Midland Cooperator

Co-ops Buy Milking Machine

This is the Universal Milking Machine Company's up-to-date plant at Waukesha, Wis., which this month became co-op property. It will turn out some 1,450 milking machines for distribution in the Midland area alone this year.

In a significant step into production on a national scale, National Cooperatives, Inc., Chicago, last week announced the outright purchase of the Universal Milking Machine Company, at Waukesha, Wis., fourth largest in the United States. Cooperative operation began Feb. 1.

Funds for the purchase of the milking machine plant were supplied by Midland and other regional co-op wholesales which are members of National Cooperatives. The national organization has been obtaining milking machines for its sixteen regional members from Universal for several years and has developed a wide acceptance for this brand of milker.

Midland Takes 30%

Midland itself will take better than 30% of the total output of the Universal factory which will mean it will have about 1,450 machines available for distribution this year under the government's county allotment program. (See Wartime Bulletin Roundup, p. 3).

The Universal Milking Machine Co. remains intact as an organization but now has a new set of officers. A. J. Smaby, Midland's general manager, is president; Joe Nolan of Farmers Union Central Exchange, is vice-president; Howard A. Cowden of Consumers Cooperative Ass'n, North Kansas City, Mo., is secretary-treasurer; and T. A. Tenhune, manager of National Cooperatives, is acting manager and assistant treasurer.

The organizational set-up may, however, be changed at the March meeting of the board of National Cooperatives.

Most of the present operating staff of Universal is being retained. B. F. Beaty remains as assistant treasurer in charge of plant activity and E. B. Shurts will work on sales.