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Monday, 12 September 2011

How ice cream is made

This cutaway view of an ice cream factory circa 1951 is fascinating.  It also points out something I've noticed about modern manufacturing.  Looking at this factory, you can see that the building was designed around the ice cream plant and it's as distinct as the machinery it contains.



Now look at this 21st century plant.  Aside from its scale, it's different in that the machines are all free standing and have no relationship to the building that contains them. It's just an empty box that the ice cream factory is set, not even really installed, inside.  It could just as easily be a bakery or some form of light manufacturing.

The local pizza takeaway patronised by Chez Szondy has a similar layout and their gear is all on wheels.  Even the oven rolls about.  I've often commented that with a moving van and a few strong lads you could steal the entire business inside of ten minutes.
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2 comments:

  1. eonMonday, 12 September 2011 at 05:10:00 GMT-7

    I wish the ad had credited the artist. From the style, I suspect it may have been Fred Freeman, of Collier's fame. The interior of the plant is drawn and colored very much like his cutaways of von Braun's moonships and lunar bases.

    cheers

    eon

    ReplyDelete
  2. SergejMonday, 12 September 2011 at 05:41:00 GMT-7

    First episode of the BBC series Civilisation, linked at this site recently for summer viewing, I think, gave the opinion that civilized people build things that are intended to be permanent, while barbarians tend to keep their wealth portable. These days, the barbarians' approach appears to be correct. Hudson Building in Detroit, where I grew up, was built around 100 years ago and had the store's name carved in stone. It changed ownership several times before it was demolished. These days, a brass plaque or a bolt-on sign is considered more practical: comes off cleanly for the next owner.

    When I was leaving my Connecticut place to escape the recent hurricane, I brought documents and a couple of family relics. 1911 in its case, in case the house got broken and looted, to keep it from falling into criminal hands. Much less than a Jeep-full. Bar. Barbar. Barbar, bar.

    ReplyDelete

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