 Marshes, where a model town has been built, have 

 typified activities in other directions. 



The Institute of Ceramics has been investigating the 

 substitution of domestic for imported raw materials in 

 the ceramics industry. The Scientific Institute of 

 Industrial Research, Milan, has done research in various 

 fields. A recent undertaking was the study of a new 



enzymic action on broom plant for production of 

 fiber. 



Research in the Netherlands 



While the amount of industrial research in the 

 Netherlands has been limited, from the standpoint of 

 the size of the country, it has been outstanding both in 

 amount and quality. The Phillips Laboratory at 

 Eindhoven, engaged in activities similar to those of the 

 General Electric Company, is one of the most outstand- 

 ing in Europe as regards personnel and quality of work 

 in electronics, radio, television, and related fields. Its 

 laboratories are especially well designed for carrying out 

 industrial-research programs. The Shell Company has 

 noteworthy accomplishments to its credit in petroleum, 

 and in the summer of 1939 was planning extensive addi- 

 tions to its laboratories in Amsterdam which were ex- 

 pected to make them among the largest petroleum-prod- 

 ucts research laboratories in the world. The States 

 Mines, although Government owned, has done consider- 

 able research on coal, paid for from profits of the organ- 

 ization's commercial operations. Cooperative Super- 

 phosphate Works and Koning and Bienfait are also 

 actively engaged in industrial research. The work of 

 Kog! and of Jansen in biochemistry is particularly to be 

 noted. Important work has been done on enamels and 

 chrome leather. 



As much of Netherlands' trade is dependent upon 

 colonial materials, a considerable portion of the research 

 activities is focused on these. Industrial and medical 

 research in the Netherlands Indies has been notable. 

 Netherlands has led the world in research on cocoa and 

 chocolate and has made valuable contributions to 

 knowledge of cinchona, rubber, and shellac. 



Small companies not maintaining their own labora- 

 tories have procured research services by means of 

 fellowships or by retaining as consultants university 

 professors who have thus served two or three concerns 

 and sometimes have been directors in them. Several 

 companies have cooperated in the building or equipment 

 of such laboratories. 



The universities in the Netherlands have generally 

 been well endowed and possessed potentialities for 

 excellent research work, the outlook for which, however, 

 has been said to be less favorable than 20 years ago 

 because of the higher costs. The universities of 

 Amsterdam, Delft, Groningen, and Leiden have been 

 particularly active in research. The Van der Waals 

 Laboratory at Amsterdam is noted for Prof. Michels' 

 exceptional fundamental research involving very high 

 pressures. 



The Amsterdam Academy of Sciences is similar to 

 our National Research Council, and there are many 

 professional and scientific societies in the Netherlands. 



